MIDEAST: Tourist flights from Israel to Turkey cancelled due to flotilla incident

Record ID: 792117

  • Title: MIDEAST: Tourist flights from Israel to Turkey cancelled due to flotilla incident
  • Date: 3rd June 2010
  • Summary: BEN GURION AIRPORT, LOD, ISRAEL (JUNE 1, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BEN GURION AIRPORT PEOPLE WALKING INSIDE TERMINAL FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD VARIOUS OF EMPTY QUEUING AREA IN FRONT OF TURKISH AIRLINES CHECK IN DESK WIDE OF TERMINAL HALL BEN GURION AIRPORT, LOD, ISRAEL (JUNE 2, 2010) (REUTERS) CAMERA PERSON FILMING FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SHAHAR ARIELI TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, SHAHAR ARIELI, SAYING: "Of course the relations between Israel and Turkey are now not in the best period but there is a strong historical tie between Israel and Turkey. There are a lot of joint interests, and we hope for the best of both countries that these relations will improve." JERUSALEM (JUNE 2, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ZION TOURS TRAVEL AGENCY VARIOUS OF TRAVEL AGENTS WORKING MARK FELDMAN, OWNER OF ZION TOURS SAT AT DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) OWNER OF ZION TOURS, MARK FELDMAN, SAYING: "Turkey is dead, let's just put it real clearly. Everybody who had packages to go to the Turkish resorts of Antalya, Dedeman or Istanbul have cancelled. We have ceased all flights between Israel and Antalya as of this morning, so even those who would like to take advantage of some inexpensive packages don't have that option. Turkey has been one of Israel's best and most popular destinations among Israel, the facilities there are first class, the people in the facilities are excellent." CABINET CONTAINING MODEL PLANES/ FELDMAN SAT AT DESK TRAVEL AGENTS WORKING TURKISH AIRLINES WORLD MAP ON WALL
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA74ITJ84MN20B66MWRQSTDD2EB
  • Story Text: Israeli tour companies cancelled all flights and packages to Turkey on Wednesday (June 2) in response to the deepening diplomatic crisis over the killing of at least nine activists on board a Gaza aid flotilla.
    "Turkey is dead, let's just put it real clearly. Everybody who had packages to go to the Turkish resorts of Antalya, Dedeman or Istanbul have cancelled. We have ceased all flights between Israel and Antalya as of this morning, so even those who would like to take advantage of some inexpensive packages don't have that option. Turkey has been one of Israel's best and most popular destinations among Israel, the facilities there are first class, the people in the facilities are excellent," Mark Feldman, owner of Zion Tours, told Reuters.
    Turkey said it was ready to normalise ties with Israel if the Jewish state lifts a blockade on Gaza saying it was time calm replaced anger in the wake of Israel's deadly raid on a Turkish-backed flotilla.
    Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutogu, in Ankara after a visit to the United States to discuss the diplomatic crisis, also told a news conference that the future of Turkish-Israeli ties depended on Israel's attitude. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel following Monday's storming of Gaza bound aid ships.
    The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Turkish-Israeli relations had strong historical ties even after the bloody events on Monday.
    "Of course the relations between Israel and Turkey are now not in the best period but there is a strong historical tie between Israel and Turkey. There are a lot of joint interests, and we hope for the best of both countries that these relations will improve," Foreign Ministry spokesman Shahar Arieli said.
    Israeli marines stormed a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza on Monday killing nine pro-Palestinian activists; four of the dead have been identified as Turkish, triggering the profound diplomatic crisis.
    Israeli flag carrier El Al <ELAL.TA> and Turkey's Atlasjet Airlines have also frozen the start of flights between Tel Aviv and Istanbul that was slated to begin on June 20.
    An El Al spokesman said El Al and Atlasjet hope to renew flights in the near future.
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