The Israeli military attacked a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, leaving at least nine dead, after receiving reports that the fleet had links to al Qaeda, the Israeli ambassador to Denmark said Monday.

"Before the flotilla entered Israeli waters, rumor had it that the organizers [of the aid initiative] had links with the al Qaeda terrorist network," Arthur Avnon was quoted as saying on the website of public broadcaster DR.

"The people on board were not so innocent ... and I cannot imagine that another country would react any differently," the ambassador said before being summoned to the Danish foreign ministry to explain the attack.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he spoke Monday to top diplomatic and security officials by telephone from Canada and voiced his “full backing” for the military.

Before the ships set sail from waters off the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Sunday, Israel had urged the flotilla not to try to breach the blockade and offered to transfer the cargo to Gaza from an Israeli port, following a security inspection.

Commandos stormed the six ships carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists on an aid mission to the blockaded Gaza Strip. At least nine people were killed and dozens wounded after Israeli soldiers encountered an unexpected resistance when they boarded the vessels.

According to Netanyahu, the Israeli soldiers were attacked and defending themselves in the raid.

SLIDESHOW: World Responds to Israeli Gaza Flotilla Attack

Avnon echoed Netanyahu’s sentiments, lamenting the loss of life but saying, "the [Israeli] soldiers were welcomed with violence when they climbed on board. One of them was injured in the stomach and others were injured with baseball bats."

An Israeli military spokesman said two guns had been discovered on the ships and Israel's military chief, General Gaby Ashkenazi, blamed the violence on Turkish nongovernmental organization (NGO) IHH, which he characterized as "extremist."

Israel's Channel 10 television and Al-Jazeera both reported 19 dead, but the Israeli channel later revised that number down to nine. The Gaza branch of IHH put the death toll at 15, saying most of them were Turkish nationals.

The Israeli military said seven soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously.

The operation in international waters off the Gaza coast was a nightmare scenario for Israel that looked certain to further damage its international standing, strain already tense relations with Turkey -- the unofficial sponsor of the mission -- and draw unwanted attention to Gaza's plight.

White House spokesman Bill Burton, speaking on the eve of a meeting that President Barack Obama had scheduled at the White House with Netanyahu, said the United States "deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained" in the incident. Netanyahu announced Monday he would cancel his White House visit to deal with the crisis.

Burton also said that administration officials are "currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy." The United States, among others, has been trying to restart direct peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, but progress toward this achievement has lagged severely in recent months.

The tough Israeli response also drew condemnations from Turkey, France and the U.N.'s Mideast envoy, while Greece suspended a military exercise with Israel and postponed a visit by Israel's air force chief.

The U.N. Security Council announced they would meet Monday afternoon to discuss the attack.

Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the raid as "state terrorism" Monday, as some10,000 Turks marched from Israel's Consulate in Istanbul toward the city's main square, shouting slogans denouncing Israel. The protesters earlier Monday tried to storm the Consulate building but were blocked by police.

In response, Israel advised its citizens Monday to avoid travel to Turkey and instructed those already there to keep a low profile and avoid crowded downtown areas.

There were conflicting accounts of what happened early Monday.

An Al-Jazeera reporter on one of the Turkish ships said the Israelis fired at the vessel before boarding it. The Israelis, who had declared they would not let the ships reach Gaza, said they only opened fire after being attacked by activists with sticks, knives and live fire from weapons seized from the Israeli commandos.

Israeli security forces were on alert across the country. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli "aggression," declared three days of mourning across the West Bank and called on the U.N. Security Council and Arab League to hold emergency sessions on the incident.

Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the rival Hamas government in Gaza, condemned the "brutal" Israeli attack and called on U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to intervene.

The activists were heading to Gaza on a mission meant to draw attention to a three-year-old Israeli blockade of the coastal territory. Israel imposed the blockade after Hamas, which it considers a terrorist group, violently seized the territory. Critics say the blockade has unfairly hurt Gaza's 1.5 million people.

"It's disgusting that they have come on board and attacked civilians. We are civilians," said Greta Berlin, a spokeswoman for the Free Gaza movement, which organized the flotilla. She spoke from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus and said she had lost contact with the flotilla.

Israeli naval commandos stormed the ships in a predawn raid while they were in international waters after ordering them to stop about 80 miles from Gaza's coast, according to activists.

A Turkish website showed video of pandemonium on board one of the ships, with activists in orange life jackets running around as some tried to help an activist apparently unconscious on the deck. The site also showed video of an Israeli helicopter flying overhead and Israeli warships nearby.

Turkey's NTV showed activists beating one Israeli soldier with sticks as he rappelled from a helicopter onto one of the boats.

The Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported by telephone from the Turkish ship leading the flotilla that Israeli navy forces fired at the ship and boarded it, wounding the captain.

"These savages are killing people here, please help," a Turkish television reporter said.

The broadcast ended with a voice shouting in Hebrew, "Everybody shut up!"

The Free Gaza Movement is an international group of pro-Palestinian activists that claims the blockade, imposed three years ago after the militant Islamic Hamas group overran Gaza, is unjust and a violation of international law.

