JERUSALEM -- The fallout from Israel's attack on a flotilla trying to breach the blockade of Gaza widened Tuesday amid growing criticism of the raid, which left nine activists dead. Egypt reopened its border with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to flow through, and activists said they had sent another ship to the area. More than 600 activists arrested after Monday's raid in international waters remained in custody in southern Israel, although an Israeli police spokesman said that about 45 people were being deported.
More than 600 activists arrested after Monday's raid in international waters remained in custody in southern Israel, although an Israeli police spokesman said that about 45 people were being deported.
Monday's confrontation at sea strained relations between Israel and the United States just as American-sponsored proximity talks involving Palestinians and Israelis were getting under way. And Turkish animosity seemed to deepen as Israel announced that four of the nine killed in the military operation aboard the Turkish vessel were Turkish citizens, the Anatolian News Agency reported. In a speech, Turkey's prime minister called on Israel to be punished for the raid. In New York, after protracted wrangling, the United Nations Security Council condemned "acts" leading to the loss of life in the operation by Israeli commandos in international waters on Monday. The Security Council also urged an impartial inquiry -- a call echoed in a separate forum by Russia and the European Union on Tuesday at a meeting of senior officials in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. For its part, Turkey, once seen as Israel's most important friend in the Muslim world, recalled its ambassador on Monday and canceled planned military exercises with Israel as the countries' already tense relations soured even further. "This irresponsible, heedless, unlawful attitude that defies any human virtue should definitely, but definitely, be punished," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday in his regular weekly address to his party in the capital, Ankara. "No one should dare to challenge Turkey or test her patience for that the strength of Turkey's animosity is as strong as the value of its friendship."
And Turkish animosity seemed to deepen as Israel announced that four of the nine killed in the military operation aboard the Turkish vessel were Turkish citizens, the Anatolian News Agency reported. In a speech, Turkey's prime minister called on Israel to be punished for the raid. In New York, after protracted wrangling, the United Nations Security Council condemned "acts" leading to the loss of life in the operation by Israeli commandos in international waters on Monday.
The Security Council also urged an impartial inquiry -- a call echoed in a separate forum by Russia and the European Union on Tuesday at a meeting of senior officials in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.
For its part, Turkey, once seen as Israel's most important friend in the Muslim world, recalled its ambassador on Monday and canceled planned military exercises with Israel as the countries' already tense relations soured even further. "This irresponsible, heedless, unlawful attitude that defies any human virtue should definitely, but definitely, be punished," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday in his regular weekly address to his party in the capital, Ankara.
"No one should dare to challenge Turkey or test her patience for that the strength of Turkey's animosity is as strong as the value of its friendship."
"Call your piratical boarding of Turkish ships in international waters and raise you one border opening." As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
Israel to deport all activists seized on Gaza flotilla All 680 activists will be released, including two dozen Israel had threatened to prosecute on charges of assaulting troops.
Looks like there has been some backroom wheeling and dealing.
aspiring to genteel poverty
