Turkey condemns Israel's attack on Gaza aid flotilla and seeks apologies

Turkey condemns the May 31 Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla and demands that Israel be held accountable for this crime. In a news confernece on Wednesday, Turkish Ambassador in Moldova Ahmet Ferit Ülker read a Note, which says that all the countries are obliged to observe the international law and the human values. Israel must suffer the consequences of its crime committed in the Mediterranean Sea and be held responsible. Israeli officials' assertions that civilians on board were members of Islamist groups represent an attempt to justify their illegal acts, the diplomat said, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Civilians were killed and injured in the attack on the convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip. There were about 600 women, men, children and old persons from 32 countries on board. The flotilla was carrying only food, medications and toys and there were no munitions there, the ambassador said. Turkey describes the attack as banditry or even piracy act as the forces were not proportional. Ambassador Ahmet Ferit Ülker also sad that Turkey wants to calmly and responsibly overcome this situation, acting in accordance with the international law and practices. In the Note, Turkey demands that Israel apologize to the international community, pay compensations to the families of those killed and injured and the NGOs that organized the aid flotilla and that steps be taken to punish those to blame. It also says the blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza should be removed, as the Gaza Strip benefits from humanitarian aid and is transformed into a peace area. Israel's attack was condemned by 117 countries. The UN Security Council issued a presidential statement, seeking a rapid and transparent inquiry into the incident.