| GEO World | | Israel apologizes to Turkey over insult | Updated at: 2341 PST, Wednesday, January 13, 2010
JERUSALEM: Israel has apologized to Turkey over an insult to its ambassador in an attempt to defuse the latest crisis between the two nations.
On Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister summoned the Turkish ambassador to complain about a TV show. The ambassador was forced to sit on a low sofa without a handshake, and the Israeli official explained to local TV stations that the humiliation was intentional.
Turkey threatened to recall the ambassador. Late Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said a letter of apology has been written, and premier “hopes this will end the affair.”
Israel has been troubled by harsh statements from Turkey's president focusing on civilian casualties from Israel's Gaza war a year ago. |  |
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