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Despite strained relations, Israel offers to help quake-hit Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey — Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to offer condolences for those killed in a devastating earthquake and said the Jewish state was ready to help, officials of both countries said.Relations between Israel and Turkey have been frayed since Israeli commandos killed nine Turks during a raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010.
Sources at Erdogan's office said Netanyahu reminded Erdogan that Turkey sent fire-fighting planes in December last year to help Israel battle a brush fire that killed 41 people and said Israel was now ready to help Turkey.
At least 279 people were killed and more than 1,300 wounded when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey on Sunday.
Rescue efforts were continuing Monday to save those still alive, but trapped in the rubble.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the call between the two country's leaders took place.
Story: Seismic web gave rise to Turkey's killer quake"Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the victims of the terrible earthquake and offered Israel's help in dealing with the tragedy. The Turkish prime minister thanked him for his words and for his offer to help," the official said.
It was too early to know if the exchange would lead to a rapprochement. Turkey has demanded Israel apologize and pay compensation for the killings and lift the blockade on Gaza as a condition to normalize ties with its former strategic ally.
Tensions between the two U.S. allies rose last month when Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador after Israel refused to apologize and said its marines acted in self-defense in clashes with pro-Palestinian activists on one of the vessels.
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