[Updated at 10:57 p.m.] Here are the latest developments involving the pre-dawn raid by Israeli military on a flotilla of six ships carrying aid for the Palestinian territory of Gaza:
LATEST DETAILS
- Times Square protest draws 500 outside Israeli consulate
- One American among wounded, State Department official says
- Venezuelan network TeleSur calls on Israel to release journalist seized in raid
- As many as nine Americans may have been aboard the Gaza relief flotilla and were being held by Israeli authorities, a State Department
official said.
- The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday called by Turkey in response to the incident.
- On Monday, Israel insisted its soldiers were defending themselves when they opened fire. "They deliberately attacked soldiers," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the activists.
- In Iraq, hundreds of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets of Baghdad in protest of the Israeli action.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday Israeli soldiers were attacked as they attempted to stop a convoy headed to Gaza to deliver aid. The soldiers were beaten and stabbed, and there was also a report of gunfire, Netanyahu said, appearing in Ottawa, Canada, with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Four Israeli soldiers were injured, he said.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cut short his visit to Canada, and will return to Israel after holding a working meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to "update him on the recent events," said an e-mailed statement from a spokesman. Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier Monday, the statement said.
- The Israeli troops "were not expecting to be attacked," said Jonathan Peled, minister-counselor at the Israeli embassy in Washington. He said the soldiers came aboard carrying paintball pistols, but were attacked with knives and metal bars. One naval commando was stabbed, prompting the soldiers to open up with live fire, killing the nine, he said.
- The Palestinian Cabinet, in its weekly meeting, "strongly condemned the Israeli crime against international supporters on board of the Freedom Flotilla, which reveals, once again, Israeli disregard to the lives of innocent civilians and its disrespect to international law, norms and resolutions," the Palestinian Authority said in a statement.
THE RAID
- Israeli soldiers stormed a flotilla of six ships carrying aid for the Palestinian territory of Gaza in a pre-dawn raid on Monday, killing at least nine people, the country's military said.
- Israel Defense Forces says the number of people killed is nine, not 10 as previously reported.
- Seven Israeli soldiers were wounded in the raid, Israel Defense Forces said.
- Fifteen people captured on board the flotilla have been transferred to an Israeli prison in Beer Sheva, a spokesman for the Israeli Prison authority said Monday.
- Two Israeli naval commandos, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Israeli soldiers boarded the ships armed with paint guns along with loaded pistols which they were only supposed to use in an emergency. Only when the soldiers felt they were mobbed and their lives were in danger did they pull our handguns and begin shooting live ammunition, they said.
- All six boats in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were boarded by Israeli naval commandos, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Only one, the Mavi Mamara, offered resistance; the other five surrendered peacefully, the military said.
- An Israeli senior military official speaking on condition of anonymity said 15 soldiers aboard several commando boats were involved in the incident. An Israeli commando said upon descending into a boat with ropes, he was immediately attacked by a group of people. "They beat us up with metal sticks and knives," he said. "There was live fire at some point against us ... They were shooting at us from below deck." The account could not be independently verified by CNN.
- A senior Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in an independent account cleared by military censors, said Israeli troops were planning to deal with peace activists on a Gaza-bound flotilla, "not to fight." The official displayed a box from the boat containing switch blade knives, slingshots, metal balls and metal bats. "This was not spontaneous," he said. "This was planned."
- The military official said most of the nine deaths were Turks, he said. Twenty people were wounded.
- "We didn't come here for war," he said. "... They came to fight us. This was a voyage of terror."
- The Free Gaza Movement, one of the groups sponsoring the flotilla, said in a Twitter post that Israeli commandos dropped from a helicopter onto the deck of one of the ships and "immediately opened fire on unarmed civilians." Video aired on CNN sister network CNN Turk showing soldiers rappelling onto the deck of a ship from a helicopter above.
- The boarding of the ships took place more than 70 nautical miles outside Israeli territorial waters, according to the Turkish-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation or IHH - one of the organizers of the flotilla.
- The Israeli troops "were not expecting to be attacked," said Jonathan Peled, minister-counselor at the Israeli embassy in Washington. He said the soldiers came aboard carrying paintball pistols, but were attacked with knives and metal bars. One naval commando was stabbed, prompting the soldiers to open up with live fire, killing the nine, he said.
- Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said of the organizers of the flotilla, "They have a history of arms smuggling and deadly terror. On board the ship, we found weapons that were prepared in advance and used against our forces. The organizers' intent was violent, their method was violent and unfortunately, the results were violent."
- Five soldiers were among the wounded, with two suffering serious injuries.
- The Israeli military said the soldiers were attacked with knives and gunfire and that their lives were in danger. "We did not attack any boat, we merely fulfilled the Israeli government's decision to prevent anyone from going into the Gaza strip without coordinating with Israel," a military statement said.
- IDF spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibowitz said light weapons and handguns were confiscated from the flotilla. "We basically encountered a lynch," she said. "We had to control this violence."
- Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev accused the leaders of the flotilla of looking for a fight. "They wanted to make a political statement. They wanted violence," according to Regev, who said Israel wanted a peaceful interception of the ships trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. "They are directly responsible for the violence and the deaths that occurred."
- The ships of the flotilla were being taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod, the military said.
- On Monday, Israel insisted its soldiers were defending themselves when they opened fire. "They deliberately attacked soldiers," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the activists.
THE REACTION
- The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday called by Turkey in response to the incident.
- In Iraq, hundreds of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets of Baghdad in protest of the Israeli action.
- "We will not stop. We will go again," Free Gaza, one of the groups organizing the flotilla, said on its website. "Please, donate for the next trip ... we will go until Gaza is free."
- A protest in Paris over the incident attracted an estimated 1,000 people on the Champs-Elysees, according to CNN personnel at the scene. CNN producer Nikki Cook saw police fire tear gas at protesters, who smashed a window and threw bottles. Police riot trucks were lining up to corral the crowd, Cook said.
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had spoken with Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express her "deep concerns." Merkel said she advised both officials that everything possible should be done to avoid escalation.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday Israeli soldiers were attacked as they attempted to stop a convoy headed to Gaza to deliver aid. The soldiers were beaten and stabbed, and there was also a report of gunfire, Netanyahu said, appearing in Ottawa, Canada, with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
- Netanyahu said he was cutting short his Canadian trip and would return to Israel.
- President Barack Obama spoke on the phone with Netanyahu Monday morning, according to a statement from the White House press office. He "said he understood the prime minister's decision to return immediately to Israel to deal with today's events ... (and) agreed to reschedule their meeting at the first opportunity."
- Obama "expressed deep regret at the loss of life in today's incident, and concern for the wounded," the statement noted. He "also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible."
- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has spoken with Baroness Catherine Ashton, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and with German Foreign Minister Guide Westerwelle on Monday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Lieberman "told them that the passengers on the ships are not freedom fighters, but terrorist supporters who fired at IDF soldiers as soon as the latter boarded the ships."
- The Palestinian Cabinet, in its weekly meeting, "strongly condemned the Israeli crime against international supporters on board of the Freedom Flotilla, which reveals, once again, Israeli disregard to the lives of innocent civilians and its disrespect to international law, norms and resolutions," the Palestinian Authority said in a statement.
- Egyptian President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak condemned Israel's interception Monday of humanitarian aid ships that were bound for Gaza, calling Israel's use of force "excessive and unjustified."
- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, in a statement, "strongly condemned" what he called an "assault" by the Israeli military on the flotilla.
- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday he was "shocked by reports of killing of people in boats carrying supplies to Gaza. I condemn the violence and Israel must explain." Ban spoke at a news conference shortly after the official opening of the International Criminal Court Review Conference in Uganda.
- Westerwelle said he was "very concerned" about the incident. Westerwelle said in a statement, "we want a thorough and transparent investigation. It is clear that there must be some balance in international law. It is not acceptable to distort this balance."
- Six Germans, including two members of parliament, were on board the flotilla, Westerwelle said. Their conditions were unknown. Two German embassy officials were en route to the Israeli port of Ashdod, he said.
- White House spokesman Bill Burton said Monday regarding the incident with the Gaza-bound flotilla, "The United States deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy."
- Three members of Germany's Die Linke party were participating on board the boat where 10 people were killed, the party said Monday. So far, efforts to reach Bundestag members Annette Groth and Inge Hoeger, along with former member Norman Paech, have been unsuccessful, the party said.
