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http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/08/israeli-military-chief-flotilla-passengers-fired

For The Record - The IPT Blog

“Israeli Military Chief: Flotilla Passengers Fired First”

by IPT News
Aug 11, 2010 at 1:31 pm

SNIPPET: “New information surrounding the May 31st flotilla raid was revealed on Wednesday during the testimony of the Israeli army’s Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, in front of the Turkel Commission. Ashkenazi’s testimony followed statements made on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and on Tuesday by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

An Israeli commando was shot in the stomach while rappelling down to board the Mavi Marmara ship, forcing him to respond with pistol fire, Ashkenazi told the panel. An examination of bullet remnants did not match those of Israeli weapons, indicating that the IHH activists on board the ship had guns.

“The soldiers justifiably opened fire” in response, Ashkenazi said. “They opened fire at those they needed to, and didn’t at those they didn’t need to.

Israel did not have sufficient information about IHH – the Turkish Islamic charity that sponsored the Mavi Marmara ship, he said. According to Israeli intelligence sources, IHH planted 40 operatives on the ship to stage a violent confrontation with Israelis. The U.S. State Department has acknowledged that IHH has ties to Hamas. The organization is also a member of the Union of the Good, an organization designated by the U.S. Treasury in 2008 due to its fund-raising activities on behalf of Hamas.

“The soldiers aboard the Marmari (sic) displayed courage and purity of arms,” Ashkenazi said, “and responded correctly to the dangers they faced.””

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http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/08/flotilla-investigative-panel-hears-from-israeli-leaders

For The Record - The IPT Blog

“Flotilla Investigative Panel Hears from Israeli Leaders”

by IPT News
Aug 10, 2010 at 5:04 pm

SNIPPET: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the May 31st Israeli commando raid on the Turkish IHH-sponsored Mavi Marmara ship during testimony Monday before the Turkel Committee. That’s the inquiry established to examine Israel’s conduct in response to an international flotilla aimed to break the blockade on Gaza.

“I am convinced that at the end of your investigation, it will be clear that the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces conducted themselves in accordance with international law,” Netanyahu told the committee.

He spoke about the serious threat the Hamas government poses to Israel, Hamas’ kidnapping of Gilad Shalit in 2006 and the necessity of preventing weapons from entering Hamas-controlled Gaza.

The Israeli PM later explained that IHH activists announced their intention to provoke a confrontation and that Israel worked to prevent a conflict with Turkey prior to the incident:

“Beginning on May 14, my office was in contact with the highest echelons of the Turkish government…to prevent any conflict with the Mavi Marmara flotilla. Despite our ongoing diplomatic efforts, ultimately the Turkish government did not prevent the Marmara’s attempt to break the naval blockade.””