Hamas prime minister in Turkey honors 9 flotilla victims

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey on Monday paid tribute to nine Turkish nationals who were martyred in Israeli military attack on Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship in May 2010. According to IRNA the prime minister of the democratically elected Hamas government also held talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The election was held in Gaza Strip in 2007. Turkey has strained relations with Israel after the raid on the flotilla. Turkey demanded an apology for the killing of nine Turkish aid workers. Turkey has pledged to escort future Gaza-bound aid ships, and take steps to prevent attempts by Israel to unilaterally exploit natural resources of the eastern Mediterranean. Haniyeh said that he had made the trip to Turkey to thank the Turkish people for their support for the Palestinian cause. He said Turkey had played a “great role” during the recent prisoner-swap deal and said they owed a “duty of loyalty” to the nine “martyrs of freedom” who died in Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara.