Tension in Turkey after Israel commandos attacks Gaza aid flotilla - Zain Khokhar

Turkey has warned Israel of "irreparable consequences" following the deaths of at least 19 people after Israeli commandos moved to prevent a flotilla of boats from carrying aid to Gaza.

The incident has been described by Turkey as 'unacceptable' while Israel says it is in a state of war with the Palestinian Hamas group and that it is within its rights to restrict all sea traffic entering or exiting the Gaza Strip.

At 4.30pm (local time) Israeli commandos landed on a Turkish-registered ship in a six-vessel convoy, of which the Irish owned Rachel Corrie is part of, carrying aid for the Palestinian territory.

The flotilla began the journey from international waters off the coast of Cyprus yesterday and had been expected to reach Gaza, about 250 miles away, this afternoon. Reports from Turkish State media suggests that at least 19 people were killed and 50 injured, including one Irish citizen, during the pre-dawn raid.

Speaking following the attack, the Israeli military said: "We did not attack any boat, we merely fulfil the Israeli government's decision to prevent anyone from going into the Gaza strip without coordinating with Israel".

The Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted: "[The interception on the convoy] is unacceptable ... Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behavior".

Israel's Foreign Ministry has suggested that it will call on tourists in Turkey to return to Israel immediately.Meanwhile, the Head of Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi has called for the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to hold an urgent meeting.

George Gallaway MP, founder of the worldwide Viva Palestina movement, described Israel's attack as 'cold blooded murder'. He also called on Turkey to expel Israeli Ambassadors from the country.

He added: This was a murderous act of piracy conducted by the so-called state of Israel....It is one of the most dastardly attacks on humanitarian aid workers in recent times...This crime will not go unanswered."

Irish Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Michael D. Higgins described the incident today as an "international outrage".

"The use of commandos to board a ship was a pre-emptive action that cannot be justified by any aspect of international law. This incident requires a response of the Security Council of the United Nation. It draws attention yet again to the fact that the situation in Gaza is not simply a humanitarian crisis but constitutes an international political outrage that is being allowed to continue", he commented.

He continued: "This tragic incident reminds the European Union, the members of the Quartet, and those who have failed to engage with the reality of the situation, the extent of the crisis that is Gaza; a crisis that has been witnessed by Irish parliamentarians and which has been testified to by the head of UNRA, distinguished Irish citizen John Ging. There will be calls for investigations which of course will be necessary, but what is required now is a serious engagement with what is a Middle East crisis in every element."

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[ulas888]

Between Israel and Turkey NEVER NEVER NEVER make a positive relationship!!

Because for Turkish people Zionism For all the nations of the world DANGER and POVERTY..

[TheTurkicWorld]

@yaron3534 dirty talking turns you on? filthy gay-zionist. after all satan owns all of your people. keep talking rubbish, i know 1 thing: kurds are anti-israel

[yaron3534]

@TheTurkicWorld

Watch Turkish police criminal animals attacking Kurdish Civilians and beating women and children and killing and injuring many during the ...

watch?v=O_sc0I19VDg

[yaron3534]

@TheTurkicWorld

"you cant convince me pig, no way that turkish media would miss that. media is independent, erdogan cant say anything, thats why you cant convince me with your lies"(Turkish)

-Sweetie, talking dirty to me turns me on

-Besides sweetie, the message condemning the barbaric Holocaust of 1,5 million Armenians by genocidal & murderous Turks is attributed to Iranian Vice President Hamid Baghaei not Turkish media

-FREE KURDISTAN NOW

-SAY NO TO TURKISH OCCUPATION OF KURDISTAN

[TheTurkicWorld]

@yaron3534 you cant convince me pig, there is no way that turkish media would miss that, absolutely no way. media is independent, erdogan cant say anything, so thats why you cant convince me with your lies.

[yaron3534]

@TheTurkicWorld

Dec 12, 2010

VAN - DOĞAN news agency

PT-1

-1 villager killed, another injured & a third missing along Turkish-Iranian border after Iranian soldiers opened fire.

-3 villagers from eastern province Van’s Esenyamaç, on Iranian border, crossed the border to fetch their animals which crossed to the Iranian side.

-Mehmet Keskin, 19, killed, 18-year-old Zakir Turgut injured. Akif Yıldız, 24, missing after the incident.

-Turgut -brought to a hospital by other villagers.

[yaron3534]

@TheTurkicWorld

Turkey recently killed hundreds of independence seeking Kurdish freedom fighters with Israeli made drones.

People of the world - Join my campaign to ban & condemn Turkey.

Global justice at once

Say NO to Turkey's war crimes

TURKEY STILL IRRIGATES HER FLOWERS WITH 1.5,000,000 ARMENIAN TEARS

DAMN TURKEY FOR REFUSING TO ADMIT HER WAR CRIMES & GENOCIDE

[yaron3534]

@TheTurkicWorld

-Turkey declared intent to crush independence seeking Turkish Kurds (PKK) to death

-Kurdistan belonged the Kurds, not bloody imperialistic & colonialist Turks

-Turkey fights independence seeking Kurds with inconceivable brutality

-1984 to 2008-35,000 Kurds killed by barbaric & criminal Turkish military

FREE KURDISTAN NOW!!!

LONG LIVE PKK FREEDOM FIGHTERS

SAY NO TO TURKISH OCCUPATION OF KURDISTAN!!

[TheTurkicWorld]

@yaron3534 death to israel, you might live to see that happen. i promise you dirty pig, israel will end

[MrArsalan11]

turkey will make trukey dinner of israel  love from Pakistan go turkey gooo