- Amnesty International called for Israel to launch an immediate credible and independent investigation into the killing by its armed forces of at least 10 activists on boats protesting the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. "Israeli forces appear clearly to have used excessive force," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa, in a statement.
- France, Greece, Sweden and Ireland are among nations summoning their Israeli ambassadors. Other nations, including Russia, Spain, France and Indonesia, condemned the violence.
- Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Mideast envoy for the so-called Quartet, a group of nations working toward peace in the region, said in a statement Monday: "I express deep regret and shock at the tragic loss of life. There obviously has to be a full investigation into what has happened. Once again I repeat my view that we need a different and better way of helping the people of Gaza and avoiding the hardship and tragedy that is inherent in the present situation."
- The Vatican said it was following the situation with "great attention and concern."
- "We have consistently advised against attempting to access Gaza in this way, because of the risks involved," said British Foreign Secretary William Hague. "But at the same time, there is a clear need for Israel to act with restraint and in line with international obligations."
- Turkey has recalled its Israeli ambassador over the incident, canceled three military exercises with the Israeli military and called back its youth national football team from Israel, where two games were scheduled, said Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will return to Turkey from Chile after meeting with the Chilean president, Arinc said. The chief of the Turkish military is cutting short a trip to Egypt. The Turkish-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation or IHH was one of the organizers of the flotilla.
- "This operation will leave a bloody stain on the history of humanity," said Arinc.
- Nations including France, Spain and Bahrain, among others, condemned the violence. The Italian foreign minister has asked the European Union for a "serious and detailed" investigation.
- Police stepped up security across Israel.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for three days of mourning in the Palestinian territories.
- "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this Israeli attack on civilians who came from all over the world peacefully with wheelchairs and food supplies and medical supplies," said Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator.
- Said Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad: "Nothing can excuse this attack by armed forces on a humanitarian convoy. The Palestinian government strongly condemns this crime, which portrays, once again, Israeli disrespect for the lives of innocent civilians, and its disrespect for international law."
- Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, said: "The Israeli occupation tries to deny this massacre by saying that the activists on the boat are from Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood and this is a lying campaign, because the activists are international activists and between them are parliament members of western countries and know international peace activists."
- The British Foreign Office said it was seeking "urgent clarification" into the incident.
- After summoning its Israeli ambassador, the Greek foreign ministry said that the visit of the Israeli Joint Chiefs - scheduled for Tuesday - is being postponed, and that the Greek-Israeli military exercise that was in progress has been discontinued. A Greek foreign affairs ministry official could not say how many Greeks were aboard the six ships.
- Among the activists aboard the flotilla was Fatima Mohammadi from Chicago, according to the Free Gaza Movement – Chicago. Kevin Clark, a member of the organization, said that neither he nor Mohammadi's mother, who lives in Boise, Idaho, had heard from her. "None of us envisioned they would do this," said Clark. "Speaking for myself, this will not deter us."
- The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has issued a serious travel warning for Israelis visiting Turkey. The warning calls Israelis who are about to travel into Turkey to postpone their trip and for Israelis in Turkey to remain indoors and avoid presence in the city centers.
- More than 15,000 Israelis have canceled plans to visit Turkey, according to Guliz Akdeniz Ay, an official with tourism sales for Brontes Travel Agency, a leading travel agency in bringing Israeli tourists to Turkey. "So far, we have received more than 15,000 cancellations," he said Monday, for tours beginning the second week of June and continuing throughout the summer. All charter planes from Israel to the Turkish Mediterranean resorts of Bodrum and Marmaris have been canceled, he said.
- Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said the raid will inflame the region. "Lebanon strongly condemns this attack and calls on the international community, and specifically on the major countries which are supposed to be responsible about the peace process, to take action in order to stop this continuous violation of human rights, which is putting the international peace at risk," he said.
THE CONVOY
- The convoy of boats left European ports in a consolidated protest organized by two pro-Palestinian groups to deliver tons of food and other aid to Gaza by breaking a blockade imposed by Israel in 2007. The groups are: Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish-based IHH, a humanitarian relief foundation affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood religious group.
