Reactions to the Gaza flotilla raid

The Gaza flotilla clash was condemned and/or criticized by Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, France, Spain, Sweden, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Israel was widely condemned in the Arab world. In Asia, Israeli action was condemned by India, Indonesia, Iran, China, Malaysia, Russia, and Pakistan. In Central and South America, Israel was condemned by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Israel was also condemned by Turkey, South Africa and New Zealand.

Australia, United States, Vatican City, New Zealand and Canada expressed regrets over loss of life.

Many countries called for an international investigation.

Supranational bodies

• United Nations
  • Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon called for "a full investigation to determine exactly how this bloodshed took place" and urged Israel to "provide a full explanation".
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay said "I am also registering my shock at reports that humanitarian aid was met with violence early this morning, reportedly causing death and injury as the convoy approached the Gaza coast."
  • The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert H. Serry, and the director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Filippo Grandi declared that "these tragedies are completely inevitable if Israel does not listen to the callings of the international community to end the unacceptable and counter-productive blockade of Gaza."
  • The UN Relief and Works Agency said "We are shocked by reports of killings and injuries of people on board boats carrying supplies for Gaza, apparently in international waters. Such tragedies are entirely avoidable if Israel heeds the repeated calls of the international community to end its counterproductive and unacceptable blockade of Gaza.
• The Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference condemned Israel for the attack on the people on the ship.
• NATO is holding an emergency meeting on June 1, 2010 in response to the attack. Turkey is a NATO signatory, and Article 5 of the NATO charter states that armed attacks against one or more NATO members in Europe or North America will be considered an attack against all of them, and each will take action (including the possibility of armed force) "to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area." Article 6 explicitly mentions the Mediterranean Sea as a location for where attacks will trigger responses.

Israeli

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Canada during the incident, has expressed his "full backing" for the military raid and cancelled a scheduled trip to the United States to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama. A spokesman for the Prime Minister was quoted as saying that Netanyahu, "feels he has to be home to deal with this."

Ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor, said "It’s obvious — and I won’t beat around the bush on this — that this wasn’t successful and I think it clearly took up an issue that should have been solved differently." [However, the] other side [behaved] appallingly. [Israel was in a] war situation with terrorists.The loss of life was tragic and I’m not just saying that. When you look at the footage ... it’s obvious that the reaction is self—defence to try and save your life."

Turkish

In Turkey, more than ten thousand people gathered for a protest in Taksim Square in central Istanbul on the night of 31 May 2010. Hundreds of protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. A Turkish foreign ministry statement condemned Israel, and the country was reported to have summoned the Israeli ambassador to lodge a protest. Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Israel. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that the raid was state terrorism and decided to return from Chile. İlker Başbuğ, Chief of the Turkish Armed Forces held a phone conversation with the Israeli Chief of Staff and called the raid unacceptable and indicated such actions could hold very serious consequences. Turkey claimed that all future aid vessels would be escorted by the Turkish Navy.

Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu told the UN Security Council that Israel has "lost all legitimacy" as a result of the raid.

European

EU members

Demonstration in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 31 May 2010 following the Gaza flotilla clash.

• The President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek called it "an unjustified attack" and "a clear and unacceptable breach of international law, especially the fourth Geneva Convention". EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton demanded Israeli authorities mount a "full inquiry" into the deaths on the flotilla. The ambassadors of the 27 EU members said "The EU condemns the use of violence that has produced a high number of victims among the members of the flottilla and demands an immediate, full and impartial inquiry into the events and the circumstances surrounding it. EU does not accept the continued policy of closure, it is unacceptable and politically counterproductive, we need to urgently achieve a durable solution to the situation in Gaza."

