source Al Jazeera and Agencies
May 31, 2010

from AlJazeera Website


Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza.

At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported. The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.

Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, confirmed that the attack took place in international waters, saying:

"This happened in waters outside of Israeli territory, but we have the right to defend ourselves."

Footage from the flotilla's lead vessel, the Mavi Marmara, showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and helicopters flying overhead.

Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, on board the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops had used live ammunition during the operation. (Live blogging: Aftermath of Israel's attack on Gaza flotilla.)

The Israeli military said four soldiers had been wounded and claimed troops opened fire after,

"demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs".

Free Gaza Movement, the organizers of the flotilla, however, said the troops opened fire as soon as they stormed the convoy.

Our correspondent said that a white surrender flag was raised from the ship and there was no live fire coming from the passengers.

Before losing communication with our correspondent, a voice in Hebrew was clearly heard saying:

"Everyone shut up".



Israeli intervention

Earlier, the Israeli navy had contacted the captain of the Mavi Marmara, asking him to identify himself and say where the ship was headed.

Shortly after, two Israeli naval vessels had flanked the flotilla on either side, but at a distance. Organizers of the flotilla carrying 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid then diverted their ships and slowed down to avoid a confrontation during the night.

They also issued all passengers life jackets and asked them to remain below deck.

Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Jerusalem, said the Israeli action was surprising.

"All the images being shown from the activists on board those ships show clearly that they were civilians and peaceful in nature, with medical supplies on board. So it will surprise many in the international community to learn what could have possibly led to this type of confrontation," he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli police have been put on a heightened state of alert across the country to prevent any civil disturbances.

Sheikh Raed Salah, a leading member of the Islamic Movement who was on board the ship, was reported to have been seriously injured. He was being treated in Israel's Tal Hasharon hospital.

In Um Al Faham, the stronghold of the Islamic movement in Israel and the birth place of Salah, preparations for mass demonstrations were under way.
 

 


Protests

Condemnation has been quick to pour in after the Israeli action. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, officially declared a three-day state of mourning over Monday's deaths.

Turkey, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden have all summoned the Israeli ambassador's in their respective countries to protest against the deadly assault.

Worldwide outrage has followed

the deadly Israeli attack of Gaza aid convoy [AFP]
 

Thousands of Turkish protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul soon after the news of the operation broke.

 

The protesters shouted "Damn Israel" as police blocked them.

"(The interception on the convoy) is unacceptable... Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behavior," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.

Ismail Haniya, the Hamas leader in Gaza, has also dubbed the Israeli action as "barbaric".

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, including a Nobel laureate and several European legislators, were with the flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza in defiance of an Israeli embargo.

The convoy came from the UK, Ireland, Algeria, Kuwait, Greece and Turkey, and was comprised of about 700 people from 50 nationalities. But Israel had said it would not allow the flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip and vowed to stop the six ships from reaching the coastal Palestinian territory.

The flotilla had set sail from a port in Cyprus on Sunday and aimed to reach Gaza by Monday morning.

Israel said the boats were embarking on "an act of provocation" against the Israeli military, rather than providing aid, and that it had issued warrants to prohibit their entrance to Gaza.

It asserted that the flotilla would be breaking international law by landing in Gaza, a claim the organizers rejected.
 

 


Video


Israeli troops storm Gaza flotilla
by AlJazeeraEnglish
May 31, 2010

from YouTube Website

 
Israeli forces have attacked aid ships attempting to break the blockade of Gaza.
Commandos lowered themselves from helicopters and onto the Mavi Marmara,

the lead ship in a flotilla of six vessels which are carrying humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Army Radio said up to 16 people may have been killed in the operation.
Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal on board the Mavi Marmara sent this report before communications were cut.

 
 

 



 


 



Above report "Coincidence" with below report...???


 




Obama Gives Israel All-Out Support
May 31, 2010

from PressTV Website


After the United Nations ratified a resolution calling for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, the US president gives Israel "concrete guarantees" to prevent the decision from harming Israeli interests.

Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post quoted senior political sources in al-Quds (Jerusalem) as saying that President Barack Obama's assurances to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came with the promise of a significant upgrade to Israel's military capabilities.

President Barack Obama (R) has promised Benjamin Netanyahu

 that he would prevent any UN resolution against a nuclear-armed Israel.

 

President Obama gave Prime Minister Netanyahu,

"concrete guarantees that the US will strengthen Israel's strategic capabilities," the report said.

The pledge comes two days after all 189 signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty reached an agreement for the establishment of a Middle East without nuclear weapons.

The long-sought statement called on all Middle East nations to attend a 2012 conference on ridding the region of weapons of mass destruction.

The Friday's agreement also stressed,

"the importance of Israel's accession to the treaty and the placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards."

On Saturday, Netanyahu condemned the international deal, saying that Israel would not participate in the 2012 summit.

Late on Sunday, President Obama rushed to align itself with Tel Aviv, condemning the decision and promising to prevent any UN resolution in this regard from threatening Israeli interests.

This is while Israel is widely believed to be the sixth-largest nuclear power in the world and the sole possessor of an atomic arsenal in the Middle East.

For 40 years, with the help of the United States, Israel has successfully prevented its undeclared arsenal of approximately 200 atomic warheads from becoming public.
 

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