Turkey: No closer Israel ties without flotilla apology

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday it would be impossible for Turkish-Israeli ties to improve unless Israel apologized and paid compensation for the killing of nine Turks aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla on May 2010.

His statement came in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's earlier announcement that Israel would stick to its refusal to apologize to Turkey, dampening any prospects for reconciliation between the former allies. (Reuters)