Following the U.N. report saying Israel used unreasonable force in the commando "Marmara Raid" on the humanitarian aid Flotilla in the oil-rich international waters near Gaza Strip, killing nine human rights workers taking aid to the Palestinians, a Turkish prosecutor is seeking arrest of 174 Israelis allegedly involved in the naval raid Reuters reported Wednesday.
Istanbul's state prosecutor Mehmet Akif Ekinci wrote to the Justice Ministry calling for the arrest of the 174 people involved in carrying out the Marmara Raid on May 31, 2010 including "those who ordered it."
Names of the Israeli marines in the raid have not been released despite the prosecutor having written to Israel for them.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said last month that Turkish warships could be sent to the Eastern Mediterranean any time and Israel cannot "do whatever it wants there" according to Reuters.
"Turkey downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and halted defence trade after the Jewish state confirmed last month it would not apologise for the Mavi Marmara raid."
Whose names are on the hidden list of 174 people involved in the Marmara Raid massacre?
In July 2011, American human rights defenders who telephoned the Greek Embassy urging Greek officials to allow the Gaza Flotilla to proceed were told to call United States officials because that is where the orders were coming from.
Dupré reported that 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.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized the Free Gaza Campaign flotilla on June 24 and then allegedly green-lighted the subsequent Greek armed attack on the unarmed Audacity of Hope flotilla vessel carrying 50 American peace and human rights activists who were helping to carry 3,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. (See: Clinton allowed Sat. attack on American Human Rights for Gaza workers?)
The U.N. had postponed releasing its report on the first attack by Israelis several times because Turkey and Israel failed to agree on a final version.
See releated articles by this author:
Comments