On May 31 of last year a Turkish ship carrying  humanitarian aid to Gaza was attacked by Israeli warship in  international waters of the Mediterranean and nine Turkish passangers were killed. The crisis that ensued still continues today.

The Security Council adopted a Presidential Statement and asked that an investigation be carried out on the tragedy.The UN Human Rights Council also decided that a Fact Finding Mission be instituted.The UN Secretary General designed an Inquiry Panel headed by Mr. Palmer,from New Zeland, an ancient Prime Minister.Turkey asked  Israel a formal apology,compensation and that the blockade of Gaza be lifted. Israel asked for meetings to be held between the authorities of the two countries.Negotiations were carried out in four rounds of meetings. Lastly,the Israeli side requested a six months postponement.That was rejected by the Turkish side.

The crisis took another nasty turn when the Palmer Report, which was expected to be submitted to the UN Secretery General, was suddenly leaked tothe New York Times paper  by the hard liners in the Israeli Coalition Government who wanted to end the negotiations between Turkey and Israel and prevent any possible apology and compensation. The UN Secretary General was himself surprised by such a move.

It was clear that the Israeli Government was not willing to respond posiitively to the legitimate Turkish demands. Mr Ahmet Davutoğlu,the Turkish Foreign Minister announced on 2nd September the following measures:

1. Diplomatic relations with Israel  reduced to Second Secretary level.

2. All military agreements suspended.

3. As a littoral State with the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Turkey would take every  measure for the safety of the mariitime navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

4. Turkey intends to ask the International Court of Justice in the Hague to examine the blockade as it stood on May 31,2010.İnitiatives will be taken to put the UN General Assembly in motion on the issue.

5. All possible support will be extended to Turkish and Foreign victims of Isrel’s attack in their initiatives to seek their rights before courts.