Can Rivlin smooth over relations with the Vatican?
Can Rivlin smooth over relations with the Vatican?Miriam Alster/Flash 90

President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday sent Israel's condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after at least 86 people were killed in a bombing at a peace rally there Saturday. Rivlin wrote to Erdogan that Israelis were “shocked and sad at the news of the murderous attacks, especially as they were aimed at those seeking peace.”

The Ankara Peace March was attended by thousands who called on the government to make peace with the PKK, the Kurdish guerrilla group, in light of the dangers Turkey faced from the unrest in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

The bombing, which took place as marchers were set to move towards the main rally in a central Ankara square, was the worst in modern Turkish history, officials in Turkey said. According to Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu, 62 people were killed at the scene while another 24 made it to hospitals before perishing. Another 186 were injured, including 28 with severe wounds.

Erdogan said that the "heinous attack" was intended to break "our unity and our country's peace." Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu ordered the country to begin three days of national mourning.

In his letter to Erdogan, Rivlin wrote that he expressed Israelis' condolences to the government and people of Turkey. “All of us all over the world, especially in this region, are dealing with the threats of terror that strike without differentiating between innocent and guilty. We must remain united in the fight against terror and against those who use violence instead of dialog, and try to destroy the loves of so many.”