• Belgium's foreign minister, Steven Vanackere, called the use of Israeli force "disproportionate" and "invited the Israeli ambassador to explain how the events unfolded."
• The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry demanded the immediate release of two Bulgarian journalists travelling in the convoy. In addition, Bulgaria "slammed" the attack, saying "nothing can justify the violence that resulted in the killing of over 10 people on board one of the ships." It called for an investigation.
• Denmark's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lene Espersen, described the confrontation as strongly worrying and has summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain the incident.
• Estonia Minister for Foreign Affairs, Urmas Paet, condemned the incident and expressed their condolences to the loved ones of the casualties, and wished for a quick recovery for all the injured in the incident. Estonia also called for a thorough investigation of the incident, and expressed concern over the situation.
• Finland Foreign Minister, Alexander Stubb, expressed "shock" at the Israeli commando raid and called for an explanation of the incident and on the circumstances surrounding it. The Israeli Ambassador to Finland was called to the Foreign Ministry over the incident. He demanded Israel immediately re-open Gaza border crossings. He stated that "All violence directed at civilians must be condemned."
• French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned "the disproportionate use of force" against the flotilla. French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner was "profoundly shocked" by the incident and demanded an inquiry. Kouchner stated, "Nothing can justify the use of violence such as this, which we condemn."
• In an unusually strongly worded statement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Israel's response to the ships was disproportionate and reaffirmed the German government's demand for lifting the blockade of the Gaza strip. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle voiced "deep concern" at reports of deaths when Israeli commandos stormed a flotilla of six activist ships heading to Gaza.
• Two of the ships, Eleftheri Mesogeios ("Free Mediterranean") and Sfendoni ("Sling") were flying the Greek flag. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Droutsas has called Ali Yahia, the Israeli Ambassador in Greece to inquire about the incident and convey the annoyance of the Greek goverment; he stressed that "nothing could justify the use of such violence." After the meeting he announced the discontinuation of the joint Greek-Israeli military exercise "Minoas 2010" as well as the postponement of the scheduled visit of the Israeli Air Force commander to Athens. In a press release issued later in the day the Foreign Ministry described the operation as "incomprehensible" and "utterly alarming" and the resulting loss of life as something that "cannot be justified by any claim whatsoever." The ministry's Crisis Handling Unit was activated to handle the ongoing situation.
• Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen described the attacks as "very serious" and stated that he feels the blockade action was a violation of international law. He also stated that people are allowed to receive humanitarian assistance and that there should be an international investigation into the matter, describing the Israeli action as "disproportionate". Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said he was "gravely concerned" about the reports of at least ten people being killed. No Irish citizens were harmed in the attack. The Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Zion Evrony, was summoned to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, after appearing on radio programme Today with Pat Kenny where he explained "This is what soldiers do" and said it was "a sad result" that "a few [activists] were killed". Martin was reported to be "furious" that Israel had kidnapped Irish citizens in international waters and brought them to Israel where they would then be deported. He said "They were essentially kidnapped from international waters, taken into Israel. And now they are being asked to sign a document almost confirming that they entered illegally. And we think that is unacceptable. I have said this to the Ambassador - it makes no sense. These people should be released unconditionally."
• Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini condemned the killing of civilians, saying "I deplore in the strongest terms the killing of civilians. This is certainly a grave act". Italy also called for an EU investigation. . Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Alfredo Mantica called the international flotilla to the Gaza Strip a "provocation". However, he did not justify the Israeli course of action. "The manner of the response is debatable, but to think that it would all pass without Israeli action is naiveté on the part of the organizers. I believe someone wanted to see how harsh Israel's response would be," he said..
• Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, "strongly condemned those responsible for the attack on the flotilla" and demanded an international investigation to ascertain responsibilities.

4000 people gathered on Gustav Adolfs Torg in Gothenburg,Sweden in support of Ship to Gaza

• Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski said that his government supports the European Union’s call for an international investigation into the Israeli attack against a Turkish convoy.
• Portugal Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing "deep concern" over the incident, condemned the "excessive use of force against civilian targets" and called for an "impartial" investigation.
• Spain condemned the attack, has summoned the Israeli ambassador for questioning.. The Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, decried the excessive use of force against an humanitarian convoy, and recalled that the European Union had already requested an end to the blockade.
• Sweden summoned the Israeli ambassador, Benny Dagan, to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Affairs Secretary Frank Belfrage and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt called the incident "unacceptable".

Students from the the University of East Anglia outside the Forum in Norwich.

• United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron called the attack "unacceptable", and told Israel to "respond constructively" to "legitimate international criticism". Foreign Secretary William Hague said he "deplored" the loss of life and called on Israel to open border crossings for aid access. Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Israel's actions had been "rightly condemned around the world". She called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza, and expressed her "deep sadness" at the loss of life on the flotilla. In Belfast, protests were held in front of the City Hall to condemn Israel's actions and to call for an end to the siege of Gaza.

