TURKEY was “surprised, appalled and dismayed” by an Israeli report clearing the military and government of any wrongdoing in last year’s deadly raid on a flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade
While attempts have been made to repair relations between the two allies, Turkey’s own commission of inquiry reacted angrily at the first of two reports to be released by former Israeli Supreme Court judge Jacob Turkel.
“Our commission is surprised, appalled and dismayed that the national inquiry process in Israel has resulted in the exoneration of the Israeli armed forces despite all the facts that have also been confirmed by the international fact finding mission,” said the Foreign Ministry in Ankara.
“Israel’s attack against the humanitarian aid convoy, which violated both wartime and peacetime international law, has also trampled all international principles, rules and norms with the manner in which it was conducted.”
In May last year nine Turkish activists were killed after Israeli commandos boarded the ferry Mavi Marmara to prevent it from breaking the blockade to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip.
The report released on Sunday by Mr Turkel’s six-member panel, found Israel was entitled under international law to board the vessel and cleared the military of any wrongdoing.
The two international members of the panel — Canada’s former chief military prosecutor Ken Watkin and Northern Ireland Nobel Peace Prize laureate David Trimble — endorsed the report’s findings.
The inquiry concludes that “the actions taken were found to be legal pursuant to the rules of international law”.
Last year the UN Human Rights Council found Israel had used “an unacceptable level of brutality”. The UN is to prepare another report.
The Turkel report paints a picture of commandos who did not expect to confront violence when they boarded the Mavi Marmara.
The report, which looked at hundreds of hours of video and took statements from commandos, found the takeover began at 4.26am.
Those aboard the boat fell into two categories — the largest group, peace activists, and a second group of about 40 activists from the Turkish organisation IHH. The first attempt to take the vessel by speedboats was thwarted when metal and bottles were thrown at the soldiers.
It was decided the boat would be boarded by 15 soldiers “fast-roping” from a helicopter.
At 4.29am, they threw two “flash-bang grenades” before they descended.
When the rope was tied by IHH activists to the roof of the ship, a second rope was lowered and another grenade thrown.
The 15 soldiers were attacked with wooden clubs, iron rods, slingshots, knives and firearms. Three soldiers were taken below deck. The soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat and with flash-bang grenades, Tasers and live ammunition.
The commander testified he felt his life and that of other soldiers was in danger and he withdrew his mini-Uzi. An armed group ran towards him and he let off two shots before it was grabbed from him.
At 4.46am, the order was given for a third helicopter crew to board the Marmara. This team was ordered to shoot towards the ship’s body into a clear area to deter the activists and, in the event of any danger to the commandos, to shoot at the threat.
As they entered the ship they were fired upon with marbles and screws. The commander gave the order that, if shooting continued, to shoot at the legs of participants holding slingshots.
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