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Turkey signs deal to normalize ties with Israel

Xinhua, June 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu signed the Turkish side of deal to normalize ties with Tel Aviv on Tuesday in Ankara, Anadolu Agency reported.

The director-general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, Dore Gold, signed the deal in Tel Aviv Turkish media CNN Turk has reported. Turkey and Israel will exchange ambassadors after reaching a deal to normalize ties.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Monday that Turkey and Israel will exchange ambassadors after reaching a deal to normalize ties after a six-year diplomatic rift, adding that the deal would be signed on Tuesday.

Relations between Turkey and Israel had come to a halt after Israeli forces raid on an aid flotilla that killed 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010 in May 2010.

Attempts to mend ties were initiated in 2015 when delegations from two sides met for the first time. Negotiations were conducted throughout 2016 until June 26, when the two sides met in Rome to agree on the latest draft of the agreement.

Under the deal, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation to the relatives of the Mavi Marmara victims, and Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza with a first shipment of 10,000 tons of supplies being sent next Friday. Endit