Turkish court charges senior IDF officials over Gaza flotilla deaths

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

A Turkish court on Monday formally pressed charges against members of Israel's military for the killing of nine people aboard a Turkish ship trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza in 2010, Turkey's state-run news agency said.

The court in Istanbul voted unanimously to approve an indictment against Israel's former military chief Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, along with the former heads of its navy, air force intelligence, and military intelligence, Eliezer Marom, Amos Yadlin, and Avishai Levi, the Anadolu Agency said. They face nine consecutive life terms in prison for "inciting to kill monstrously, and by torturing," the agency added.

It is unlikely Israeli military members will be brought before Turkey's judicial system, since Israel does not regard them as criminals. If they are convicted in absentia at the end of the trial process, which could take months if not years, the Turkish court could issue an order for their arrest, but such a move would be symbolic and not binding.

A week ago, the Turkish newspaper “Sabah” first reported the upcoming indictments; however Israeli officials refused to comment on the reports until they were endorsed by the Turkish government, or until the indictments were delivered to the court.

The move comes just a few days ahead of the second anniversary of the May 31 raid. The ship had been part of a flotilla sailing toward Gaza to protest Israel's blockade.

The court also agreed to press charges against several unidentified soldiers who raided the ship, the Turkish news agency said. No trial date has been set. Turkey has tried without success to get Israel to apologize for the attack, and to compensate those killed as a precondition for normalizing relations. Israel has solely expressed regret for the loss of lives.

Israel says its troops opened fire after coming under attack by activists wielding axes, knives and metal rods. It says soldiers rappelled on to the deck armed with non-lethal paintball guns as their primary weapons, and only resorted to using handguns after they were assaulted.

The indictment rejected Israeli claims that Israeli commandos who boarded the Mavi Marmara acted in self defense, saying that Israeli commandos used disproportional force by firing with heavy weapons and automatic rifles on passengers who only carried "plastic flag masts, spoons, and forks."

The indictment said some of the victims were shot dead from close range and from the back, the agency reported earlier.

According to Turkish news agencies, nine life sentences were demanded - one for each of the casualties aboard the Mavi Marmara – as part of the indictment, which calls for a combined 18,000 years of imprisonment for the four former officers, punishment for crimes committed during the raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla. The indictment includes 490 victims and complainants, among them 189 were injured during the raid.

The charges against members of the Israeli military, included commandeering vehicles, voluntary manslaughter, attempted murder, persecution and causing damage to the ship, the agency said Monday.

A United Nations probe into the incident found Israel's naval blockade of Gaza legally imposed "as a legitimate security measure" but added that the killing of eight Turkish activists and a Turkish-American was "unacceptable."

Turkey has rejected the report's findings, saying Israel had no right to raid the ship in international waters and said it would never recognize the blockade's legitimacy.

Turkey has also slapped a series of sanctions on Israel, once a top military trading partner, which included expelling senior Israeli diplomats and suspending all military deals. It has also vowed to back the Palestinian bid for recognition of their statehood at the United Nations.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkish-court-charges-senior-idf-officials-over-gaza-flotilla-deaths-1.432983

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Seems Turkey was not impressed with Israel's "generous" offer:

Israel offered $6 million to Turk raid victims: lawyer

By Jonathon Burch and Tulay Karadeniz

ANKARA | Thu May 24, 2012 9:19am EDT

(Reuters) - A Turkish lawyer said on Thursday that Israel had offered to pay $6 million to victims of Israel's storming of a Gaza-bound Turkish aid flotilla to settle lawsuits against the Israeli military.

However, a senior Israeli official who declined to be named said that Israel, having indicated last year that it was prepared to indemnify victims without accepting blame, had not renewed its offer.

Turkey and Israel fell out badly in 2010 when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara aid ship to enforce a naval blockade of the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip and killed nine Turks in clashes with activists.

Ramazan Ariturk, one of several lawyers representing 465 victims and victims' relatives, told Reuters that the Israeli government had made a proposal to him through an intermediary foreign ambassador in Ankara just over one month ago.

He said the money would have been paid to a Jewish foundation in Turkey for distribution, and been followed by a statement of "regret" for the raid by the Israeli government.

"I told the ambassador I did not think the offer was appropriate or moral and also discussed the issue with the victims and their friends and they also stated that they could not accept this," Ariturk said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry agreed with his decision, saying Israel should have contacted it directly, he said.

