Israel and Turkey are two of the United States' closest allies in the Middle East; therefore it is in our interest that these two nations proceed cordially. However, following the Israeli attack on the Turkish humanitarian aid flotilla ship, the Mavi Marmara, en route to Gaza, such relations have been strained to say the least. In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise apology to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, but was it enough to heal the wounds created by the Israeli assault? On the surface some would say that everything is back to normal, but my analysis leads me to believe otherwise. The events of 2010, and subsequent events, will change the relationship between Türkiye and Israel for decades to come. In 2010, a humanitarian aid flotilla left Turkey en route to Gaza. One ship in particular, the Mavi Marmara, carried several dozen passengers and various auxiliary supplies such as cement and construction tools, as well as food, clothing and medicines (Mavi Marmara: The Inside Story). At the time of departure, Gaza was under an Israeli naval blockade and no one was allowed to enter the blockade. The Israel Defense Forces offered to inspect all the aid and personally deliver it to Gaza. However, aid workers on the Mavi Marmara had no intention of letting Israel deliver the aid. They considered the blockade on Gaza a violation of international law and did not intend to honor it, despite Israeli threats of force (Mavi Marmara: The Inside Story). As the ship approached the Israeli hold, things took a turn for the worse. The Israel Defense Forces sent warnings to the Marmara that they would be subjected to Israel... half of the document... end relations with Iran are nothing more than a slap in the face of their former ally. It is clear to me that these two countries have not forgiven and certainly have not forgotten. It will take more than three years for Türkiye's wounds to heal and for the two to rebuild the mutual trust they once had. Works Cited Arbell, Dan. “Turbulence in Israel-Türkiye Relationship Raises Questions About Reconciliation Process.” The Brookings Institution. Np, November 1, 2013. Web. April 8, 2014. Kershner, Isabel. “Report that Turkey unmasked spies strains its relations with Israel.” The New York Times. The New York Times, October 17, 2013. Web. April 8, 2014. Mavi Marmara: The Inside Story. TV Print, 2011. YouTube. Network. April 8, 2014. Rudoren, Jodi and Mark Landler. “With Obama as intermediary, Israel and Türkiye put an end to the dispute.” The New York Times. The New York Times, March 22, 2013. Web. April 8. 2014.