Israel lifts warning to avoid visiting Turkey, cites return of calm after Gaza flotilla crisis

Israel lifts warning over travel to Turkey

JERUSALEM — Israel has canceled a warning to its people to avoid traveling to Turkey, citing an end to stormy protests over Israel’s deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

The Israeli statement Tuesday said “in light of the calm in Turkey and the absence of large-scale anti-Israeli demonstrations,” it was lifting its travel warning.

After the May 31 raid in which Israeli naval commandos killed nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists, Turkey’s government harshly criticized Israel and withdrew its ambassador, as demonstrations swept across the country.

Turkey had been a popular vacation spot for Israelis, but tourism dropped significantly after the raid.

Lifting the travel warning is the first sign that relations between Israel and Turkey, formerly close allies, could be warming.