Ariturk declined to disclose the nationality of the ambassador or reveal the name of the Jewish foundation to which the payment would have been made.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry could not be reached for immediate comment, while Mark Regev, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declined to comment.

Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador and froze all military cooperation with its former ally after a U.N. report into the incident last September largely exonerated the Jewish state.

Turkey has demanded a formal apology from Israel alongside compensation for victims and the families of the dead, but Netanyahu has only voiced "regret".

On Wednesday an Istanbul prosecutor submitted an indictment seeking life sentences for four former Israeli military commanders in connection with the raid, including the Chief of General Staff at the time.

The U.N. report on the raid last September was meant to encourage a rapprochement but ultimately deepened the rift when it concluded Israel had used unreasonable force but that its blockade of Gaza was legal.

Israel said its marines had been attacked by activists wielding metal bars, clubs and knives when they boarded the Mavi Marmara, and had opened fire in self-defense.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/24/us-turkey-israel-flotilla-idUSBRE84N0V420120524

[mawilson 2,133]

Seems Turkey was not impressed with Israel's "generous" offer

$6m for 9 people is not generous enough? What would you consider generous? $9m? $18m?

[ready4ONE 5,400]

$6m for 9 people is not generous enough? What would you consider generous? $9m? $18m?

Nothing short of 18,000 years in prison is good enough.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Hmm... $6 million total for inciting to kill and torture on the high seas, resulting in the deaths of 9 people (not to mention the assault, abduction, robbery and abuse of hundreds of others.) Well... it's not my decision, but as I said it seems the Turks were unimpressed.

Many millions of dollars per victim are often awarded in wrongful death cases these days. And Israelis themselves have sued other countries such as Iran for hundreds of millions, claiming they financed suicide bombings.

Turkey is probably aware of these things.

[slim 1,525]

If I've learned anything about foreign affairs it's this - DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN!

[BishopM 114]

If I've learned anything about foreign affairs it's this - DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN!

Ya know...I thought that movie would be the scuk...but, I really enjoyed it, its awesome

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Just read the other day that Turkey is the next trillion dollar economy. They're flexing muscle here. Turkey sure has a host of issues of it's own and a hell of a lot more than nine unjustified deaths under her belt. But hey, they're growing stronger and they will take a stand.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Hmm... $6 million total for inciting to kill and torture on the high seas, resulting in the deaths of 9 people (not to mention the assault, abduction, robbery and abuse of hundreds of others.) Well... it's not my decision, but as I said it seems the Turks were unimpressed.

Many millions of dollars per victim are often awarded in wrongful death cases these days. And Israelis themselves have sued other countries such as Iran for hundreds of millions, claiming they financed suicide bombings.

Turkey is probably aware of these things.

The attempt to run the well publicized blockade and attack when boarded would probably more aptly describe the parties who 'incited' the incident.

[Boiler 45,513]

How much did the Armenian's get?

Must have been mega bucks.

[Dan and Judy 614]

Did Maddona already have her show in Israel?

[mawilson 2,133]

How much did the Armenians get?

Must have been mega bucks.

Excellent question. 500,000 Armenians died between 1914 and 1918; with a multi-million dollar settlement for each victim, Turkey owes at least a trillion dollars to Armenia.

Hey, they are a trillion dollar economy now, time to cough up that trillion.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The attempt to run the well publicized blockade and attack when boarded would probably more aptly describe the parties who 'incited' the incident.

Oh, you mean the IDF's story.

Anyway, it seems that Turkey has not been placated with Israel's denials of responsibility, nor the amount of reparations offered - in short, the entire way the Israeli government has handled this incident.

At least they stick up for their citizens, which is much more than the U.S. did for Furkan Dogan.

Beyond the Pale: The Murder of Furkan Dogan

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Excellent question. 500,000 Armenians died between 1914 and 1918; with a multi-million dollar settlement for each victim, Turkey owes at least a trillion dollars to Armenia.

Hey, they are a trillion dollar economy now, time to cough up that trillion.

Well that's an issue for Turkey and Armenia, but it's not relevant to this subject.

[Boiler 45,513]

They should lead by example, extremely relevant.

I have been to Turkey three times so may have an advantage in knowing more about the history and culture.