Turkey Snubs Israel Outcry on Flotilla A second “peace” flotilla, comprising of more than 15 ships, is preparing to set sail in the second half of May to mark the first anniversary of the deadly Israeli attack on a similar flotilla on May 31 of last year, which killed nine activists aboard the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara.
The move is another attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza Strip, put in place since 2007 after Hamas assumed power following a democratic election in the enclave, Turkey's Today's Zaman reported on Friday.
Israel's ambassador to Turkey, Gaby Levy, asked the Turkish government this week to help stop the activists heading toward Gaza, but a Turkish foreign ministry official responded by saying that, according to his government, the flotilla plan was not Ankara's 'concern.'
In a similar move, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu urged Europe on Monday to do all it can to prevent its nationals from taking part in the flotilla.
“This flotilla must be stopped” under any condition, Netanyahu told European ambassadors in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Since the attack on the Turkish vessel, Ankara has scaled back ties with Tel Aviv, demanding Israel's apology and compensations for the damages incurred in the attack, which also drew international condemnation.
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"What the Israeli occupation is telling the international community of being ready to allow cement and construction materials confiscated from freedom flotilla 1 last year was only for media consumption because all of us know that those materials were already expired and couldn’t be used for construction anymore,”
In a statement issued by ECESG spokesman, the organization accused the Zionist entity of deceiving the world by alleging that it could receive the goods brought by the international supporters for helping Gaza people and then let it pass into the Strip at the "proper time".
The Israeli occupation government was obviously disturbed by plans of the campaign to send another flotilla to Gaza this coming May on fears another massacre could occur although it had been besieging the Gaza Strip for five years now denying its inhabitants the basic human needs.
The organizers clarified that they are only trying to break the unjust siege on the 1.6 million Palestinians cordoned in the coastal Strip amidst calls from the UN agencies warning that the Strip was on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.
They also said that they would meet with EU legislators and members of the UN agencies before sailing to Gaza to explain their noble motives and objectives, and to tell the international community that it is about time for the siege to be lifted because it simply violates human rights and international laws.
According to Palestinian records, nearly 500 Palestinians have died so far, at least half of them children, due to the Israeli blockade of the Strip.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
