ATTACK ON AID SHIPS OUTRAGES WORLD
Israel sparked an outcry across the world when its naval commandos attacked a defenseless Gaza-bound international aid convoy in international waters, killing at least 10 aboard a Turkish ship. The ship, Mavi Marmara, was attacked by Israeli forces yesterday, with marines storming aboard from dinghies and rappelling down from helicopters. Information so far has been sketchy because Israel imposed a media blackout. Israeli government sources said "more than 10" activists died. Israeli media has spoken of up to 19 dead and dozens of injuries. Unconfirmed news reports said nine Turks have been killed. Following the raid on the aid convoy, Israel confiscated the cargo as well as the vessels and docked them in the Israeli port of Ashdod. Dozens of passengers were arrested, news reports said. Further information regarding the fate of the wounded and the remaining passengers could not be obtained because of Israel's media blackout. Turkey demanded an immediate and detailed account from Israel on the state of the Turkish citizens in Israeli custody and told Israel to send home the injured Turks. /Today's Zaman/
PRESIDENT GUL HELDS PHONE CONVERSATION WITH ABBAS, AL-ASSAD, HARIRI
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri yesterday telephoned to President Abdullah Gul following the Israeli attack on aid convoy. Esad reportedly told Gul that he called on Arab League to held a meeting. /Milliyet/
TURKEY: ISRAEL WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR `PIRATE' VIOLENCE
Israel will have to "bear the consequences" after at least 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli commandos boarded the largest vessel in a convoy of aid ships heading to Gaza, Turkey said yesterday. Ankara already stated many times that a return to normal bilateral relations is conditional on concrete steps by Israel to end the months-long humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, long before Israeli commandos stormed a ship with 700 people on board who were accompanying five other vessels carrying 10,000 tons of medical supplies, housing material and other aid to Gaza. Yet Ankara appeared to have run out of patience after the move by Israeli naval forces, which Turkish officials labeled "piracy," while the first official reaction came early Monday morning from the Foreign Ministry through a harshly worded statement of condemnation.While hectic diplomatic activity was conducted in Ankara, with Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy summoned to the Foreign Ministry headquarters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut short an official visit to Latin America and was on his way home. Similarly, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug cut short an official visit to Egypt and was on his way to Turkey. /Today's Zaman/
FM MINISTER DAVUTOGLU: "ISRAEL LOST ITS LEGITIMACY"
Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council regarding the Israeli attack on ships carrying aid to Gaza, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Israel lost its legitimacy. He said, "I appear before you today as a result of a very sad and tragic occasion where one state member of this august house has committed a serious crime in total disregard of all the values we have vowed to uphold since the establishment of the United Nations system." He said, "This unacceptable action was perpetrated by those who in the past had taken advantage of ships carrying refugees and those escaping one of the worst tragedies of the last century." "The use of force was not only inappropriate, but also disproportionate," he added, "International law dictates that even in wartime, civilians are not to be attacked or harmed. The doctrine of self-defense does not in any way justify the actions taken by the Israeli forces. /Milliyet/
ISRAELI CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF TELEPHONES HIS TURKISH COUNTERPART GEN. BASBUG
Israeli Chief of General staff Gen. Gabi Askhenazi yesterday telephoned to his Turkish counterpart Gen. Ilker Basbug and gave information on Israel's operation to international aid convoy. A General Staff statement said that Gen. Basbug told his Israeli counterpart that use of military force in international waters was grave and unacceptable. It said that Gen. Basbug told Askhenazi that "Intervening in the situation this way has caused serious results." /Milliyet/
TURKISH RED CRESCENT TO GO TO TEL AVIV
The Turkish Red Crescent will go to Tel Aviv received a positive response from its Israeli counterpart "Magen David Adom" for its call for cooperation. Four members of the Turkish Red Crescent will go to Tel Aviv early on Tuesday to bring back dead bodies, the injured and other civilians who were aboard the aid ships. /Milliyet/
ITALIA SUPPORTS LIFTING VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR TURKISH CITIZENS
Paying an official visit to Italia, the State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis had a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. Bagis said: "Italy will give full support for our attempts to lift EU member states visa requirements for Turkish citizens."
Recalling Italy's support for the membership process of Turkey from the beginning, Bagis thanked Frattini for the support. /Sabah/