ISRAEL HAS NO RIGHT! (English Version)
Israel in eye of storm over Gaza ship raid
ANKARA, June 1 - Israel faced a wave of global outrage over the storming of Gaza-bound aid ships Monday, as Turkey froze military ties, Muslim leaders demanded UN action and protests erupted in many countries.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked” by the naval assault on a convoy carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists through international waters, while capitals summoned Israel’s ambassadors.
As tens of thousands of people protested across the world, Ban called on Israel to “urgently” explain itself over the raid reported to have killed up to nine people, many of them Turks.
The UN Security Council went into an emergency session at which Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu charged that Israel had “lost all legitimacy.”
“It is murder committed by a state. It has no justification whatsoever,” he said.
Britain, France, Russia and China — four out of the five veto-wielding Security Council members — called for the blockade of Gaza to be lifted and for an independent inquiry.
Even the United States, Israel’s traditional ally, hinted that the blockade should at least be eased.
Turkey, the Jewish state’s chief regional partner, scrapped joint war games with Israel and recalled its ambassador, while Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the raid as “inhuman state terror”.
Tens of thousands of Turks took to the streets, some shouting “Damn Israel!” and demanding “A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye, revenge, revenge!"
Besides a “strong condemnation”, the blockade on Gaza should be lifted and the interrupted aid cargo delivered, said Yahya Mahmassani, representing the Arab group at the UN talks.
Washington, Israel’s closest ally, expressed deep regret over the deaths while US President Barack Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu it was important to find out “all the facts” as soon as possible. - AFP
Rachel Corrie will proceed to Gaza - Dr. Mahathir
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 - The Rachel Corrie ship, which is attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza with six Malaysians on board, will go ahead with its plan despite yesterday”s attack by the Israeli navy on a Turkish ship on a similar mission.
Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the ship was going to sail through Gaza waters and it had nothing to do with Israel.
"They are not going to Israeli waters. Why is it that these Israelis are going to block people going towards Gaza and not using Israeli”s territorial waters at all? They have no right,” he said.
In fact, he said, two more ships were going and these ships were carrying Malaysians.
"They have been delayed because of some sort of engine trouble that they had. They set sail from Ireland and have a longer distance to go but they still intend to go ahead towards Gaza,” he said in an interview with the Al-Jazeera cable news today.
Twelve Malaysians, including a journalist and a cameraman from Astro Awani, were reported to be on board the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara, which was attacked by Israeli forces off the Gaza coast yesterday morning. At least 10 people were reported killed in the attack.
According to the PGPO, Malaysians are sponsoring three ships — Rachel, Challenger 1 and Challenger — which are joining six ships from other international humanitarian aid groups such as the Turkish Relief Foundation, European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza and ”Swedish and Greek Boat to Gaza Initiatives.
Asked about the possibility of a confrontation like what happened yesterday, Tun Dr Mahathir said: “Well, if the Israeli navy stops the ship, I suppose they cannot fight against the Israelis who are armed with guns and are ready to kill.
"But their mission is to take these aids to Gaza and they will proceed until they are stopped. And if they are stopped, they will appeal for safe passage because they are not combatants, they carry no arms, they are trying to help people in distress.” he said. - Bernama
Malaysia calls on UN Security Council to censure Israel over attack on ship
KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 (Bernama) — Malaysia, while strongly condemning the Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla today, is also urging the United Nations Security Council to censure the Israeli regime over the attack.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia would propose the matter be deliberated on by the Security Council soonest possible.
"I, in the name of the Malaysian government and the people strongly condemn this inhumane, brutal aggression by the Israeli regime on the flotilla which is bringing humanitarian aid to the beleaguered people of Gaza,” he said after launching the 4B Youth Movement Alumni, here, today.
Najib said “the whole world should condemn the action of this cruel regime”.
"I hope the incident will result in a censure on Israel,” he said, adding that the attack showed that the Tel Aviv regime had no respect for international law and had indiscriminately used force without considering that their action could result in the loss of innocent lives.
The prime minister said he was awaiting details and information on the fate of Malaysians on board the ships in the flotilla.
The Mavi Marmara, one of the nine small ships in the flotilla on a humanitarian mission to Gaza, organised by a pro-Palestinian group and a human rights organisation in Turkey, was attacked by the Israeli army this morning near Gaza.
Two Malaysians — a reporter and cameraman from Astro Awani — were reported to be on board the Mavi Marmara and their fate is still unknown. - Bernama
12 Malaysians onboard Mavi Marmara safe
SEPANG, June 1 - All 12 Malaysians onboard the Mavi Marmara ship, which came under attack by Israeli forces yesterday, are safe and efforts are now underway to bring them home, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said.
"We are bringing them back,” he told a news conference at the KL International Airport today.
He said that several countries like Jordan and Turkey had expressed willingness to help bring back the Malaysians.
"The Philippines and Ireland, which have missions in Tel Aviv, are also ready to help in getting the Malaysians out of the area either by air or by road,” he said.
He said that the Malaysian Embassy in Turkey had officially conveyed to the Turkish government a request for assistance to help bring back the Malaysians who were onboard the Mavi Marmara when Israeli forces stormed the ship yesterday morning.
The Mavi Marmara is one of the ships in the Gaza humanitarian flotilla.
Anifah also said that the official figure of Malaysians onboard the ship was 12 and not 11 as reported.
He said apart from the 11 names mentioned in media reports, another Malaysian in the group was a member of the Malaysian Islamic Organisation Consultative Council, Mustafa Mansur.
Anifah also confirmed that no Malaysians were injured in the incident.
He also said that Wisma Putra was still determining the locations of all the Malaysians who were being detained by the Israeli Defence Force.
He said that the Mavi Marmara ship had been towed to the Haifa port while five other ships in the peace flotilla were in the Israeli port city of Ashdod.
Anifah said Wisma Putra had set up a round-the-clock operations room to monitor the latest development on the incident.
"We will be in constant contact with our mission in Ankara as well as with countries which have diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv to get the latest information,” he said.
The operations room can be contacted at 03-88874570. - Bernama
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