Turkish, Israeli officials hold more negotiations towards mending ties

Turkish and Israeli officials are expected to hold another round of negotiations "in a couple of days" to resolve their differences before the release of a UN report on last year's deadly raid on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship. Signals coming from the Israeli side reportedly show some parts of the establishment are moving closer to fulfilling the demand for an apology, something firmly opposed by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Internal discussions, however, between Israeli defense and Justice Ministry officials over the past few weeks have suggested that a cautious apology could stop possible lawsuits by Turkish organizations against Israeli officers and bring an end to the issue, according to Israeli media. That is considered a sign that the Israeli government is preparing its public for an apology. Sources familiar with Israeli politics say that since Israel is being ruled by a coalition, a consensus is being sought. If the members of the government fail to reach a consensus, then a decision will be made by the majority, something which also binds those who object to it. For any normalization, Turkey has consistently insisted on two conditions: an apology, and compensation for the raid's victims. Nine Turks died in the Israeli raid.