Turkey to aid Gaza Flotilla human rights workers in stand against Israel, U.S. oil stronghold off Gaza coast
In hopes of pushing the international community to end Nuremberg crimes against Gaza, including the embargo and Israel's lethal "bullying" on international waters off Gaza Strip where oil and gas are drilled, Turkey is sending its Navy to escort the Gaza Aid Flotilla Hurriyet Daily News reported, plus expelled Israel's ambassador to Ankara and suspended all military ties with Israel on Friday. The long-awaited U.N. report on the 2010 Israeli Commando raid on the Gaza Aid Flotilla says Israel used "excessive" force and brutality reported AFP while Israel's refusal to apology to Turkey for killing eight Turk human rights defenders on the flotilla is supported by the U.N. report that accuses the rights workers of 'organized violence' and defends Israel's blockade rights to prevent gun running.
Turkey has reponded to the U.N. report by vowing to ensure free navigation of the aid flotilla between Cyprus and Israel, "areas where Israel and Cyprus cooperate in drilling for oil and gas," reported AFP.
A leaked copy to New York Times on September 1 of the Palmer/Uribe Report, a second U.N. report on the 2010 Gaza Flotilla, criticised Israeli troops for using "excessive" and "unreasonable" force leaving nine human rights workers dead after Commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010 according to AFP.
Forensic evidence showed "most of the deceased were shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range" according to the new report, but also says the flotilla "acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade" and the Israeli "faced significant, organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers," according to AFP.
The U.N. has postponed releasing the report several times due to Turkey and Israel failing to agree a final version but since obtaining the last version of the report, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his foreign ministry to organize for him to visit the Gaza Strip soon.
A Turkish official told AFP, “Our primary purpose is to draw the world’s attention to what is going on in Gaza and to push the international community to end the unfair embargo imposed by Israel,” and Turkey vowed to take measures to protest against Israeli and ensure the Gaza Flotilla arrives with aid.
The Palmer/Uribe Panel was "flawed from its inception" the human rights defenders of Free Gaza Movement said in a statement released Sunday. The rights workers had unsuccessfully campaigned to have outgoing Colombian president Alvaro Uribe-Velez removed from the UN's panel of inquiry into the Israeli attack on the Gaza humanitarian flotilla.
The inquiry panel continued under leadership of Geoffrey Palmer, former New Zealand prime minister, and Vice-Chaired by Uribe with close ties to Israel's military and a long history of supporting paramilitary forces in Columbia. ("Gaza Flotilla: Human rights campaign to remove Uribe from inquiry panel," Dupré, D.)
On May 31, 2010, Israeli troops killed nine human rights workers, eight of whom were Turks, and injured dozens in a pre-dawn raid on the Freedom Flotilla in international waters as the rights defenders were carrying humanitarian aid to the besieged 1.5 million Palestinian civilians. ("19 aid workers massacred by Israeli troops (videos)")
The Free Gaza movement and coalition partners including, European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza; IHH -- the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights, Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief; International Committee to End the Siege on Gaza; Ship to Gaza Sweden and Ship to Gaza Greece "are the only organizations that have sent boats directly to Gaza in defiance of Israel's criminal closure of the Gaza Strip" according to the group.
"We sail as an expression of citizen nonviolent, direct action, confronting Israel's ongoing abuses of Palestinian human and political rights."
2010 Human Rights Panel Report on Commando raid accused Israel of war crimes
A United Nations panel of human rights experts issued a September 27, 2010 report accusing Israel of war crimes: willful killing, unnecessary brutality and torture in its "clearly unlawful" assault on the ship. The report by three experts appointed by the UN's Human Rights Council (UNHRC) described the seizure of the MV flotilla boat illegal under international law and condemned treatment of passengers and crew as "brutal and disproportionate." It said the Israeli blockade is illegal because of the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (See embedded Youtube, "UN Report on Gaza flotilla killings: Israel accused of war crimes for "unlawful assault," BBC News)
"There is clear evidence to support prosecutions of the following crimes within the terms of article 147 of the fourth Geneva convention: wilful killing; torture or inhuman treatment; wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health."
"A series of violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, were committed by the Israeli forces during the interception of the flotilla and during the detention of passengers in Israel prior to deportation."
"The conduct of the Israeli military and other personnel toward the flotilla passengers was not only disproportionate to the occasion but demonstrated levels of totally unnecessary and incredible violence. It betrayed an unacceptable level of brutality."
On July 2, Ray McGovern on Freedom Flotilla III's U.S. Boat reported that boat was impounded, its captain charged with "significant" charges, and although participants were allowed to leave, they had decided to not mutiny. ("Breaking: Armed Greeks detain Gaza Flotilla Capt. Rights workers undeterred.")
When Flotilla III was blocked this summer, human rights protests erupted around the globe due to a "U.S. backed Flotilla Sabotage" as it had been called at the primary press conference.
In the Free Gaza Movement's statement Sunday, it rejected the Panel’s finding that Israeli soldiers faced 'organized violence.'
"What the heavily armed commandos faced while they tried to forcefully take over the Mavi Marmara on the high seas [were] legitimate acts of non-armed self-defense by a handful of passengers, acting against unwarranted aggression."
"If indeed the Uribe Rport has concluded that the Israeli naval blockade on Gaza - a serious measure of war - is legal and in accordance with international law, then this Report will contradict numerous other UN reports and resolutions, most recently that of the Human Rights Council Fact-Finding Mission, on the issue of the legality of the Gaza siege."
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