- The convoy approached Gaza in defiance of an Israeli blockade, and was shadowed by three warships. Free Gaza had reported Sunday that they had been contacted by the Israeli navy. Israel wanted the flotilla to dock at Ashdod port, where supplies would be unloaded and transferred to Gaza.
- About 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid flows into Gaza per week, said Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev.
- Saying that Israeli civilians were subjected to rockets and missiles fired from Gaza that had originated from places like Iran and Syria, the military prevents all ships from reaching the Gaza shore so that ammunition or missiles cannot be brought in, Regev said.
- Israel said Sunday that Western and Turkish authorities have accused IHH of having "working relations" with different terrorist organizations.
Here how I see it.. First, Very Sorry anyone died, on either side. Nation States are a creation of human egos,.. Us against them mentality. Nobody owns the freakin lands.. We are all human beings, one day we will have to grow up and treat each other with love and respect.. Until than, we will kill each other over land, resources, gold, oil, religion, politics, culture etc... There is a greater picture to this story of war between Israel and the it's Arab neighbors, we just don't see it! It is the same old story that has been going on for thousands of bloody years.. It is the worship of of ego over soul and Material over spirit. Both sides have their points, both sides are mistaken.. This is not bound just to the Middle-East, but our whole troubled planet.. Human history is bloodstained with greed, stupidity and hatred.. If we only knew in our hearts, we are all brothers/sisters, this earth is temporary and their is greater reality out/in there., we would stop the foolishness. Until than we are ruled by our ego's and will fight each other till we are extinct!.. As Solomon said many years ago " All is Vanity", T"here is nothing new under the Sun!" Humanity, Evolve or Perish! Time to grow up!!!!!
time to warm up the ovens and this time the Holocaust will be real.
Adolph (Hitler)
You missed your chance, sorry. Now will nuke you and your grand children
Let's be clear on somethings. The Jews have been around far longer than you and yours and will be around long after the demise of you and yours. Enough said.
Adolph warnedus stands for: Adolph warned-us.
F*** ALL OF YOU ,DO ANYBODY SEE THE WRONG IN THIS S***?IS NOT ABOUT PAST,THIS IS NOW,LET'S OBAMA KNOW HOW YOU FEEL,F*** ISRAEL.ASSASINS
Bob's statement makes absolutely no sense at all. He says Israel had the right to hijack and board the flotilla in int'l waters because Israel had the right to defend itself Hamas..What the hell ?!
That's exactly like saying the North Korea sub had the right to sink the South Korean naval vessel because they had absolute concrete evidence the South Korean vessel was out to harm the citizens of PyongYang.
Was there a flag of Hamas outside the flotilla ? What does the flotilla have to do with Hamas ?
The way the U.S. turns a blind eye to the inhumane and evil actions of Israel is exactly the same as the way China turns
a blind eye to the actions of North Korea.
I wonder how Israel would react if their ship or flotilla were hijacked and stormed by commandos from Turkey or any Arab country. They would whine and scream, "This is a terrorist act ! Help us, U.S., UN !"
Israel has committed an act of terrorism. I'm so sick of the way our hard earmed taxpayer dollars are being spent to support this spoiled, rotten child called Israel.
We need to send a strong voice to our leaders, and demand that we change our policy with Israel.
We shouldn't and don't need to back up and support a spoiled, bad child.
The U.S. needs to turn a page, and invest energy and time in developing economic and political partnerships with up and coming, developing countries like China, Turkey, India, and Brazil who are actually making positive contributions to the global economy unlike Israel, which only seems to make headlines about how many tanks and bombs they deploy against the oppressed Palestinians in Gaza. What's so special about Israel anyway ? They are too much trouble for what they are worth. In the same way China feels North Korea is an annoying distraction and liability, Israel is an annoying and archaic pest and liability to the U.S. Why should we spend our hard earned taxpayer dollar for them anyway ? I don't what BS the Israeli politicians spew out on TV..The bottom line is they had no right to board any ship
in int'l waters. I wonder how they would've felt if their ship was boarded in int'l waters ?
Again, the U.S. should drop Israel..Nothing special about them anyway.
Comparing Israel to North Korea? Ignorance is nothing to brag about. How about presenting som real facts to support your position?
