In what is being touted as a conciliatory gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement Sunday condemning the suicide car bombing in Ankara, Turkey, which claimed the lives of more than 30 people, Israel National News reported.
The statement noted that Netanyahu “condemns the large-scale terrorist attack in Ankara in which innocent citizens lost their lives and many dozens were injured.
“Israel expresses solidarity with the Turkish people in the war against terrorism and calls on the international community to unite in the fight against terrorism.”
The death toll from Sunday’s bombing, which took place at a bus stop, has risen to 37, according to a report by the Associated Press. Another 125 were injured in the attack, 71 of whom still remained in hospital Monday, including 15 in serious condition. Thus far, no party has claimed responsibility for the attack, though a senior government official said the attackers were suspected of ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Relations between Turkey and Israel have been tense since 2010, when ties were cut following the Gaza flotilla incident. In May of that year, members of the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH) attempted to break Israel’s legal blockade on Gaza. Several ships in the flotilla acceded to the orders of the Israeli navy to turn away, but those aboard the Mavi Marmara refused, attacking soldiers who boarded the ship. The soldiers were forced to open fire, and 10 people were killed.
Turkey demanded an Israeli apology and restitution to the bereaved families. After initially refusing, Netanyahu ultimately bowed to US pressure and apologized to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to reports, both sides have come to mutual “understandings” and have made great progress towards reconciliation. As of two weeks ago, Turkey’s foreign minister claimed the countries were “days away” from an agreement.
The sticking points of the deal allegedly remain the demand for compensation and the construction of a seaport in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel is unwilling to budge on the latter for fear it would be used to smuggle weapons to the terrorist regime. Major General Yoav Mordechai, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), recently clarified that the matter was not even being considered by Israeli authorities.
Just as the Torah exhorts the Children of Israel repeatedly to be kind to the stranger because they were once strangers in a strange land, so, too, does Israel offer its support to Turkey when faced with terror: the Jewish State knows what it’s like.
