It looks like the USA has shifted its approach to the Mavi Marmara incident in a bid to appease Turkey.
(1) It has now stated that the UN Panel findings is "better". The US previously rejected an International inquiry into the incident. It has now changed its position with respect to this.
(2) It has stated that Turkey's Report submitted to the UN pannel is "independent and credible". The Turkish report had proved through leaked camera footage that the IDF had shot 3 passengers holding camera's before even boarding the Mavi Marmara from aboard Israeli Helicopters.
(1) It has now stated that the UN Panel findings is "better". The US previously rejected an International inquiry into the incident. It has now changed its position with respect to this.
(2) It has stated that Turkey's Report submitted to the UN pannel is "independent and credible". The Turkish report had proved through leaked camera footage that the IDF had shot 3 passengers holding camera's before even boarding the Mavi Marmara from aboard Israeli Helicopters.
U.S.-Turkey: Flotilla Raid Report -U.S. State Spokesman Says Turkey's Report Independent, Credible
U.S.-Turkey: Flotilla Raid Report -U.S. State Spokesman Says Turkey's Report Independent, Credible
Thursday, 27 January 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) - Philip Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, on Wednesday described a report released by Turkey on Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla as "independent and credible."
"Both [Turkey and Israel] are doing what they can to help contribute to a fuller understanding of what happened during this incident last year [...] I'm saying that Turkey ? it is an independent, credible report. I'm not challenging either one," Crowley told reporters at a daily press briefing.
The spokesman last Monday said an Israeli report on the flotilla incident was "transparent and independent."
Crowley said the Turkish National Commission of Inquiry last September submitted its interim report to the UN Secretary General's panel of inquiry, adding that both Turkey and Israel had worked "seriously and responsibly to get at the facts, and both have made important contributions to the work of the Secretary General's panel."
"We look forward to the process continuing at the United Nations within the Secretary General's Panel of Inquiry, which will give the international community the opportunity to fully review the circumstances surrounding this incident. And we look forward to a full examination of facts and perspectives from all sides," he said.
Crowley said relations with both Turkey and Israel were of "equal importance" to the U.S., adding, "they are both close friends of the United States. They have a relationship that has been important bilaterally and to the region, and we hope that both countries will continue to seek opportunities to move beyond the recent strains in their own bilateral relations."
Crowley said the U.S. recognized the importance the relationship between Turkey and Israel, adding that both countries exerted efforts to find ways to resolve the dispute.
"We hope that can be done, because this relationship has very significant meaning, both in terms of our respective relations with these two countries, but more importantly, Turkey has been a significant player in helping to resolve issues in the region related to the pursuit of Middle East peace. And we would hope that in the future that effort can continue," he said.
"Given the incident and the circumstances, I don't think that we're surprised that there are differing views of what transpired. That is expressly why we support the UN panel so that we can take the Turkish perspective, and it has a valid perspective; we can take the Israeli perspective, it has a valid perspective; and together, try to fully understand what happened. So ? but just to reinforce that through the UN panel there's still work to be done and there's still, obviously, an effort that will be important to understand fully what happened last year," Crowley said.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
A.A
U.S.-Turkey: Flotilla Raid Report -U.S. State Spokesman Says Turkey's Report Independent, Credible
Thursday, 27 January 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) - Philip Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, on Wednesday described a report released by Turkey on Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla as "independent and credible."
"Both [Turkey and Israel] are doing what they can to help contribute to a fuller understanding of what happened during this incident last year [...] I'm saying that Turkey ? it is an independent, credible report. I'm not challenging either one," Crowley told reporters at a daily press briefing.
The spokesman last Monday said an Israeli report on the flotilla incident was "transparent and independent."
Crowley said the Turkish National Commission of Inquiry last September submitted its interim report to the UN Secretary General's panel of inquiry, adding that both Turkey and Israel had worked "seriously and responsibly to get at the facts, and both have made important contributions to the work of the Secretary General's panel."
"We look forward to the process continuing at the United Nations within the Secretary General's Panel of Inquiry, which will give the international community the opportunity to fully review the circumstances surrounding this incident. And we look forward to a full examination of facts and perspectives from all sides," he said.
Crowley said relations with both Turkey and Israel were of "equal importance" to the U.S., adding, "they are both close friends of the United States. They have a relationship that has been important bilaterally and to the region, and we hope that both countries will continue to seek opportunities to move beyond the recent strains in their own bilateral relations."
