04/06/2010 11:22
Israel rejects demands for an international investigation
Israel has rejected demands for an international panel to investigate its takeover Monday of six aid ships trying to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip that resulted in 9 fatalities among pro-Palestinian international activists.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hotly rejected calls to lift the blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza, insisting it prevents missile attacks on Israel. Israeli officials say their military is investigating the raid and that they are capable of conducting a credible review. Demands for an international investigation looks like policy of double standards, Israeli officials said.
"It is our standard practice after military operations, especially operations in which there have been fatalities, to conduct a prompt, professional, transparent and objective investigation in accordance with the highest international standards," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said pointing at the facts that when the US or Britain are charged of killings of civilians in Iraq or Afghanistan, then they investigate the cases by themselves.
Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel will not allow any ship reach the Gaza Strip specifically referring to the approaching international aid ship of Rachel Corrie.
The incident has increased tensions between Israel and Turkey, an important ally of Israel. On Thursday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israel’s actions “a historic mistake.” Hundreds of Turkish protesters gather at Israeli embassies to demand an investigation and claim their protests against Israeli policy. Mass demonstration in Turkey caused the Israeli authorities to evacuate their nationals from Turkey and warned against travels there. In addition, Israeli air carriers have canceled flights to Turkey under authorities’ rule.
In their part, Israeli nationals on Thursday gathered at the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv to protest Turkey’s response to the raid on flotilla. Protesters carried banners reading: “Friends? Ha-ha!”, “Erdogan is fascist”, “Erdogan = danger”, “Israel has rights to self-defense.”