Forget Turkey and the Arab world. Read the relevant Pew poll: between 95% and 100% hate Jews. Forget the looney left: they hate Israel. The real battle is for mainstream US and Europe. Now, mainstream Europeans may not like Israel but they are scared of the Turks. Look at the rise of anti-Muslim parties in Europe. Mainstream Europeans are scared of people who kill their children for "honour" and who would go to war for an apology. Israel should keep to the high ground and react in a "civilized" way to the Turkish "tantrums". This problem with Turkey is an opportunity to improve Israel's relations with mainstream Europe.

1. Turkish and Israeli Diplomats meet up at the UN 2. Find a form of words that will be acceptable to both parties 3. Move on This excrutiating bizarre act of macho diplomacy impresses no one The idea that either ONE side should apologise and ask for forgiveness is laughable - when there is RIGHT and WRONG on both sides

But Emre your comment implies that the Israeli Commandos boarded the Marmara in order to murder civilians. The videos, all the forensic analysis shows that it was never premeditated nor intentional All Israel was attempting was to enforce a legal blockade to prevent weapons entering Gaza and the ALMOST DAILY bombardment of rockets. Every offer by Israel to the Flotilla for diversion and inspection of the boats to Ashdod was refused or ignored. Because the primary STATED aim of the Flotilla was not humanitarian aid but to break the blockade and undermine Israels ability to protect its citizens. Its sad that once thriving Israel Turkey relations should be debased by you to overt messages of hate simply because you are not prepared to see the other side. Nevertheless I am hopeful for a resolution because you cant wipe out lasting friendships developed over decades between Turks and Jews because of the irresponsibility and ineptitude of the politicians who cant seem to find the words for a a way forward

It's not about honor but deterrence. Can Israel afford to show itself weak and appeasing in front of Turkey? Can it afford to abolish the Gaza blockade and recognize Turkey as the protector of Hamas and the power that calls the the shots? I think not! But it's exactly that which is demanded of you.

hahahaha I just read that the big guy is not visiting Gaza as he promised. YES, HE PROMISED US AND DO NOT DELIVER. Big guy: you left all of the Turks disappointed, you talked toooooooooo much with a biogggggg mouuuuuuuuth It seems to be that the big guy does not have guts as he shows. Hahahahahahahaha.

israel should support independence for Kurds and other national groups within countries hostile to it, for multiple reasons: (1) Many of the countries hostile to Israel are not ethnically based but artificial constructs created by the Allies after WWI (Iraq) or which rule minorities through historical accident (Turkey). Their leaders attack Israel as a means of diverting their people from problems that in part stem from internal tensions. To the extent the Kurds or other ethnic groups that have been friendly or neutral toward Jews can organize themselves into states and detach territory from hostile countries, it is in Israel's interest to support them. (2) Good relations with countries like Turkey are transitory at best because they have little in common with Israel. Ethic minority states which have hostile countries on their borders do have something in common. (3) It is the right thing to do. A Kurdish entity or entities appear on maps going back to the Middle Ages (often spelled with C). They have a far better claim to a nation-state than the "Palestinians."

The nine Turkish terrorists were killed as a result of trying to kill Israeli soldiers who acted in self-defense, a crucial fact which many Turks conveniently "forget". It is very simple: don't attack Israel and there will be no more confrontations.

Erdogan sent IHH terrorists not to bring rockets, but to weaken the blockade so next time IHH could bring rockets to shoot our children. But when your children were dying under the rubble of collapsed buildings, we came and helped you rescue them. Do not use the word honor.

What do you do with a Turkey? You stuff it and roast it.

Daily, twice daily! Watch those SOBs start squeeling like the pigs they are.

Israel should get together with the Greeks and kick the Turkish army off Cyprus.

There, I said I was sorry. Business as usual, right?

Until Turkey apologizes for Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs, Cyprus, Hatay, it has no honor to defend. If honor to you means that you never apologize for your crimes but ask others to apologize for what you perceive wrong, than this is fake honor.

Oh I know, they were trying to mediate Israel into giving up the Golan to Assad. Idiots, who write garbage on ynet must know that these sort of things don't end with apologies.

Hmmm... Turkey sandwiches. Don't forget the cranberry and mayo.

trying to illegally invade Israel. That flotilla was sent by the Turkish government. Sending an armed force to beat down a closed frontier is an act of war. It's an invasion. If anyone should apologize for that, it is Turkey. That country under Erdogan is quickly becoming an Islamist state, cooperating closely with Iran. Israel should build other alliances. And Europe and the US would also do wisely to review their ties with Erdogan.

