Isaeli knesset congrulates Erdogan on election victory

In a further sign of willingness to repair Turkish-Israeli ties in the wake of last year's deadly Mavi Marmara incident, which severely strained relations, members of Israel's parliament sent a letter of congratulations Wednesday to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his Sunday election victory. "As head of the parliamentary Israel-Turkey friendship association and on behalf of my colleagues here in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, allow me to express our best wishes for your re-election as [prime minister] of the great country of Turkey," said the letter. "Here in the Israeli parliament, we hope your election will signify the opening of a new chapter in Israel-Turkey relations – a chapter of fruitful cooperation for the benefit of our two countries and people," it said. The Israeli lawmakers called on both sides to put aside past strains and instead focus on cooperation. "Let's bury the grudges of the recent past – the tragic events of the [Mavi] Marmara flotilla – and find inspiration in the long history of friendship and cooperation between our countries," said the lawmakers. The letter followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's praise of Turkish democracy just after Sunday's elections. A senior Israeli politician also suggested Ankara allow a humanitarian aid flotilla for the Syrians in Turkey fleeing the Assad regime's violent crackdown.