Three Planes Carrying Turkish Activists Land In Istanbul

Thursday June 03, 2010 09:39 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Three Turkish ships, carrying hundreds of human rights activists who were kidnapped and attacked by the Israeli army, during the illegal Israeli attack against the Freedom Flotilla heading to Gaza, landed in Istanbul on Thursday at dawn.

Some 466 activists, mainly from Turkey, were on board the planes that belong to the Turkish airlines.

The bodies of nine activists, including four from Turkey, were also on the planes. Dozens of wounded, including at least three who are in serious conditions, are currently being moved to hospitals in Turkey.

During their Thursday meeting, Arab Foreign Ministers slammed the deadly Israeli attack against the nonviolent humanitarian ships, and decided to move the file to Gaza siege to the Security Council.

Furthermore, the Turkish parliament demanded the country to take practical measures against Israeli for attacking the nonviolent activists, killing and wounded dozens of them in international waters.

They also decided to discuss the file of the Arab Peace Initiative during the upcoming meeting of Arab leaders.

On Thursday, Israel decided to release 210 Turkish nationals who were onboard the Freedom Flotilla. the activists were detained at the Be’er Sheva detention camp.

They were moved to the Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv, boarded on Turkish planes and were deported to Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, stated Thursday that “on the psychological level, the Israeli attack against nonviolent solidarity ships is like 9/11 for Turkey”.

He made his statements in Washington during talks with US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.

Davutoglu told Clinton that his country is not satisfied with the American stance regarding Israel’s attack against the humanitarian ships.

The United States only said that is “regrets the loss of life aboard the Freedom Flotilla.”

Also on Thursday, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, stated that the response to the Israeli massacre against the solidarity ships is by national unity and reconciliation.

The Hamas movement said that Abbas’ statements are empty as his forces are ongoing with their arrest campaign against Hamas members and supporters.

international | gaza siege | news report saed at imemc dot org