Bill on Normalization Agreement With Israel Submitted to Turkish Parliament

A draft bill on the normalization of Turkey’s ties with Israel has been submitted to the Turkish parliament for ratification, the country’s media reported Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ankara and Tel Aviv signed the agreement to end six years of tensions on June 28 in Rome after Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim made the announcement. The pact enters into force after ratification by both countries’ lawmakers and an exchange of envoys.

The normalization agreement, according to Turkey’s NTV broadcaster, requires Israel to compensate Turkey $20 million within 25 days for a 2010 raid on a Turkish flag-bearing vessel that killed eight of its citizens. The so-called Freedom Flotilla incident resulted in the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Turkey, withdrawal of its own ambassador from Israel, as well as the demand for a formal apology and compensation.

After the agreement’s ratification, Turkey undertakes to waive all criminal or legal claims against Israeli service members, according to the news channel.