Non-EU members

• The Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the violence, considering it "unjustifiable" and calling on the "Israeli authorities to investigate immediately (sic) this incident, which has tensioned (sic) the regional and global stability."
• In Azerbaijan political scientist Fikret Sadikhov expressed concern: “The fact that Turkey is against Israel’s actions may worsen our ties with Israel since Turkey is our ally and our positions coincide in most issues. However, we understand that we have quite close partner relations with Israel which we would not like to worsen." Commenting on the event, he said, "if these are civil ships, the Israelis have gone beyond the frameworks of their military capacities which can certainly worsen the situation."
• The Foreign Minister of Iceland, Össur Skarphéðinsson, condemned the attack saying that "Gaza is in fact a giant prison where international law is violated. This must stop," and "We support the demands that have been made, e.g. by the EU, that this matter be thoroughly investigated. It is intolerable that Israel repeatedly exerts force in this way."

Bård Vegar Solhjell speaking to approximately 2000 demonstrators at the Israeli embassy in Oslo, Norway, following the Gaza flotilla clash

• Norway's Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, said "a military attack against civilian activists is totally unacceptable." Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, has called for a meeting with the Israeli ambassador to Norway. Protests also spontaneously erupted in a number of cities throughout Norway. Erling Folkvord, of the Red party, claimed in a speech that Swedish author Henning Mankell had been shot in the episode, but later retracted the claim and apologised. A group of 12 Norwegian Members of Parliament wore Palestinian scarves to a session of the Norwegian Parliament as a "show of solidarity with the Palestinian people."
• Russia's Foreign Ministry expressed "condemnation and deep concern" over the incident and called for a full investigation. It also called the use of "weapons against citizens and the seizing of ships in open waters with no legal grounds a gross violation of commonly accepted international legal norms." The head of the Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, called for an "urgent meeting" of the Middle East Quartet to discuss the incident.
• Called for an international inquiry and summoned the Israelis ambassador.
• Vatican City The Holy See expressed "great concern and pain" about the incident.

Arab League

• The Arab League called an emergency meeting on 1 June to discuss what it called Israel's "terrorist act" against the flotilla. Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, stated that "we condemn this crime, taken against a humanitarian mission and people. They were trying to help people. They were not on a military mission. Everyone should condemn this."

