Israel and Turkey sign agreement to normalize relations: report

Israel and Turkey have agreed on the basics of a deal to normalize their relations, news media said Friday, with other reports that talks were ongoing.

Under the proposed agreement, which has yet to be signed, Israel would pay compensation for a deadly incident in 2010, Israeli radio reported.

Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara pro-Palestinian aid flotilla off the coast of Gaza in May 2010 and killed nine Turkish nationals and a Turkish-US citizen on board.

Pro-Palestinian activists on the boat had defied an Isaeli warning not to try to break the blockade of Gaza by sea.

If the deal goes through, Israel would put 20 million dollars into a fund that would in turn compensate the families of those killed and injured, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Other conditions included Turkey expelling the alleged high-ranking Hamas militant Saleh al-Aruri, and discussions on a possible gas pipeline to export gas from Israel through Turkey to Europe, Haaretz reported.

The countries would also send their respective ambassadors back, it said.

Turkish news agency Anadolu reported that the deal was not finalized, and that talks were expected to continue.

The issue of Israel's ongoing blockade of Gaza, which Turkey has requested be lifted, remained a stumbling block, the Haaretz report said.

By Sarah Lemel