For the second year in a row, Turkey is not participating in the naval drill, Reliant Mermaid, with Israel and the US. This action taken by Turkey is a result of the killing of nine Turkish activists from the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid.Greece has now replaced Turkey as a new ally in the Mediterranean, participating in naval drills with Israel and the US last week.
The purpose of the naval exercises is to practice “search-and-rescue operations” with International navy’s that are also present in the Mediterranean.
The goals of the naval drills are to strengthen international ties to share information with each other and familiarize the operational procedures between the three countries.
For the past ten years, until the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid, Israel, Turkey, and the US held annual naval drills together.
Israel had also used Turkish air space before the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid, when the Israeli Military killed nine Turkish activists.
Israeli military’s Lieutenant General Benny Gantz said earlier this week that Israel would not oppose a formal apology for the killing of nine Turkish activists, according to the Jerusalem Post.
