(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said he will not apologise to Turkey over a raid that killed nine Turks on a ship bound for Gaza, reiterating his position on Sunday after Ankara downgraded relations.
On Friday, Turkey froze all military pacts with Israel, expelled the Israeli ambassador and threatened legal sanctions after a UN report on the May 2010 raid failed to trigger an Israeli apology.
The report said Israel had used unreasonable force in the raid of the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara, but added that pro-Palestinian activists onboard mounted organised and violent resistance.
Turkey also wants an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza and compensation for the families of the those killed in the raid.
"We do not need to apologise that the naval commandos defended themselves against the violent activists," Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting, echoing a statement issued by his office on Friday.
"I hope a way can be found to overcome the dispute with Turkey," he said. "Israel never wanted its relations with Turkey to deteriorate and now too Israel is not interested in a deterioration in relations."
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