03/06/2010 12:14
Free Gaza flotilla activists land in Istanbul
Turkish planes carrying hundreds of Turkish activists and thirty seven British from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces arrived in Istanbul from Israel early Thursday. One of the planes carried none bodies. The British activists are expected to return home via Turkey.
Nearly 400 Turkish nationals were among almost 700 pro-Palestinian international activists detained by Israel on Monday.
The international community has strongly condemned the Israeli attack on flotilla, and the United Nations called for an impartial investigation to determine what happened as Israeli forces boarded the ship where the killings occurred.
Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu said he would seek the international support for Turkey's call for an immediate and unconditional investigation. He said Turkey also would raise the issue with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization because the incident was an attack on citizens of a NATO country by a non-NATO state. Davutoglu stressed that Israel must lift blockade of Gaza in order to normalise relations with Turkey.