Gaza flotilla attack: Israeli ambassador compares raid to Second World War
Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, has compared the Gaza flotilla attack with America's fight against Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
In an interview with Fox News, he described the operation, in which nine people died, as "perfectly legal, perfectly humane and very responsible".
He defending the attack in open waters, saying: "Israel acted in accord with international law. Any state has the right to protect itself, certainly from a terrorist threat such as Hamas, including on the open seas."The US acted under similar international law when it fought the Germans and the Japanese in World War Two."
His comments came as Israel began deporting hundreds of activists seized from the flotilla, including more than 120 activists from Muslim countries who were taken to the border with Jordan early this morning.
There is no immediate word on the fate of 42 British nationals who were on the convoy of ships.
US President Barack Obama has spoken to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister of Turkey, which had branded the attack a "bloody massacre", the White House said.
The President expressed "deep condolences" over the deaths on board a Turkish flagged ship that was part of the flotilla and said Washington was working with Israel on the release of impounded vessels and passengers.
In his television interview, Mr Oren said Israel "has to make some hard choices sometimes," adding: "We live in a rough neighbourhood."
One of the 42 British nationals on the flotilla was deported immediately but the remainder were being seen by British consulate staff.
The man deported, Hasan Nowarah, from Glasgow, flew home on Tuesday evening.
"All I could hear was screaming and bullets all over the place, over the Marmara, the Turkish ship," he told Sky News.
"All you could see was screaming and bullets. Out of the blue as I looked around our ship, all I could see were hundreds of Zodiacs.
"Hundreds of Zodiacs full of soldiers, and big ships, lots of ships, and I believe as well submarines in the sea."
Some of the Britons had been travelling without passports, and others had destroyed their papers, diplomats were told. There may be more British citizens among the many detainees who initially refused to identify themselves.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, who is under intense pressure over the bungled raid both from countries around the world and at home, remained defiant last night. He told a meeting of Israel's inner cabinet that he would not bow to pressure to lift the blockade on Gaza, which the activists were trying to break.
Gaza flotilla attack: Israeli ambassador compares raid to Second World War - Telegraph
