Global General

Israel processes Gaza activists, UN urges inquiry

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-06-01 23:08
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Israel processes Gaza activists, UN urges inquiry
Egyptian protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration in Cairo June 1, 2010, against Israel's interception of a convoy of Gaza-bound aid ships. [Agencies]

Investigation

After more than 10 hours of closed-door talks that gave rise to conflicting interpretations, the UN Security Council called for "a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards".

It also condemned "those acts which resulted in the loss of at least 10 civilians and many wounded". Earlier Israeli reports had put the death toll at 10.

The use of the word "acts" instead of "act" -- the term preferred by Turkey -- suggested that activists who attacked the Israeli boarding party also bore some responsibility.

Alleging bias, Israel refused to cooperate with the UN Goldstone commission's inquiry into a Gaza war that it launched in December 2008 with the declared aim of ending cross-border rocket fire.

The inquiry found evidence that both Israel and Palestinian militants had committed war crimes, but the report was harsher toward Israel.

Some 700 activists were processed in and around Israel's port of Ashdod, where the six ships of the blockade-running convoy had been escorted. Among the activists were many Turks but they also included Israelis and Palestinians as well as Americans and many Europeans -- among them politicians -- a Jewish Holocaust survivor and Swedish author.

The military said the nine activists were killed when commandos, who stormed the Mavi Marmara from dinghies and helicopters, opened fire in what Netanyahu said was self-defence.

The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that 50 activists had been taken to Ben-Gurion Airport for voluntary repatriation. Around 629 had refused, and would be held while Israel weighed its legal options. Some 30 were in hospitals with injuries.

Adding his criticism of Israel's actions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the loss of life was "irreparable and absolutely unjustified".

British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke to Netanyahu by telephone late on Monday and "deplored the heavy loss of life off the coast of Gaza", a spokesman for the British leader said.

Cameron "also stressed the importance of urgently lifting the blockade of Gaza, and allowing full access for humanitarian aid". Israel says it transfers large amounts of aid to the territory daily and that there is no humanitarian crisis there.

Israeli Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch said police were gathering evidence to prosecute activists who had set upon the marines with fists, batons, knives and gunfire.

"All those who lifted a hand against a soldier will be punished to the full extent of the law," he told Israel Radio.

The European Union, a main aid donor to the Palestinians, and Russia demanded an inquiry and an end to the embargo. Netanyahu voiced regret at the deaths but vowed to maintain the blockade to stop arms smuggling by Hamas.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the Israeli operation a "massacre".