Israel Pays $20 Million in Compensation for Attack on Gaza Aid Flotilla

Funds to Go to Families of Slain Turkish Citizens

by Jason Ditz

As part of the reconciliation package with Turkey, Israel today sent some $20 million in compensatory payments into the Turkish Justice Ministry, from which it will be distributed to the families of 10 slain Turkish citizens killed by Israeli troops on the Mavi Marmara.

The Mavi Marmara attack saw  attacking and boarding the aid ship MV Mavi Marmara, which was bound for the Gaza Strip and carrying humanitarian aid. The Israeli military claimed the crew resisted, and ended up killing 10 of them, and while Israeli officials spent years spinning this as a great success, it did major harm to Israel-Turkey relations.

In 2013, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkey over the attack, and this summer, the two nations reached a rapprochement deal, with the Israeli compensation payment a key part of the deal, along with an easing of the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In return, Turkey has promised to return its ambassador to Israel, once one is named, and has also promised not to seek any criminal or civil action against individual Israeli nationals involved in the Mavi Marmara attack. Turkish officials say the ambassador will be announced “soon.”

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/09/30/israel-pays-20-million-in-compensation-for-attack-on-gaza-aid-flotilla/