Turkey Condemns Israeli Attack
Posted May 31, 2010 7:03 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Turkey has condemned Israel’s attack on an aid flotilla Monday morning.
The six boats were heading into the blockaded Gaza Strip. Reportedly, 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed and dozens more were wounded by Israeli forces.
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said that Turkey will be withdrawing its ambassador to Israel, canceling three joint military drills and calling on the U.N. Security Council to convene in an emergency session.
Israel’s defence minister Ehud Barak called the aid flotilla a “political provocation” by anti-Israel forces. He said the sponsors of the flotilla are violent.
Arinc equates Israel’s actions with “piracy.” He rules out deploying Turkish warships in the Mediterranean but severely condemns Israel.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Canada meeting with Stephen Harper. However, he cut his North American visit short to return home.
With files from The Associated Press.
