Israel deports activists seized on Gaza Aid Flotilla
Israel says it is speeding up the deportation of nearly 700 foreign activists it detained during a deadly commando operation to stop a convoy of aid ships bound for the Gaza Strip.
Buses carrying more than 120 of the deported activists crossed from Israel into Jordan early Wednesday. The group included 30 Jordanians, as well as citizens from Indonesia, Pakistan and a number of Arab nations that do not have relations with Israel, including Mauritania and Yemen.
Some of the activists complained of brutal treatment by the Israelis.
Israel announced late Tuesday that it planned to deport all of the pro-Palestinian activists. Some had already been sent home. A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said those released will include two dozen activists Israel had threatened to prosecute for allegedly assaulting Israeli commandos.
The commandos killed at least nine activists early Monday after boarding the Turkish ship leading the flotilla. Four of the dead were Turkish nationals.
The raid triggered worldwide condemnation.
Turkey has denounced the action as a "massacre" and called for Israel to be punished.
Israel has said its commandos fired on the activists after being attacked with knives, pipes and gunfire.
Israeli state-run radio reports say Israel has ordered the families of its diplomats in Turkey to return home, though the diplomatic mission will remain in the country.
The U.N. Security Council called Tuesday for an "impartial" and "transparent" investigation into the raid. The 15 council members condemned the "acts" that resulted in the deaths, but did not specifically blame Israel.
The six-ship international convoy was bringing 10,000 tons of supplies to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's three-year blockade. Pro-Palestinian activists have said they will make another attempt to break the blockade.
VOANews
Comments