Turkish prosecutor demands dismissal of Mavi Marmara case

The chief public prosecutor in the Mavi Marmara case has demanded that the Turkish judiciary should dismiss the prosecution of a number of Israeli officials in absentia over the attack on the Mavi Marmara humanitarian aid ship in 2010. Those indicted include the former Israeli Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, Anadolu has reported.

The prosecutor in Istanbul cited the recent reconciliation agreement signed between Turkey and Israel in his message to the city’s 7th Court of Serious Crimes. According to the agreement signed in June, Israel agreed to apologise for the raid and pay $20 million in compensation to the victims’ families and those who were wounded.

On a related issue, Anadolu said that the Turkish ambassador to Israel, Kemal Ökem, is expected to start work as Ankara’s envoy on 12 December. The Israeli ambassador to Ankara, Eitan Na’eh, arrived in the Turkish capital to take up his post last Thursday.