Crowley said the U.S. recognized the importance the relationship between Turkey and Israel, adding that both countries exerted efforts to find ways to resolve the dispute.
"We hope that can be done, because this relationship has very significant meaning, both in terms of our respective relations with these two countries, but more importantly, Turkey has been a significant player in helping to resolve issues in the region related to the pursuit of Middle East peace. And we would hope that in the future that effort can continue," he said.
"Given the incident and the circumstances, I don't think that we're surprised that there are differing views of what transpired. That is expressly why we support the UN panel so that we can take the Turkish perspective, and it has a valid perspective; we can take the Israeli perspective, it has a valid perspective; and together, try to fully understand what happened. So ? but just to reinforce that through the UN panel there's still work to be done and there's still, obviously, an effort that will be important to understand fully what happened last year," Crowley said.
Thursday, 27 January 2011
A.A
Turkish inquiry: IDF fired before reaching Marmara’s deck
By DAN IZENBERG
01/24/2011 15:28
http://www.jpost.com/International/A...aspx?id=205004
Commission says Israel Navy commando raiders tortured activists after premeditated attack last May.
Two of the nine Turks killed aboard the Mavi Marmara were shot by commandos repelling toward the ship’s deck – before there was any resistance – alleges the Turkish commission that investigated the conflict, Reuters reported on Monday.
The Turkish report was submitted to the UN on September 1.
However, its contents were made public on Monday – one day after the Israeli commission of inquiry, headed by retired Supreme Court justice Jacob Turkel, published its report.
Turkel’s commission found that Israel acted legally in establishing and enforcing the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip; and in the way it secured the ships that were trying to reach Gaza.
The Turkish report charged that Israel carried out a premeditated attack on the flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.
It says Israeli forces besieged the vessel with rubber dinghies, helicopters armed with machine guns, laser guns, pistols and paint rifles.
The report also charged that Israel Navy commandos tortured some of the passengers, who hailed from 37 countries.
“They tortured them physically and psychologically, beat and kicked and punched them, withheld food and drink, handcuffed them and exposed them to the sun for hours at a time,” the report said. “They also prevented them from relieving themselves and cursed them.”
In response to the Turkel Commission report, NGO Monitor issued a statement saying the commission rejected the material presented to it by human rights organizations, including Gisha, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights.
“The Commission showed a sophisticated understanding of the lack of credibility in NGO claims, and recognition that these are political advocacy organizations,” it said.
The president of NGO Monitor, Prof. Gerald Steinberg, added that the Turkel report “affirms that NGOs provided biased and unverifiable allegations regarding the flotilla incident and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad) issued a statement stating, “It is no surprise that anyone who justified the siege and slow killing of one-and-a-half million Palestinians would justify the brutal attack on the Freedom flotilla and the killing of nine political activists.”
Zoabi said the Turkel Commission “cannot persuade the world that Israel is not a serial international- law violator, and that the commission did not invite the only witness who saw what happened on board because it was afraid to upset the ‘harmony’ of the report.”
Zoabi was referring to herself, one of the hundreds of passengers on the Mavi Marmara.
The committee questioned two other passengers, Sheikh Hamad Abu Dabus, head of the southern wing of the Islamic Movement, and Muhammad Zidan, chairman of the High Monitoring Committee of the Arab Citizens of Israel. Subscribe to our Newsletter to receive news
By DAN IZENBERG
01/24/2011 15:28
http://www.jpost.com/International/A...aspx?id=205004
Commission says Israel Navy commando raiders tortured activists after premeditated attack last May.
Two of the nine Turks killed aboard the Mavi Marmara were shot by commandos repelling toward the ship’s deck – before there was any resistance – alleges the Turkish commission that investigated the conflict, Reuters reported on Monday.
The Turkish report was submitted to the UN on September 1.
However, its contents were made public on Monday – one day after the Israeli commission of inquiry, headed by retired Supreme Court justice Jacob Turkel, published its report.
Turkel’s commission found that Israel acted legally in establishing and enforcing the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip; and in the way it secured the ships that were trying to reach Gaza.
The Turkish report charged that Israel carried out a premeditated attack on the flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.
It says Israeli forces besieged the vessel with rubber dinghies, helicopters armed with machine guns, laser guns, pistols and paint rifles.
The report also charged that Israel Navy commandos tortured some of the passengers, who hailed from 37 countries.
