Turkey mulls severing ties with Israel

Ankara informed the United States it may cut political and economic ties with Israel over Jerusalem's refusal to apologize for the deaths of nine Turkish nationals on board the Mavi Marmara last year. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also considering visiting the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon informed Israel that he was postponing -- yet again -- the publication of the Palmer Commission report on the Mavi Marmara incident last year, to give both sides additional time to reach an agreement that would obviate the need to release the report. Israeli officials said Turkey asked to postpone the publication of the report. The Palmer Commission report, which has already been written, is widely believed to uphold the legality of Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, and its right to intercept vessels trying to break the blockade.