Israeli-Turk secret meet to mend ties

Jul 02, 2010 |

JERUSALEM

An Israeli Cabinet minister met secretly in Europe with Turkey’s foreign minister on Wednesday in an attempt to improve relations rapidly deteriorating over the recent bloodshed on a Gaza-bound flotilla, Israeli government officials said. Industry minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer met Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu in an unspecified location in Europe, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the government did not officially confirm the details. Ties between Israel and Turkey have worsened in recent years as Turkey’s government has taken a more critical approach to a country that was one of its closest allies. Relations were dealt a blow in June when nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli troops in a botched attempt to stop a protest flotilla trying, with the unofficial backing of Turkey’s government.

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Netanyahu invites Abbas to Jerusalem
Jerusalem, July 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday intensified calls for face-to-face peace talks with the Palestinians, pledging to visit Ramallah if Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas would come to Jerusalem. Mr Netanyahu spoke to reporters after talks with visiting US West Asia envoy George Mit-chell and one week ahead of a visit to the White House for a meeting with President Barack Obama.
“I call on President Abu Mazen to come to Jerusalem,” he said, using a familiar name for Mr Abbas. “I’m prepared to go to Ramallah.” Israel’s declared capital of Jeru-salem is just a short drive from Ramallah. —AFP

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