“They tortured them physically and psychologically, beat and kicked and punched them, withheld food and drink, handcuffed them and exposed them to the sun for hours at a time,” the report said. “They also prevented them from relieving themselves and cursed them.”
In response to the Turkel Commission report, NGO Monitor issued a statement saying the commission rejected the material presented to it by human rights organizations, including Gisha, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights.
“The Commission showed a sophisticated understanding of the lack of credibility in NGO claims, and recognition that these are political advocacy organizations,” it said.
The president of NGO Monitor, Prof. Gerald Steinberg, added that the Turkel report “affirms that NGOs provided biased and unverifiable allegations regarding the flotilla incident and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad) issued a statement stating, “It is no surprise that anyone who justified the siege and slow killing of one-and-a-half million Palestinians would justify the brutal attack on the Freedom flotilla and the killing of nine political activists.”
Zoabi said the Turkel Commission “cannot persuade the world that Israel is not a serial international- law violator, and that the commission did not invite the only witness who saw what happened on board because it was afraid to upset the ‘harmony’ of the report.”
Zoabi was referring to herself, one of the hundreds of passengers on the Mavi Marmara.
The committee questioned two other passengers, Sheikh Hamad Abu Dabus, head of the southern wing of the Islamic Movement, and Muhammad Zidan, chairman of the High Monitoring Committee of the Arab Citizens of Israel. Subscribe to our Newsletter to receive news
US: Turkel report fine, but UN flotilla panel better
By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER AND DAN IZENBERG
01/25/2011 07:04
US: Turkel report fine, but UN flotilla panel better
State Department official says Israel capable of carrying out “impartial and transparent” investigation despite Turkey's criticism of findings.
WASHINGTON – The US on Monday welcomed the release of the Turkel Commission report on the Turkish flotilla incident, but said the “primary forum” for examining the event was the international committee operating under the auspices of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that Israel was capable of carrying out an “impartial and transparent” investigation despite Turkey’s criticism of the findings.
Turkel’s commission found that Israel acted legally in establishing and enforcing the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip; and in the way it secured the ships that were trying to reach Gaza.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday dismissed the Turkel Committee's findings, telling reporters in Ankara that the report had "no value or credibility."
The Turks carried out their own investigation into the incident which found that Israel carried out a premeditated attack on the flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.
Nine pro-Palestinian activists — eight Turkish citizens, and a Turkish American — were killed when Israeli commandos boarded a ship in the flotilla, the Mavi Marmara, on May 31.
In New York, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said investigators there had received a copy of the Israeli report.
"As you know, to help complete their important mandate it is essential for the (UN) panel to review material provided by both sides, Israel and Turkey," he said.
The UN panel of experts investigating the flotilla incident is led by former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and includes both a Turkish and an Israeli representative. Israel's representative on the UN investigative panel is Joseph Ciechanover, who formerly served as bureau chief of the Foreign Ministry and as legal counsel for the Defense Ministry.
The Associated Press and JPost.com staff contributed to this report.
By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER AND DAN IZENBERG
01/25/2011 07:04
US: Turkel report fine, but UN flotilla panel better
State Department official says Israel capable of carrying out “impartial and transparent” investigation despite Turkey's criticism of findings.
WASHINGTON – The US on Monday welcomed the release of the Turkel Commission report on the Turkish flotilla incident, but said the “primary forum” for examining the event was the international committee operating under the auspices of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that Israel was capable of carrying out an “impartial and transparent” investigation despite Turkey’s criticism of the findings.
Turkel’s commission found that Israel acted legally in establishing and enforcing the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip; and in the way it secured the ships that were trying to reach Gaza.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday dismissed the Turkel Committee's findings, telling reporters in Ankara that the report had "no value or credibility."
The Turks carried out their own investigation into the incident which found that Israel carried out a premeditated attack on the flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.
Nine pro-Palestinian activists — eight Turkish citizens, and a Turkish American — were killed when Israeli commandos boarded a ship in the flotilla, the Mavi Marmara, on May 31.
In New York, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said investigators there had received a copy of the Israeli report.
"As you know, to help complete their important mandate it is essential for the (UN) panel to review material provided by both sides, Israel and Turkey," he said.
The UN panel of experts investigating the flotilla incident is led by former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and includes both a Turkish and an Israeli representative. Israel's representative on the UN investigative panel is Joseph Ciechanover, who formerly served as bureau chief of the Foreign Ministry and as legal counsel for the Defense Ministry.
The Associated Press and JPost.com staff contributed to this report.
Comment