MIDEAST: Palestinian activists, Israeli commandos accuse each other of violence aboard Gaza flotilla
Record ID:
785155
MIDEAST: Palestinian activists, Israeli commandos accuse each other of violence aboard Gaza flotilla
- Title: MIDEAST: Palestinian activists, Israeli commandos accuse each other of violence aboard Gaza flotilla
- Date: 2nd June 2010
- Summary: ASHDOD, ISRAEL (JUNE 01, 2010) (REUTERS) ISRAELI POLICE VEHICLE CARRYING SHEIKH RAED SALAH HEAD OF ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN ISRAEL, AND WHO WAS ON THE FLOTILLA ASHKELON, ISRAEL (JUNE 01, 2010) (REUTERS) ISRAELIS GATHERED OUTSIDE COURTROOM CARRYING ISRAELI FLAGS AND SHOUTING SLOGANS AGAINST SALAH MAN CARRYING SIGN READING IN HEBREW "TURKEY ALLY TO IRAN" ISRAELIS CHANTING IN HEBREW "ARABS OUT" RELATIVES OF SALAH SAYING "YOU GO AWAY, THIS IS OUR COUNTRY" ISRAELI POLICE ON SITE FAMILY OF RAED SALAH ENTERING COURT UNDER ISRAELI POLICE GUARDING PEOPLE OUTSIDE COURTROOM VARIOUS OF SALAH THE HEAD OF THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN ISRAEL SPEAKING TO LAWYERS AT COURT ROOM ISRAELI ARAB KNESSET MEMBER TALAB AL SANA' SPEAKING TO POLICEMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) KNESSET MEMBER TALAB AL SANA, SAYING: "IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) soldiers are able to neutralise resistance without bringing about such a terrible result. The result in itself is evidence of a resounding failure a lack of morals and ethics." HAIFA, ISRAEL (JUNE 01, 2010) (REUTERS) HOSPITAL CORRIDOR ISRAELI COMMANDO SOLDIER WHO TOOK PART IN TURKISH SHIP TAKE OVER LYING WOUNDED IN HOSPITAL BED IN RAMBAM HOSPITAL MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI COMMANDO SOLDIER WHO ATTENDED OPERATION, SAYING: "There were on the roof, which we slid onto, there were tens of people there, 95% of which were holding knives and batons and they were just attacking us with all these means in order to attack us." CAMERAMAN NAZARETH, ISRAEL (JUNE 01, 2010) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (CH.10 - NO ACCESS ISRAEL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) KNESSET MEMBER HANIN ZUABI, SAYING: "All of us didn't didn't hold anything in our hands. There was no weapons, not, nothing at all. And there were just about thirty or forty, the journalists mainly the journalists. Most of the people were scared, were afraid because of the shooting. The ships, the Israeli ships started to shoot before and when the helicopter was above the ships, they started to shoot." MEDIA CREWS AT CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 17th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA492GMIFXM71ML79AE9E70O8LN
- Story Text: Israelis and activists traded blames on Tuesday (June 1) for violence on board Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship that led to death of nine people.
Tens of Israeli demonstrators gathered outside a courtroom in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, where Islamic movement leader Sheikh Raed Slalah -- who was on board the boat -- was brought.
Holding up Israeli flags and signs denouncing Turkey, the protesters shouted "Arabs out" toward Salah's family.
Israeli Arab parliament member Taleb Al Sana told reporters outside the courtroom that the Israeli forces could have avoided using live ammunition on board the boat.
"IDF soldiers are able to neutralize resistance without bringing about such a terrible result. The result in itself is evidence of a resounding failure a lack of morals and ethics," he said.
An un-named Israeli commando who took part in the operation said the soldiers acted in self defence.
"There were on the roof, which we slid onto, there were tens of people there, 95% of which were holding knives and batons and they were just attacking us with all these means in order to attack us," he said from his hospital bed in the Israeli city of Haifa.
In a news conference in Nazareth, Israeli Arab parliament member Hanin Zuabi told reporters she felt she was in a life threatening situation as Israeli commandos landed on the ship overnight.
"All of us didn't didn't hold anything in our hands. There was no weapons, not, nothing at all. And there were just about thirty or forty, the journalists mainly the journalists. Most of the people were scared, were afraid because of the shooting. The ships, the Israeli ships started to shoot before and when the helicopter was above the ships, they started to shoot," she said only hours after being released by Israeli authorities in the Ashdod port.
Some 700 activists, many Turks but including Israelis and Palestinians as well as Americans and many Europeans -- among them politicians, a Jewish Holocaust survivor and Swedish author -- were processed in and around the port of Ashdod, where the six ships of the blockade-running convoy had been escorted.
They were detained incommunicado, ensuring no contradiction of Israel's version of Monday's events. The military said the nine activists were killed when commandos, who stormed aboard a Turkish cruise ship from dinghies and helicopters, opened fire.
European nations, as well as the United Nations and Turkey, voiced shock and outrage at the bloody end to the international campaigners' bid to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Once-close Muslim ally Turkey accused Israel of "terrorism" in international waters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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