UK mediating between Turkey and Israel to mend ties, report says

Haaretz reported that the British government is delivering messages between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but that no formula has yet been found to bridge the gap.

The report claimed that British Prime Minister David Cameron had asked Netanyahu whether he wanted to deliver a message to Erdoğan ahead of his meeting with Erdoğan in London on July 27. The daily did not report on the content of Netanyahu's message, but did say Cameron delivered a message.

Relations between the long-time allies in the Middle East deteriorated sharply after Israeli commandos killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American during a 2010 raid on an aid ship trying to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Turkey has sued Israel in international platforms and courts and demands an official apology and compensation for the families of the victims.

Israel rejects the demands and claims its soldiers acted in self-defense. Turkey has also expelled the Israeli envoy and cut military ties with Israel in protest of an Israeli refusal to apologize for the killings.