Organizers included people affiliated with the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian group that often sends international activists into battle zones, and the IHH, a Turkish aid group that Israel accuses of having terrorist links.

The flotilla of three cargo ships and three passenger ships carrying 10,000 tons of aid and 700 activists was carrying items that Israel bars from reaching Gaza, like cement and other building materials.

This is the ninth time that the Free Gaza movement has tried to ship in humanitarian aid to Gaza since August 2008.

Israel has allowed ships through five times, but has blocked them from entering Gaza waters since a three-week military offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers in January 2009.

The latest flotilla was the largest to date.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/30/reports-israeli-ships-attack-aid-flotilla-dead/

First of all, these guys sole purpose was to provoke Israel and to try and break past an established blockade, not to mention that they had a ton of media abord for propaganda videos.

Israel was within it's right and should have just used their Sub fleet to sink the ships. They showed great restraint against this terrorist alligned pilgrimage. Not to mention they found weapons on board, which makes this a little bit more then a relief mission.

Now we have Obama sad about the loss of life. Of course he is, the ones who died were terrorist alligned and Muslim. Two things Obama loves.

Hey, kick a sleeping dragon on the nose, expect to get burned. At least Israel offered to allow the cargo through if they would have allowed inspection but I know the mentality of the people facing down with Israel. They will do anything to provoke them and test their resolve. Israel even asked them to not try to run the blockade before they even left port.

And people died? No pity from me over this. They were warned!

Here, here!

How do you save drowning palestinians? Get your god..am foot off their heads for cripes sake.

I warn everyone to stop posting.... That must give me the right to "board" your house with weapons drawn and fire at will?

Time to cut off the 50 billion yearly in Israeli aid! F.... THEM!

Have a nice day!

No doubt, this was for pure propaganda, otherwize they wouldn't have had a butt load of press and media people with them AND not to mention weapons were pulled off of the boats.

They should have just been sank and the survivors picked up and sent to jail.

Not to mention that they are provoking a Nuclear country.

This is a friendly reminder please keep all comments towards the Topic being discussed. These forums are for debates on the Topic in hand............they are not here to direct responses towards others that have their own opinion........


Thank You
Site Mod
Kristi

Amazing. I'm at loss of words. People really need to examine who are the real conspiracy theorists.


Also here is every single thing that discredits your first post:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7141083.ece

26 different nations and nationalites (such as Swedish, and Australian journalists) are all connected to "Al-Queada"

Give me a break.






Oh I see. Fox News the neocon war monger news station giving out false info again.

And this must be "Al Quada" too.

May 30, 2010: Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews in Toronto, Ontario demonstrated in protest during the 'Walk for Israel'.



http://www.nkusa.org/


2007. Orthodox Jews meet Ahmadijenad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-r04SQ97_Q


The US propaganda about Israel is falling apart day by day.

But this wasn't an army fleet and it was destined to Gaza, not Israel. Utlimately, this incident is gonna hurt the people of Israel more than helping.

john111 my friend, evidently you do not understand anything about the mentality of the middle east let alone the fact Israel was willing to allow aid but they had to make sure they were not using the aid as a pretense to smuggle in weapons.

The aid fleet HAD ties with Al-Quieda. I cannot blame Israel for what they did. I would have had the aid fleet sunk had I been in command myself. Israel handled it by the books.

Having seen some of your posts on this topic I have to say you sure seem to harbor your share of Anti Semitic feelings and prejudices.

Please do not take this to the bible. You will get eaten in a biblical debate over this issue. Christians who do not following the word but the savior are worshiping a JEW! Sorry but that is a fact no matter how you or anyone else try to tart it up.

Time and time again the Palestinians have attacked Israel and then tried to play that "Poor innocent Oppressed Us!" game and I am not buying that BS any more. Israel has the balls to fight a holy war the right way.

Why not go there yourself and try to help them solve their situation?

Care to accuse me of being Jewish too? My last GF was. I myself was born Catholic but since I have turned my back on all religion. I am not even associated but those damn Jihadists are out to kill me to for not following their brand of god. Jews are not. So I can tell who my friends and enemies are pretty easily here between the two!

How about this... Come up with a peaceful solution that works and I can get behind you. What is your answer?

Mine is nuke the whole area flat and destroy Jerusalem so no one has a reason to fight over it any more. OH but what is the flaw in my plan? HUMANS WILL ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING TO FIGHT OVER?

So much for my perfect solution now!

Don't confuse people with facts, Atlantis.

