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Turkey may cut Israel ties to minimum - deputy PM

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Turkey may minimize relations with Israel over Israel's recent deadly attack on an international aid convoy en route to Gaza, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Friday.

Turkey may minimize relations with Israel over Israel's recent deadly attack on an international aid convoy en route to Gaza, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Friday.

The relations between two countries soured after Israeli commandos stormed the six-ship Freedom Flotilla off the Gaza coast as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave.

Eight out of the nine people confirmed killed in Monday's attack, which took place in neutral waters in the Mediterranean Sea, were Turkish citizens and Thursday saw mass anti-Israeli protests in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, as the country paid last respects to the victims.

"We are serious on this issue. New cooperation will not start and relations with Israel will be reduced," Arinc said.

He said economic and military ties would be reduced along with all other bilateral dealings.

"Israel lives in fear, and that caused the attack on civilians by the Israeli military," Arinc said. "This fear can be overcome by stopping the unfair treatment of Palestinians," he continued.

"Those who gave their lives and suffered in the attack have won, and Israel has lost," he said.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that Turkey would never forgive Israel for the killing of Turkish citizens.

Turkey has severely condemned the aggression and recalled its ambassador from Israel.

On Wednesday, the Turkish parliament unanimously adopted a declaration urging the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel over the attack, which it called a "blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law."

The Freedom Flotilla was trying to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip even though Israel had warned that it would not allow foreign ships to approach the coast.

Israel said the ships could be carrying arms intended for militants in the Palestinian enclave and offered instead to receive the ships at its port of Ashdod, inspect the cargo and then transport it overland to Gaza.

Many of the 1.5 million people living in Gaza lack sufficient supplies of clean water and other vital items.

The Hamas Islamist movement, which has controlled Gaza since summer 2007, has refused to allow the seized Freedom Flotilla cargo into the enclave until Turkey gives the go-ahead.

ANKARA, June 4 (RIA Novosti) 

 

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