Turkey expels Israeli ambassador over Gaza flotilla row

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press Friday September 02, 2011 15:02 by pat c

Good news! A United Nations report says Israeli mercenaries used excessive force in its attack on the Flotilla last year. But bizarrely the UN claims that the Pirate Blockade imposed by Israel is legal! At least the Turkish Govt have expelled a Mossad agent, err, I mean the Israeli Ambassador.

Turkey is to expel the Israeli ambassador after details emerged of a UN report into last year's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla. Officials in Ankara said it was also suspending all remaining military agreements with Israel. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said some of the report's findings, leaked to the New York Times, were unacceptable.Turkey wants Israel to apologise for the raid but it has refused to do so.

A leaked copy of the United Nations report says Israeli forces did use excessive force when they intercepted the Turkish-led flotilla trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza in May 2010. But the report also concludes that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is legal - a move that has angered Turkey.