• Palestinian Authority president, and Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) since 11 November 2004, Mahmoud Abbas said that "Israel has committed a massacre". Palestinian government official Mustafa Barghouti stated that Israel's actions would lead to the international boycott growing in strength. Salam Fayad said "Israel went beyond all that could be expected. / This [attack] is a transgression against all international covenants and norms and it must be confronted by all international forums."
  • Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said, "We call on all Arabs and Muslims to rise up in front of Zionist embassies across the whole world".
• Algeria condemned "in the strongest terms" the Israeli onslaught against the fleet of international aid for Gaza and requested a "strong and unanimous" response from the international community. The President of the MSP Bouguerra Soltani, whose wife is part of the delegation, announced the dispatch of a parliamentary delegation to Turkey to try to get information about the 32 Algerians aboard the convoy.
• The Kingdom of Bahrain stated that it "strongly condemns the Israeli navy’s barbaric attack on the aid flotilla in international waters, an attack which caused the deaths of many innocent victims. The Israeli use of force against civilians, including women, children and elders from several countries who sought to provide humanitarian aid to those people besieged in the Gaza Strip, must be condemned, is unacceptable, and is contrary to the basic laws and standards governing international waters."
• The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak denounced Israel's use of "excessive and unjustified force that led to the loss of innocent lives". The Foreign minister summoned the Israeli ambassador to condemn "acts of killing and excessive force against international activists."
• An Iraqi government official, MP Khairallah al-Basri (a member of current premier Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition), condemned the attack and described it as a "new humanitarian disaster," as well as, "a violation of human rights and a breach of international standards and norms."
• Jordanian Minister of Communication and Media Affairs Nabil al-Sharif called the Israeli action an "ugly, unacceptable crime" and said that Jordan held Israel "completely accountable and responsible for any harm caused to the Jordanians on board."
• Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Jassem Mohammad Al-Kharafi condemned the "heinous" Israeli attack on the convoy. He urged the United Nations to ensure the safety of those on board the convoy and to lift the blockade of Gaza. The Kuwaiti parliament has called an emergency session to discuss the attack.
• Saad Hariri, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, said, "The Israeli attack on the aid convoy is a dangerous and crazy step that will exacerbate tensions in the region. Lebanon firmly denounces this attack and calls on the international community, notably major powers... to take action in order to end this continued violation of human rights and threat to international peace."
  • The Lebanese opposition party Hezbollah issued a statement denouncing the "horrible terrorist crime committed by the Zionist occupation forces against innocent civilians on a human[e] mission to express solidarity with the Palestinians besieged in the Gaza strip." Addint that this was apparently proof of the "inherent evil in Zionists which targets all human beings regardless of their confession and race as long as they're ready to stand by righteousness in the face of the persistent Zionist terrorism against the Palestinians." And that "this atrocious crime is the materialization of the inherent force of tyranny which has escalated in the past years due to the unlimited Western support to the Zionist scheme, and due to the wrong political bargaining of some Arab regimes."
• Mauritania Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement "strongly" condemning the Israeli attack, calling it a "cowardly act, a clear defiance to the international community and the continuing rejection of Israel to peace and coexistance." It urged the international community "to intervene to clarify this hideous crime, end Israel occupation in all Arab territories and stop the blockade on Gaza."
• Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri stated that "the Kingdom of Morocco strongly denounces the disgraceful attack of Israel against the humanitarian convoy en route to Gaza."
• Oman stated that the attack "violates international law."
• Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani condemned Israel’s deadly raid against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, branding it an “act of piracy”. He called on the lifting of the blockade to Gaza.
• Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired a Saudi Cabinet session which "denounced and condemned the massacre committed" and "described the attack as aggressive and reflects Israel's inhuman practices, flagrant defiance of the whole world and international law, insistence to starve the Palestinian people and prevent all kinds of humanitarian relief, and indulgence in killing innocent people."
• The National Assembly of Sudan issued a statement saying "the parliament condemns the Israeli attack against international activists who were trying to deliver food for the civilians in Gaza", adding "the attack constitutes a major crime against civilians and should be condemned". The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on behalf of the government, saying it was "strongly condemning the repeated Israeli crimes" and "calls on the international community, including governments, organizations and peoples, to come together, more than any time before" to show "the real power of law" to stop the Israeli regime from committing what it described as "crimes against humanity and genocide against the Palestinian people". It called on the international community to unite to end Israel's "enjoy[ment of] protection and support of influential countries" and what it sees as "exposed silence on the part of the United Nations".
• Syria Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Israeli assault on the Gaza-bound international aid flotilla and called it a "bloody and heinous piracy crime committed by Israel in the Mediterranean international water." The Syrian government has called a meeting of the Arab League to discuss the attack.
• The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Tunisia issued a statement saying "While reiterating its condemnation of all forms of collective punishment, Tunisia urges the international community, particularly influential forces to immediately intervene to lift the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people in Gaza and to put an end to their suffering". Tunisia added that it was "reaffirm[ing] its rejection of these hostile practices that are an affront to the international community and a violation of agreements and international and humanitarian resolutions, which threaten to further complicate the situation in the region and undermine any hope of peace".
• United Arab Emirates condemned Israel's violent attack on the Freedom Flotilla. Shaikh Abdullah said that "the attack on civilians traversing across the sea to deliver aid to the Palestinian people strongly defied international laws" and called for a United Nations led investigation.
• Yemen The Parliament strongly condemned the Israeli attack and demanded for "an Islamic army to encounter the Israeli arrogance."

In a joint-statement, Syrian President Bashar al—Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri "condemn[ed] the heinous crime committed by Israel through the brutal attacks on unarmed civilians on board the Freedom Flotilla." While warning that Israel’s "violations of basic humanitarian norms and international laws threatens to plunge the Middle East into a war which will not only affect the region."

Other countries

• Argentina's Foreign Affairs Ministry (Cancillería) issued a statement condemning the attack by Israeli forces, called for a full investigation and deeply regretted the loss of human lives. It also asked for an immediate stop to acts of violence in the area, and the lifting of the blockade.
• Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was "deeply saddened by loss of life following the incident." Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, speaking during a media conference, said the Government was "deeply concerned" by the turn of events and called for "a full investigation" and for the results to be brought before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
• Bolivia Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling the attack "atrocious," adding that the actions were a flagrant violation of international law and called for an investigation.

A version of events created by the renowned Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff after Israel's clash with the activists.

