Speaking at the opening ceremony of Nuri Demirag Airport in Sivas province, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent messages to Israel.
When Turkey sent 2 firefighting planes to Israel to help extinguish the fire in Haifa, Israeli officials offered to make a new beginning with Turkey. Erdogan responded to this offer by saying that first Israel should pay for its crimes.
Erdogan said "No one should look for something else in this thing. There is nothing but our humanity and culture of solidarity involved in this."
Prime Minister Erdogan reiterated Turkey's demands for compensation and an apology. He said "First, our demands must be met, first, they will account for our brothers they martyred on Mavi Marmara.
Erdogan noted that once Turkey's demands are met, the Turkish government will also take further steps.
He said "We never leave the hands reaching out for a shake in the air. We do respond to positive steps, but we want to believe in their sincerity. So long as the blood spilled in the Mediterranean is not paid for, so long as Israel bears that blood, no one should expect us to be silent and give up on law and justice."