Alas, you are mistaken. Europeans are not afraid of Turkey and most of the western Europeans adhere to the view that Israel is a tiger devouring the poor palestinians. Also, that the flotilla was comprised of aid ships for the palestinians. It's dangerous to admit that you agree with the anti-Islam parties and everything is being done to appease the Turkish and other Arab 'tantrums'. In this matter Israel has only to consider itself, it will not gain by not apologizing, and it is so hated already by the mainstream Europeans, that it will not lose either. Alas, that is my opinion as a Jewish European looking in astonishment to what is happening around me.

PM Erdogan climbed a very high tree and ended up kicking the ladder from under himself and now he can't descend... An apology by Israel would be an admission of guilt and an exoneration of the IHH. The Palmer report states that the blockade is legal.

Not so long ago, Turkey was dubbed the "sick man of Europe"...and now history is repeating itself. Because of the Ottoman Empire's inability/unwillingness to control its habitual criminal misbehaviour, the Western Powers eventually administered it the only medicine that could work i.e. the dismantlement of this empire. Erdogan and his cohorts have apparently regressed to the same level of hubris that prevailed prior to Ataturk...that is: Turkey has relapsed into very same nefarious mindset that afflicted the Turks during their imperial era. Quick...is there a doctor in the house? Islamo-fascism is a pernicious illness that destroys from within, and just like a cancer it metastizes rapidly...a new medicine needs to be urgently administered. Apologies from Israel are certainly NOT the remedy for this deadly malady!

What to do with turkey well roast it

Erdogan seeks confrontation.It was already clearly visible in Davos where he provoked an incident with President Peres. Turkey is member of NATO,but Ahmadinedschad a friend of Erdogan.How loyal to NATO remains such an fanatic in an emergency? His conduct towards his "allies" Israel shows his true face.

History showed it very clear. Appeaement does not work.. Turkey today and who will be coming next? No, they are not worth it , nobody is.

Israel has a right to protect its lands, and continue its war. That is OK. But killing unarmed civilians can not be accepted.. Israels armed forces can easily stop the ship by other means..

Garp keep dreaming dude.Greek is bankrupt state.How long do you think they can finance a war?. Such an attempt will have an catastrophic consequences for both nations.Cyprus home to Turks since 1571 and will be forever.

You low life. Were you born under a rock? you nation was build on the wealth and exploitation of other countries, over slave traffic,over opium wars, over plundering the riches of S.America, China and India. Bunch of thieves, you should just shut up and get into a hole.

We should have sunk it.

Can't you see ?.the writers of this article,Turkey already had decided a long time ago that it wants to end it's relations with Israel,because of it's desire to join the Muslim world,and end Atta turk's legacy,no matter what Israel will do will change Turkey's new orientation,Remember ?.when erdogan insulted Shimon Peres in public ?. should Israel apologise for that too ?.

How well did appeasement work for the Czechs?

Turkey has never had honor because it has never apologized for killing unarmed civilians in hundreds of thousands of occasions.

I wonder the implications of the opposite of this situation, i.e. if an Israeli ship, heading and claiming to bring aid to the PKK in south eastern Turkey, was boarded by the Turkish armed forces using live fire and Israeli citizens were slaughtered, all taking place 100km or so from Turkish waters... I wonder on Israel's reaction? War? You see I don't care much for the people on those ships, but the Israeli attitude afterwards is simply smirk and unacceptable. Which has united views against Israel in Turkey regardless of their views on the flotilla and the brainless zombies in them, its all now about a nation (Israel) who has killed Turkish citizens. To put it simply it is TOO LATE for an apology, and too late to do anything about Turkish-Israeli relations, a lawful approach on behalf of the international community / organizations + an apology on time might have left something to work with in terms of recovery, but as this isn't the case and the only effect of an apology now will be to halt further deterioration, which I suppose will come in the form of halting of economic relations, blocking of Turkish waters and air to Israeli civil and military vessels etc... and it will grow even further on from that.... If the way to go for Israel is self alienation from all countries in the area, then its doing a hell of a good job at it, if not then there has to be some major changes in the way the Israeli government thinks and acts.. Just like what is happening all over the Mediterranean..