• Brazil's Ministry of External Relations issued a statement strongly condemning the Israeli action, calling for an independent investigation and the end of the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Brazil also expressed deep concern over the well-being of one of its citizens, Iara Lee, that was on board the flotilla. They further said that they had instructed the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations to fully support an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the Israeli military action, and that the Ambassador of Israel in Brasília had been summoned to explain the events.
• The Canadian prime minister's office released a statement saying it "deeply regrets" the loss of life in the Israeli raid on an aid flotilla sailing to the blockaded Gaza Strip and that they "... are currently looking for more information in order to shed light on what exactly happened". The Edmonton Journal asserted its view that Canada's "cautious" approach was the right one as "tragedies involving loss of life in the Middle East invariably provoke reflexive responses from opposing camps." This was despite the arrest of Canadian Kevin Neish.
• Chilean Senator Alejandro Navarro, who was scheduled to be aboard the Gaza aid convoy, denounced the attack as "cowardly and disproportionate against unarmed civilians." He further stated that Chile "condemns Israel and this event will have multilateral consequences because it set a serious precedent." The Chilean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "Chile condemns the use of the forces in any form."
• China Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu condemned Israel's raid on the international convoy and urged Israel to seriously implement UN Security Council resolutions and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
• India's Ministry of External Affairs released a statement condemning the attack by Israeli forces. "There can be no justification for such indiscriminate use of force, which we condemn,” said the release.
• Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa condemned Israeli action and said that Israeli blockade in Gaza is a violation of international law.
• Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said that the incident was an "inhuman action of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people" and that it would bring the regime "closer than ever to its end." The Iranian government has called for a boycott of Israel.
• Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement stating that it is "shocked at the report that people aboard boats carrying supplies to the Gaza Strip were victimized as a result of confrontation with Israel Defense Forces. We deeply deplore the casualties and the injuries of many people. Japan condemns the violent acts which caused this tragic incident." It also expressed deep condolences for the affected families and urged a full investigation into the matter.
• Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak stated that "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 added that ""the whole world should condemn the action of this cruel regime" and "hoped the incident will result in a censure on Israel."
• Mexico Secretariat of Foreign Affairs issued a statement "strongly condemning the Israeli attack on civilian vessels in international waters carrying humanitarian aid." It called for a full investigation.
• New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully condemned the Israeli attack, and urged restraint from all parties. "Representatives from our Mission in New York [are] attending the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and we will continue to follow their deliberations carefully." Israel's ambassador to New Zealand Shemi Tzur was later summoned to a meeting with McCully who stated that: "I left him in no doubt about the seriousness of the Government's concerns in relation to the incident off Gaza".
• Pakistan strongly condemned the Israeli action, calling it a cruel act and an open violation of international laws and ethics. Pakistan has also expressed deep concern over the well-being of Pakistanis and journalists on board and Pakistani missions are in touch with Arab countries of the region to get information about the status of the Pakistanis in the flotilla. President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the Israeli actions. They further said that the Government of Pakistan is exerting all its efforts to find out what had happened to the Pakistanis aboard the flotilla.
• Paraguay Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement "condemning" and "strongly rejecting" the Israeli attack on the convoy and supported the United Nations' call for a full investigation.
• South Africa Foreign Ministry issued a statement "strongly condemning all military aggression by Israel against innocent civilians, including those in the occupied West Bank and Gaza."
• United States A White House spokesman cautiously said that the United States "deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained, and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy."
• Uruguay Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the Israeli navy's action, expressed sorrow for the loss of life and demanded a "quick independent investigation and called on the Israeli government for full cooperation." The ministry has also expressed its solidarity with the families of the victims and is asking for the siege on Gaza to end.
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez condemned Israel's attack on peace activists. He called the attack "an act of war undertaken by the Israeli army against defenseless civilians" who were trying to break through Israel's "criminal blockade."

Human rights groups

• Amnesty International accused Israel of using excessive force, and claimed that the level of lethal force used was out of proportion to any threat that could have been posed by the activists. Amnesty International called on Israel to make public the rules of engagement used by the commandos, and to launch an "immediate, credible and independent investigation".

• Human Rights Watch called for a "full, impartial investigation" into the incident, and for the international community to make sure that any inquiries meet basic international standards, and that any wrongdoers were brought to justice. Human Rights Watch also called on Israel to grant all detained and injured flotilla members immediate access to legal counsel and their families, and to disclose the identities of all those injured and killed.

• B'Tselem demanded that an independent and effective investigation conducted by non-military officials be launched immediately. B'Tselem stated that among the issues that needed investigating are whether proportionate force was used, whether the soldiers were trained and equipped to cope with this type of event, what open-fire regulations were given to soldiers, and whether alternative options were considered.