And here's close-up video of those 'peaceful activists' (say 'oxymoron', somebody) at work puttin' a beatdown on the Israeli troops as they board the vessel ... Odd that only ONE out of SIX vessels had problems like this ... the other FIVE didn't ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYjkLUcbJWo&feature=player_embedded

their own spokesperson said their mission was to "break the blockade" not to deliver aid...

if they simply wanted to deliver aid they could have given it to the UN and Red Cross who offered to take it.

no, they wanted confrontation and fought with the israelis who were enforcing the military blockade against the Hamas regime who is still at war with Israel.

over there if you go looking for trouble you are likely to find it...

it is ironic that these protestors chose to support Hamas INSTEAD of delivering the aid to the people through the UN and Red Cross.

let me correct - "it is DISGUSTING that...."

it was purely a political stunt and it would appear that Turkey and other Muslim UN members were in on it. stinks to high heaven.

but Israel did nothing wrong except botching the confrontation by trying to be too gentle towards the agitators. they should have warned them to turn around and blown off their propellers if they refused and let them drift for a few days before towing them into custody.

these "protestors" are the worst kind of trash - using the palestinians to advance an agenda - hurting those they purport to help. vile.

You forgot to add, on international waters about 140 miles off from Gaza, the Israeli troops raided a humanitarian flotilla.

So, not even on Israeli waters..this happens and it will draw serious consequences.

Just because the attacked ship was the flagship, which was turkish, there are other part of this flotilla, such as the MV Rachel Corrie which started off from Ireland.

Gaza flotilla ship pays tribute to fallen activist
http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-05-27/gaza-flotilla-ship-tribute.html

And anyone who googles Rachel Corrie..just be prepared to see something that is not for everyone. She was ran over by an Israeli bulldozer.

Ohh and last but not least:

Martin accuses Israel of 'kidnapping' Irish citizens
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0601/1224271593791.html

So come again with the Muslim downplaying of events please?

Just admit it what probably a lot has already admitted. Israel has made a serious mistake doing this raid and expect serious echo in the upcoming days. The ones who gonna feel the consequences will be the Israeli citizens as well Jewish people who got nothing to do what their government is doing, which is like a flashback to the Bush sort of policy.

I'm just someone, saying drawing my own conclusions, that not even the full support of USA can do much while the entire EU is already condemning the violence, as well as Russia and China.

EU condemns attack on flotilla
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128562&sectionid=351020605

If it was 'humanitarian' (great cover story, tho'), WHY did they fire on the Israeli troops? This is just another pro-Palestinian smear tactic designed to drive a wedge between Israel and its supporters. By the way, I din't see any mention of the fact that the Israelis were armed with PAINTBALL guns - except for their sidearms. 'EU condemns attack' ... well, damn - now THERE's a surprise ... one of the most islamophilic organizations outside the UN supports the terrorist clan ... Sorry, but there's no 'there' there ...

the ship came from Turkey...no ties to any terrorists. nice try but lies as usual is that why israel denied attacking the ships until changing their story completely? they did the same thing to cynthia mcckinneys humanitarian group.

if they were truly humanitarian they would have simply given
the aid to the people instead of grandstanding with this ridiculous
show

instead of helping the people they chose to put on a useless,
pointless, counterproductive, display aimed only at notoriety
for the blockade which everybody already knows about already.



there was nothing humanitarian about it. fortunately the israelis
are more humanitarian than they are and will likely turn the
supplies over to the people anyway - as should have been done in
the first place through distribution channels which will actually
put the aid in the hands of the people who need it rather than
the Hamas thugs who run the strip and use the aid as a kind of
carrot and stick.

UGH. (wretches)

Ummm

It does not matter where the boat came from. It matters who hired it. Israel is serious about their blockade and will intercept ANY humanitarians to make sure they are not smuggling weapons like the rockets Hamas likes to fire into Israel from Palestine.

Do you know why Israel has held the Gaza Strip for so long? I suppose you would say they are just mean doo doo heads. Back in the mid 1970's Hamas used ARTILLERY and shelled Israel from the high ground in Gaza!!

It was a BLOODY battle for Israel to stop the artillery from shelling them. Israel since then has been taking ground used to attack them from. Gaza has a nice view overlooking Israel, a perfect place to rain death down on someone from with cannon!

I bet you want to call me a liar too! Hamas AND the PLO have a LONG history of antagonizing Israel with bloodshed and terrorism and now Al-Quieda wants in on the act.

Sorry, no sympathy here!

Andy my good man, I hope you can refrain from telling me what I understand and don't in the middle east.... you have no clue who I am , what my background is, what my education is or where around the world I have been(on humanitarian missions). Capiche?

1st) I STRONGLY suggest you read up on Maritime laws before making any comment about "Well within Israels rights" To board a vessel in international waters.... Commonly known as piracy.

2nd) Whatever weapons are smuggled in.... I assure you they are no match for Israeli firepower... peashooters of sorts. That being said, I have no problem restricting flow of weapons but why are they blocking cement, meds, clean water and other necessities? OH right to punish the people for supporting Hamas.... coincidently, the only ones helping the people right now IS HAMAS.... Who The F... are they supposed to support?

3rd) I AM NOT ANTI-SEMITIC.... Asking someone if they are Jewish is not anti-semitic... it can provoke unwanted drama but it was not my intention... If you were any kind of stand up people... you'd both apologize for trying to label me anti-semitic.

4th) Stop mudding the waters.... who ever said a single word about the freekin bible? YOU!

5th) My solution????? You won't like it one bit buddy





















Give the Jews...... TEXAS!

see how much fighting comes of it