http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/05/31/world/international-uk-palestinians-flotilla.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Israel Boards Gaza - Bound Ships, 15 Dead - Reports
By REUTERS
Published: May 31, 2010
Filed at 1:57 a.m. ET 

 
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - About 15 people were killed on Monday when the Israeli 
navy intercepted ships carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists towards the 
Gaza Strip, Israel's private Channel 10 television said. 

As a diplomatic furore took shape, especially with long-time Muslim ally Turkey 
whose flag some of the ships were flying, an Israeli minister said: "The images 
are certainly not pleasant. I can only voice regret at all the fatalities." 

Israeli Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer gave no details of what Channel 10 
said were 14 to 16 deaths. But he told Israel's Army Radio: "I can also 
understand ... how soldiers are coming down and are set upon with batons and 
tools. 

"The moment someone tries to snatch your weapon, to steal your weapons, that's 
where you begin to lose control." 

The bloodshed thwarted Israel's hopes of avoiding casualties -- which could 
hurt its diplomatic relations, especially with Turkey, where media reported 
ministers were meeting. Israel's Western allies have also been critical of its 
Gaza embargo. 

Turkey said it "strongly protested" against the military action, calling the 
interception of the ships unacceptable and cautioning in a statement issued by 
its Foreign Ministry that "Israel will have to endure the consequences of this 
behaviour." 

Israel has said it was absolutely determined to maintain its blockade of the 
Islamist-controlled Palestinian territory of 1.5 million, citing fears that 
arms supplies could reach Hamas by sea. It has previously halted such activist 
ships, although some others have reached Gaza before. 

Greta Berlin, a spokeswoman for the Free Gaza Movement which organised the 
convoy said she was told of 10 dead by an Israeli lawyer for the group but had 
had no contact with the ships. 

"How could the Israeli military attack civilians like this?" she said. "Do they 
think that because they can attack Palestinians indiscriminately they can 
attack anyone? 

"We have two other boats. This is not going to stop us." 

Israeli media said some marine commandoes were slightly hurt. Captured ships 
were sailing towards Israel's southern Mediterranean port of Ashdod, media 
said. 

TURKISH ROLE 

The convoy set off in international waters off Cyprus on Sunday in defiance of 
an Israeli-led blockade of the Gaza Strip and warnings that it would be 
intercepted. 

The flotilla was organised, among others, by a Turkish human rights 
organisation. Turkey had urged Israel to allow it safe passage and said the 
10,000 tonnes of aid the convoy was carrying was humanitarian. 

Turkey, long Israel's best Muslim friend and a key ally in a hostile Middle 
East, was highly critical of Israel's attack on Gaza 18 months ago, in which 
1,400 Palestinians were killed. 

Relations between the two states are now distinctly chilly and bloodshed at sea 
will do nothing to improve them. 

France24 television aired video of a woman in a Muslim headdress holding a 
stretcher with a large bloodstain on it. Below her lay a man, apparently 
injured, in a blanket. 

CNN showed pictures of a commando apparently rappelling down a rope and 
clashing with a man wielding a stick. Other TV images showed what appeared to 
be rubber boarding launches. 

The United Nations and Western powers have urged Israel to ease its 
restrictions on Gaza to prevent a humanitarian crisis. They have been urging 
Israel to let in concrete and steel to allow for post-war reconstruction. 

Israel denies there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying food, medicine and 
medical equipment are allowed in regularly. It says the restrictions are 
necessary to prevent weapons and materials that could be used to make them from 
reaching Hamas. 

(Writing by Alastair Macdonald, Additional reporting by Michele Kambas in 
Nicosia and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara bureau) 


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