UN report finds excessive force by Israel on aid convoy

Last Updated on Sunday, 04 September 2011 22:19 Sunday, 04 September 2011 22:11

By: fanatic

Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador after a leaked UN report into last year's Israeli raid on a Gaza bound Turkish ship concluded that the Israeli's had used "excessive and unreasonable" force. The document, which has since been published in full by the UN, found that the blockade of Gaza by Israel is legal, but the raid was unacceptable. Israel had not provided any reasonable explanation for killing nine Turkish citizens onboard the ship who were "shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range."

The ship Mavi Marmara was carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza as part of an aid flotilla and manned by unarmed crew. The UN report also found that the Israeli forces used force after "significant, organized and violent resistance" from some of the crew and/or passengers on board.

Since the killings of the Turkish citizens, relations between Turkey and Israel have fallen to an all time low. The report had been delayed by the UN in an attempt to allow time for both countries to mend relations.

As well as expelling the Israeli ambassador, Turkey also said it would reduce its diplomatic representation in Israel to the level of second secretary and suspend all military agreements with Israel. Israel has refused to apologise for the killings or the raid. Its security council met Sunday night to discuss how to soothe relations with Turkey.

Turkey also re-iterated that it considered Israel's blockade of Gaza illegal and vowed to take its case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. It has demanded an apology from Israel since the killings.

Turkey and Israel were once close allies and the pair were seen as critical in maintaining an awkward peace across the Middle East. Israel also faces a collapse of a 30 year old Egypt-Israel peace agreement after a revolution in Egypt overthrew Hosni Mubarak.

Renewed settlement building by Israel on Palestinian lands, the building of a wall to separate Gaza and Israel and continued encroachment by Israel onto Gazan lands have sparked fury across Arab states.