Turkey and Israel need each other, says President Erdo?an

Turkey and Israel are two countries in the Middle East that need each other, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an. 

"Israel is in need of a country like Turkey in the region. We have to admit that we also need Israel," Erdo?an said on his return from an official trip to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to a group of journalists aboard the presidential plane returning to Turkey from Riyadh, where he met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdülaziz al-Saud, Erdo?an said the mutual need "is a fact of the region."

"We need to see that. If we can take steps in reciprocal sincerity, then normalization will continue," he added. 

Relations with Israel have been tense since May 31, 2010, when Israeli forces raided a Gaza-bound flotilla of mainly Turkish activists, killing 10 people aboard the Mavi Marmara, the largest of the six vessels in the flotilla.

Presidential spokesperson ?brahim Kal?n said on Dec. 28, 2015, progress was made with Israel on the issue of compensation for Mavi Marmara victims, adding that Turkey had not changed its three conditions for normalization of ties between the two countries: 

"There has been progress made about the second condition, the one with compensation, but we have not reached a point where we can ink it," Kal?n told reporters at a press conference. 

He said Israel has met first condition by apologizing to Turkey, and added that two more demands were still on the table: Compensation for Mavi Marmara victims and the "lift or bend" of an embargo implemented by Israel on Gaza Strip.

Erdo?an reiterated Turkey's stance.

"On the embargo, they [Israel] said 'goods, construction equipment can enter [Gaza] via Turkey.' We will wait for the written text so that they do not...