Turkey blasts Israeli findings of Gaza flotilla probe

[Majnun]

Turkey blasts Israeli findings of Gaza flotilla probe | World | DAWN.COM

ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday blasted an Israeli probe’s conclusion that a raid on Gaza-bound aid ships did not violate international law, saying it had no credibility.

The assault by Israeli forces on a flotilla of aid ships to prevent them from reaching Gaza killed nine Turkish activists, straining relations between the two countries.

“How can a report ordered and prepared in the same country (Israel) have any value?” the Anatolia news agency quoted Erdogan as telling journalists in Ankara.

“We will follow this affair. This report has no credibility,” he said.

Turkey’s own inquiry found that Israeli forces had used “excessive” force during the assault on the Mavi Marmara and other vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to findings announced Sunday.

The preliminary conclusions of the report said “the Israeli army used excessive force against the Mavi Marmara”.

“The force used to intercept the Mavi Marmara exceeded the limits of what was appropriate and necessary,” the document said.

The commission of inquiry set up by Turkey last year interviewed Turkish and foreign activists on the flotilla.

The commission’s preliminary report criticised the “disproportionate nature of the attack” and called on the Jewish State to pay compensation to the families of the victims.

The Israeli probe concluded on Sunday that Israel’s actions against the aid convoy “were found to be legal pursuant to the rules of international law”.

The Turkish commission said in a statement it was “stunned and dismayed” by the conclusions of the Israeli report, Anatolia reported.

“The attack carried out by Israel was a violation of rights, in times of peace or of war, and was also against all international principles, rules and norms,” the commission said.

The Mavi Marmara was the biggest of the vessels in the group attempting to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, which was imposed in June 2006, after Gaza militants kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

The Turkish and Israeli reports are to be submitted to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has named his own enquiry panel, chaired by New Zealand former prime minister Geoffrey Palmer, and with representatives from both Israel and Turkey.

The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council has also set up its own inquiry panel, with which Israel refused to cooperate, deeming the council hopelessly biased against the Jewish state.

Immediately after the Israeli raid, Ankara withdrew its ambassador from the Jewish state and cancelled joint war games with Israel.

It insisted said Israel must apologise over the raid, pay compensation for the victims and lift the blockade of Gaza for the recovery of bilateral ties.