According to various sources, Israel and Turkey are engaged in direct secret talks with American encouragement in an attempt to restore normal relations.
Netanyahu sent a congratulatory message to Erdogan on his re-election. He was quoted in the Turkish Zaman, a pro-Islamic newspaper that supports the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Erdogan, saying
“My government will be happy to work with the new Turkish government on finding a resolution to all outstanding issues between our countries, in the hope of re-establishing our cooperation and renewing the spirit of friendship which has characterized the relations between our peoples for many generations.”
A harbinger of the attempt to improve relations was the Turkish pullout from the forthcoming Gaza flotilla.
A few theories suggest themselves to explain why the Turkish government is in a more benevolent mood.
- The elections in Turkey are over and the AKP has gotten all the mileage it can from the anti-Israeli policy.
- Turkey has seen in Libya and currently in Syria that a pro-Arab policies not always a bed of roses. In Libya, Turkey lost investments. Syrian refugees fleeing the Assad regime have crossed over into Turkey.
- Syria also raised the issue of what the major humanitarian crisis really is – Gaza or Syria
- Israel, according to Hurriyet , an opposition daily , announced that the Turkish Red Crescent Society had been given permission to take in all the necessary medical material required to Gaza through the Erez crossing point.