YOU ALL TRY,NOT ADOLPH,BUT GET A GRIP.F*** ISRAEL.CAN SOMETHING BE DONE?OR WE JUST SHEEP?NO MORE KILLERS,STATE SPONSOR ASSASINATIONS,F*** IS 2010,F*** NOBODY GIVE A S***.DID YOU ALL GO TO PAY RESPECT TO OUR FALLEN,MEMORIAL DAY,OR JUST GOT DRUNK ON BBQ.THINK
Bottomline, again Israel skipped even attempting to negotiate a non violent solution to this issue through diplomatic channels, like any reasonable country would do. It appears as if they are again looking for a larger military confrontation.
That’s not accurate; Israel had notified them they should use proper channels so it can be inspected for weapons.
Every day tons of aid goes in the Gaza that way.
Hey Rob, chill bro. And while your at it, shut up. You don't know what the hell you're talking about. Arab tribes have been at war since the dawn of humankind. How about them Sunni's and Shia. Real humanitarians. They hate each other more than they hate christians or jews. Get a reality check, moron.
I don't believe anything Netanyahoo says. Heavily armed soldiers attacking unarmed peace activitists carrying humanitarian supplies in international waters somehow got beat up? I doubt it very much. Israel has become the enemy it decries.
I am officially and unequivicolly done with empathy and the free pass I've given Israeli evil behavior. One would like to imagine that having been the victims of the holocaust and religiously based hatred for centuries, that Israelis would have some amount of compassion and concern for other humans, including the Palestinians. But instead, they justify murder, racism, the starvation and alienation of rights of others in their unending quest for their "right to exist". I call upon our President and Congress to immediately cease all aid to Israel and all loans and weapon sales until the Palestinians can enjoy equality and a country of their own. I call upon all Americans to contact their legislators. Israel is NO friend to America an certainly does not embrace our values.
AMEN Judy I could not agree more. Israel has been getting a "GET OUT JAIL FREE" card for way too many years. Pulling our support however would be a hard thing to accomplish for one fact. Most of the support we have given Israel over the years has been DEMANDED by the Jewish voters in this country and many of the Congressional members of the US are backed by those voters. If the over 8 billion dollars we give to Israel pretty much every year, which they are supposed to spend exclusively here in the US but don't, were to be kept within our own borders OUR economy would not be such a freaking mess.
Wow, Judy, seriously? They shouldn't have a "right to exist". Maybe you can move to Iran and help them wipe Israel off the face of the earth. And, while we're at it. When have the Arab states come to the aid of Palestinians. Why don't you think before you post. I'm sure the Arab states embrace our values more than Israel. Another moron posting.
Hey Nick, Judy is right. It is you who is the moron, and it is you who should be ashamed, especially because of your
ignorance and lack of knowledge. What does the flotilla have to do with Iran ?! The fact that you automatically associate the flotilla with Iran reflects the typical low level, ignorant, one dimensional thinking which borders on racism.
Have you ever been outside your own country or state. As an American who has worked in both Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, the one thing I learned is that you cannot develop a decent understanding of other races and religions by just watching TV in your living room. Again, the flotilla has nothing to do with Iran. The current Iranian regime has a horrendous human rights record, but Israel's inhumane and terrible treatment of the Palestinians and blockade of Gaza
also puts Israel in the same category. In fact, judging by their record, they are just as bad, with all the constant shelling and bombing of Gaza and persecution of the Palestinians. I wonder how you would feel, Nick, if you were in the shoes
of a Palestinian who was evicted out of his own house, with his land taken away.
Last but not least, what the hell is Israel doing storming and hijacking a ship in international waters. This act puts them
in the same league as the Somali pirates. The mere fact that they stormed and invaded a ship in int'l waters is a no brainer that Israel has committed a criminal act.
WHY THEY LEADER WAS IN NORTH AMERICA,CANCEL VISIT WITH OBAMA,F***,WHO GIVE THE ORDER TO KILL CIVILIANS.F*** YOU ALL.YOU DEPRESS ME
VOTE FOR JUDY
Rob, seriously take some medication. You have problems dude.
Children were depending on that aid. Innocents in need of medical care, including wheelchairs. That is what breaks my heart. I don't care if the grown ups kill each other, they are lost forever. But the thought of children suffering, some without the ability to walk, run or play in the sunshine, that breaks my heart. There is still hope for the children. Before their hearts are hardened.