• Stop The War Coalition issued a statement saying "The action should see Israel condemned under international law. Israel has repeatedly flouted law and public opinion worldwide in its treatment of the Palestinians. The decision by Israel to attack the flotilla with such loss of human life shows it is arrogant and deadly intent in opposing any aid to the Palestinians."

• The Australian Jewish Democratic Society said that "Unless the Israeli government can convincingly back up its claims that the Gaza aid convoy was not a project for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, but in reality a front for violent action, it invites the condemnation of everyone who supports negotiated conflict resolution and reinforces the view that Israel's professed support for human rights is a sham."

Media

In an op-ed piece the Wall Street Journal said "Israel's actions in boarding the flotilla of ships bound for the Gaza Strip were entirely justified and perhaps even unavoidable." Although, they add the caveat that "Unfortunately (emphasis added) they turned into a tactical and strategic fiasco that does further damage to the Jewish State's tattered international reputation."

Demonstrations

Throughout 31 May, demonstrators gathered in the Middle East, Europe and South Asia following the attack.

In Turkey, more than ten thousand people gathered for a protest in Taksim Square in central Istanbul that night. In Greece, thousands of protesters marched on the Israeli Embassy in Athens, sparking clashes with police, the deployment of tear gas, five arrests and many injuries. Tear gas was also used in Paris to disperse the thousands of people who waved Palestinian and Turkish flags beside the Israeli Embassy. Twenty-one cities in Sweden, including Gothenburg and Malmö, held demonstrations, with thousands of protesters clutching Palestinian flags as they marched on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, while speakers expressed their "disgust and dismay".

In Norway, approximately 2,000 demonstrators gathered peacefully in front of the Israeli Embassy in Oslo, while chanting slogans and calling for a "boycott of Israel" and closure of the Israeli Embassy.

In Italy, there were protests in many cities, including Rome, where one speaker said the situation was "extremely serious and has no precedent whatsoever in the history of international diplomacy." In the United Kingdom, several hundred protesters rallied outside Downing Street and barricaded Whitehall that day. Protests took place across Ireland, including Belfast, Cork, Derry, Galway, Sligo and Waterford, while protesters in Dublin mached on the Israeli embassy. Those present at the Dublin protest included Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Chris Andrews, both of whom Cypriot authorities had prevented from joining the flotilla, as well as Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello. Readers of the Irish Times sent angry letters to the newspaper on the 1 June.

In the Arab world, thousands marched in condemnation on the streets of Baghdad. Thousands of Egyptians also rallied to request that Cairo's Israeli ambassador be expelled and that the government open the Gaza border. There were also demonstrations in Damascus, Amman, and Beirut. While Palestinians in the West Bank clashed with Israeli security forces who responded with tear gas. Several hundred Arab protestors in Israel were arrested in Umm al-Fahm as the demonstrations turned violent. Protests were also held in the Arab cities of Acre, Sakhnin, Arabe and Shfaram, although there was no violence reported. A spontaneous demonstration also took place in Nazareth as Israeli security forces prepared to face an anticipated wave of violence.

In the United States, hundreds of people rallied throughout New York City and marched from Times Square toward the Israeli Mission to the United Nations in protest at the Israeli attack.

On 1 June 2010, in Malaysia, a man performed a personal protest before the United States embassy at Jalan Tun Razak when he "slashed himself with a penknife on the thighs and chest" to express his disapproval of the Israeli attack. He was bundled away to a hospital before the knife reached his neck.

On the internet, blogs and websites were said to be "humming with fierce debate over Israel's deadly assault" and, the Israeli news website Haaretz remarked "Again, the Israeli propaganda machine has managed to convince only brainwashed Israelis, and once more no one asked the question: What was it for?"

Result

The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting at the request of Turkey, during which the Turkish foreign minister stated "Israel must be held accountable for its crimes" (prior to the meeting, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN called for an independent Security Council investigation). While the British ambassador said Israel should end the Gaza blockade and take steps for an investigation, the US deputy permanent representative supported the Israeli position that humanitarian aid should have gone by "accepted international mechanisms", and the Israeli deputy permanent representative said the flotilla was not humanitarian but had a mission of breaking the blockade.

See also

• 2007–2010 blockade of the Gaza Strip
• Sol Phryne