Nine die in Israeli raid
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 16 years, 4 months AGO
<p>An Egyptian protestor shouts anti-Israeli slogans in front of a Palestinian flag during a rally in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 31, 2010, after Israeli commandos stormed six ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian to the blockaded Gaza Strip. Israeli commandos stormed six humanitarian aid ships in Mediterranean international waters, on Monday, en route to the blockaded Gaza Strip, where at least 10 people died and dozens were wounded according to Israeli military statement. The ship convoy was organized by the Free Gaza group, who were attempting to break a three-year …
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli commandos rappelled down to an aid flotilla sailing to thwart a Gaza blockade on Monday, clashing with pro-Palestinian activists in a botched raid that left at least nine passengers dead.
Bloodied passengers sprawled on the deck and troops jumped into the sea to save themselves during several hours of hand-to-hand fighting that injured dozens of activists and six soldiers. Hundreds of activists - many Turkish along with some Europeans and Americans - were towed from the international waters to Israeli detention centers and hospitals.
International condemnation was swift and harsh as Israel scrambled to explain how what was meant to be a simple takeover of a civilian vessel went so badly awry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly canceled a planned meeting with President Barack Obama to rush home.
Israel was trying to enforce its controversial 3-year-old blockade against Hamas-ruled Gaza when it intercepted the six ships carrying some 10,000 tons of aid for the isolated seaside territory.
Instead, the international condemnation of the raid appeared likely to increase pressure to end the embargo that has plunged Gaza's 1.5 million residents deeper into poverty.
It also battered Israel's already shaky international standing and sharply raised Mideast tensions at a time the U.S. is making a new push for regional peace.
Most of the information about what happened on the single ship where violence broke out came from Israel, which cut off all communication to and from the activists and provided testimony and video evidence that its soldiers came under attack by activists armed with metal rods, knives, slingshots and two pistols snatched from the troops.