Turkey held first high-level meeting with Israel since it curtailed diplomatic relations over the Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound humanitarian mission that killed nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists.
Israeli Trade Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, the most pro-Turkish member of the Israeli Cabinet, held secret parleys with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reportedly in Brussels on Wednesday at the behest of U.S. President Barack Obama.
But reports quoting Turkish officials said nothing substantial was agreed during the meeting. Their demand for an apology from Israel for the May 31 attack on the aid flotilla, compensation for the victims, and an international inquiry into the incident were not met.
Avigdor Lieberman, the far-right Foreign Minister of Israel, said he was opposed to the talks.
Under immense pressure to lift the four-year-old blockade after the flotilla assault, Israel lifted the land blockade of Gaza, which allows in all goods except weapons and war material.
But it has not yet yielded to calls for an impartial, independent and internationally credible investigation into the attack.
Enraged by the raid, Turkey scaled down economic and defense ties with Israel.
Turkey was Israel's most important Muslim ally, and its only remaining ally in the Middle East.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.