TEL AVIV. – A special committee formed by 8 ministers gathered last week to discuss the tense relations between Israel and Turkey. They also demanded Ankara to apologize for detaining the Mavi Marmara ship, where nine Turks were killed. However, no consensus was reached with Turkey. The meeting brought no decisions as well, MIGnews.com reports.

The participants of the meeting will gather again in the upcoming days.

Israeli MOD Ehud Barak and Intelligence Minister Dan Meridor believe that Israel should apologize officially for the sake of future relations with Ankara. However, Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman, Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya’alon and Minister without portfolio Benny Begin are categorically against this step. 

“Turkish PM Erdogan desires nothing else but to humiliate Israel. It will bring him political dividends among his Islamic voters,” Ya’alon stated. “Erdogan does not guarantee that once Israel apologizes, relations between Israel and Turkey will be fully resumed. Turkey promises only to return the Turkish Ambassador to Israel. We can deal without him as well. Besides, it will be even worse if Israel apologizes.”