Turkey says Israel’s interception of aid ship violates law
Turkey has strongly condemned Israel’s interception of the yacht Madleen which was heading to Gaza, according to Middle East Eye on June 9th.
The ship was carrying humanitarian aid and activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The Turkish government called the seizure a “heinous attack” and a “clear violation of international law.” Turkey emphasised that the vessel was sailing in international waters.
Officials accused Israel of jeopardising maritime security and freedom of navigation, describing the country as a “terrorist state.”
They also said that “Israel’s aggressive and unlawful actions will not silence the voices that stand up for human dignity and universal values.”
The Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), aimed to deliver aid, including rice and baby formula, to Gaza. Israeli forces detained the crew after preventing the ship from breaking the naval blockade.
Among those aboard were two Turkish citizens, Yasemin Acar and Suayb Ordu, alongside activists like French European Parliament member (MEP) Rima Hassan. Turkey’s embassy in Israel has taken steps to secure the release of its nationals.
This is not the first time Israel has intercepted a Gaza-bound aid vessel involving Turkish activists. In 2010, an Israeli raid on a flotilla killed 10 Turkish citizens and caused a bilateral crisis which lasted years.
Turkey reiterated its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause, accusing Israel of “using hunger as a weapon” and vowing to continue opposing what it called Israel’s “genocidal” policies.
This puts further strain on the relationship between the two countries, following efforts taken to diffuse escalating tensions. In April, bilateral talks between the two nations resulted in a hotline to prevent potential military flare-ups in Syria, Middle East Eye reported on May 21st.
Officials of Turkey and Israel have also met in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital, in an attempt to resolve their disputes regarding Syria.
Middle East Eye, Maghrebi.org
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