UNITED NATIONS, June 1, (Agencies): The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the Israeli attack against a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for an impartial investigation.
The emergency session lasting more than 12 hours pitted Turkey against the United States in calling for a strong condemnation of Israel, diplomats said.
In the end, the statement read by council president Claude Heller, Mexico’s ambassador the United Nations, condemned “those acts which resulted in the loss of at least 10 civilians and many wounded.”
“The Security Council took note of the statement of the UN Secretary General on the need to have a full investigation into the matter and it calls for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards,” the statement said.
The statement fell short of a call for an independent investigation, with the United States backing an Israeli investigation.
“We have every confidence that Israel can conduct a credible and impartial and transparent, prompt, investigation internally,” Alejandro Wolff, the deputy permanent US representative, said.
Israeli commandos carried out the pre-dawn raid Monday in international waters on vessels carrying hundreds of activists bringing food and medical supplies to Gaza to circumvent an Israeli blockade.
Accounts of what happened conflicted. Israeli officials said the commandos acted in self defense after being attacked with clubs and knives, while activists charged that the commandos fired on sleeping civilian passengers. Israel now says nine people were killed in the raid.
The Security Council requested the immediate release of all ships and civilians held by Israel. Israeli public radio earlier reported, however, that Israel would hold
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480 of the activists and expel 48 others.
“The Council urges Israel to permit full consular access, to allow the countries concerned to retrieve their deceased and wounded immediately and to ensure the delivery of the humanitarian assistance from the convoy to its destination,” the statement said.
The council reiterated its grave concern over humanitarian situation in Gaza, which it said was “not sustainable.”
It stressed the need for a “sustained and regular flow of goods and people to Gaza as well as unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza.”
Emphasizing that the only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a two state solution, the statement expressed concern that the incident occurred at a time when indirect talks were underway between the sides.
It urged the parties “to act with restraint, avoiding any unilateral and provocative actions, and all international partners to promote an atmosphere of cooperation between the parties and throughout the region.”
The closed negotiations on the statement followed a public debate in the council, during which Israel was vehemently attacked by Turkey, the country from which the flotilla departed. Many of those killed were Turkish nationals.
In individual statements made ahead of the emergency session, almost all 15 council members condemned the Israeli assault.
“It is clearer than ever that Israel’s restrictions on access to Gaza must be lifted in line with Security Council Resolution 1860. The current closure is unacceptable and counterproductive,” British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said.
France, Russia and China — also veto-wielding permanent council members — also called for the blockade to be lifted and for an independent inquiry.
The United States, Israel’s traditional ally which often uses its veto to shield the Jewish state — did not request specifically that Israel end its blockade. But it hinted that the measure at least should be eased.
Wolff said Washington was “deeply disturbed by recent violence and regrets tragic loss of life and injuries. We are working to ascertain the facts.”
Israel’s UN envoy Daniel Carmon insisted that the flotilla was not on an aid mission.
“What kind of peace activists use knives, clubs and other weapons to attack soldiers who board a ship in accordance with international law?” Carmon said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told delegates that Israel had “lost all legitimacy” through the raid. “It is murder committed by a state. It has no justification whatsoever,” he said.
It was weaker than what was initially demanded by the Palestinians, Arabs and Turkey because of objections by the United States, Israel’s closest ally.
The Islamic nations had called for condemnation of Monday’s attack by Israeli forces on the flotilla “in the strongest terms” and “an independent international investigation.”
Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said he doubted the potential “objectivity” and independence of such a UN-sponsored investigation.
“Considering the countries that support this option, we have every reason to fear for its independence,” Palmor said Tuesday on French radio France Inter.
US deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said Heller’s interpretation is “not our understanding” of the wording regarding an investigation.
“The secretary-general called for a full investigation, and we believe the Israelis are capable of conducting a full investigation,” he said. He added that as far as condemnation the United States did not want to “prejudge any outcomes, or prejudge any conclusions.”
The presidential statement also “deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries” and requests the immediate release of the ships and civilians being held by Israel. It urges Israel to permit consular access and allow countries to retrieve their dead and wounded immediately.
The council also urged Israel “to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the convoy to its destination” and stressed that the situation in Gaza “is not sustainable.”
Russia and the European Union called Tuesday for a “full and impartial” probe into Israel’s raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, in a joint statement from their summit.
“The EU and Russia demand a full and impartial inquiry of the events and circumstances,” the partners said from their summit in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.
Moscow and Brussels said they “regret the loss of lives” during the Israeli operation and called for the “immediate” opening of a humanitarian channel for aid to Gaza.
“The EU and Russia call for an immediate opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and people to and from Gaza.”
Russia and the European Union called Tuesday for a “full and impartial” probe into Israel’s raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, in a joint statement from their summit.
“The EU and Russia demand a full and impartial inquiry of the events and circumstances,” the partners said from their summit in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.
Moscow and Brussels said they “regret the loss of lives” during the Israeli operation and called for the “immediate” opening of a humanitarian channel for aid to Gaza.
“The EU and Russia call for an immediate opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and people to and from Gaza.”
Muslim nations on Tuesday angrily condemned Israel’s “heinous attack” on a Gaza aid flotilla and demanded an international probe at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“These murderous attacks are characteristic tools used by Israel to derail every peaceful effort and silence every voice of moderation and reason,”
Pakistani ambassador Zamir Akram told the council on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Describing the assault as a “heinous attack,” Turkey’s envoy stressed that “treating humanitarian aid delivery as a hostile act and aid workers as combatants is totally unacceptable.”