Israel apologises to Turkey

Israel caved in to demands from Turkey and apologised for an insult to its ambassador in an attempt to defuse the latest crisis between the two nations.

Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, had summoned the Turkish ambassador and forced him to sit on a low sofa without a handshake, while Ayalon explained to local TV stations that the humiliation was intentional.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said an apology letter had been written.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accepted the apology.