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Israel blames activists for 'Freedom Flotilla' deaths
A television grab made from the Turkish TV channel Cihan News Agency shows an Israeli commando member storming the "Mavi Marmara" Turkish aid boat on off the coast of the Gaza Strip. AFP Photo / Cihan News Agency
May 31. 2010
Israel has blamed activists on board the Gaza aid ships for the bloodshed which broke out when Israeli navy seals stormed the boats in a raid which killed at least 10 passengers.
"They initiated the violence," Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said.
"We made every possible effort to avoid this incident. The servicemen were given instructions that it was to be a police operation and to use maximum restraint.
"Unfortunately they were attacked with deadly force by the people on the boats – with iron bars, knives and live fire."
More than 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed after attacking naval commandos who were halting the "Freedom Flotilla" heading toward the blockaded Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli army.
The army said the soldiers were attacked with knives and clubs as they boarded the six vessels.
The violence turned deadly after one of the activists grabbed a weapon from one of the commandos, the army said. The weapon discharged, though it was not clear whether the activist fired it or if it went off accidentally.
Dozens of people were wounded, both soldiers and activists. Israeli Arab groups say a prominent activist is among the wounded.
Unconfirmed media reports from Hamas' Al Aqsa television said up to 20 passengers had been killed, of whom nine were Turkish nationals.
Israel's security forces were placed on high alert to handle any on high "possible disturbances" and the military censor blocked the reporting of any information about people killed or injured and transferred to Israeli hospitals after the incident.
Israel expressed its "sorrow" over those killed, an Israeli cabinet minister said.
"I can only express my sorrow over all the deaths," the industry and trade minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer told army radio by phone from Doha where he is attending the World Economic Forum.
The Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas slammed the raid as "a massacre".
"We consider this to be a massacre and we condemn it," an official from Abbas' office said on Palestinian television, announcing a three-day mourning period.
"We will have to take some difficult decisions this evening."
Hamas immediately urged Arabs and Muslims to "rise up" in front of Israeli embassies across the globe in protest against the raid on the fleet of aid ships, among them Turkish vessels.
"We call on all Arabs and Muslims to rise up in front of Zionist embassies across the whole world," said a Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, using the Arabic word 'intifada'.
Ismail Haniya, the Islamist movement's prime minister in Gaza, slammed the "ugly attack" in a statement in which he called for "the United Nations to protect the activists" on board the boats.
Arab League chief Amr Mussa slammed the raid as a "crime" against a humanitarian mission.
"We condemn this crime, taken against a humanitarian mission and people. They were trying to help people. They were not on a military mission. Everyone should condemn this," Mr Mussa said.
"We are now conducting calls to Arabs to decide on our next step," said Mr Mussa, who heads the 22-country organisation based in Cairo.
The Israeli ambassador was summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry in response to the raid, a Turkish diplomat said.
"The ambassador (Gabby Levy) was summoned to the foreign ministry. We will convey our reaction in the strongest terms," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, said.
The deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc meanwhile conveyed an emergency meeting with senior officials, including the minister of the interior, the navy chief and the army's head of operations, Anatolia news agency reported.
Mr Arinc was in charge as prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently on a visit to Chile.
Turkish police blocked dozens of stone-throwing protesters who tried to storm the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul.
CNN-Turk and NTV showed dozens of angry protesters scuffling with Turkish police guarding the consulate in downtown Istanbul.
"Damn Israel," the protesters shouted.
The Israeli military denied that its forces attacked the boats but said they would enforce the decision to keep them away from Gaza.
Protesters later staged a more peaceful demonstration outside the consulate, holding up Palestinian flags and listening to readings from the Qoran.
Activists also started to gather outside the Israeli ambassador's residence in the Turkish capital.
Two TV networks reported earlier that Israeli warships attacked the six ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists and aid for blockaded Gaza.
"We were not expecting such an operation in international waters," Omer Faruk Korkmaz, an official of the pro-Islamic aid group, IHH, that led the aid shipment said in Turkey. "Israel has been caught redhanded and the international community will not forgive it."
Mr Korkmaz said the ship was being escorted to Haifa.
"I was expecting an intervention," said Murat Mercan, a lawmaker from the prime minister's ruling party. "I was not expecting bloodshed, the use of arms and bullets."
"Israel is engaged in activity that will extremely hurt its image," he said.
The attack may lead to "irreparable consequences" in bilateral ties, Turkey's foreign ministry said.
"By targeting civilians, Israel has once again shown its disregard for human life and peaceful initiatives. We strongly condemn these inhumane practices of Israel," a written statement said.
"This deplorable incident, which took place in open seas and constitutes a fragrant breach of international law, may lead to irreparable consequences in our bilateral relations," it said.
"Whatever the reason is, such action against civilians involved only in peaceful activities is unacceptable.
"Israel will have to bear the consequences of this behaviour, which constitutes a violation of international law," it said.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton demanded Israeli authorities mount a "full inquiry" into the deaths.
Ms Ashton "extends her sympathies to the familes of the dead and wounded and is demanding a full inquiry into the circumstances of how this event happened," said a spokesman.
"She reiterates the European Union's position regarding Gaza – the continued policy of closure is unacceptable and politically counterproductive."
Greece also summoned Israel's ambassador to demand an "immediate" report on the safety of about 30 Greeks on board the aid ship flotilla.
The foreign ministry said in a statement it had requested "immediate information concerning the safety of Greek citizens on board the boats ... and stressed the need to take the necessary measures to ensure their security".
Ambassador Ali Yahya was called in for talks with the Greek deputy foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas.
*Agencies
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