Israel Expects Foreign Pressure on Turkey to Stop Mavi Marmara Trial
Israel expects foreign diplomatic pressure on Turkey to stop it trying four Israeli commanders over the killing of nine Turkish activists in a 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound ship.
"I imagine that diplomatic pressure will be put on Turkey to withdraw this action... foreign not Israeli," deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon, told state-run Channel One TV on Monday.
An Istanbul court has unanimously approved an indictment by Turkish prosecutors, who want life sentences for the Israelis for their alleged role in the deadly maritime assault, Turkey's Anatolia news agency said on Monday.
"This could have wide-ranging implications for NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere," Ayalon said.
"For years American and other Western forces have been boarding ships suspected either of terror activity or carrying radioactive materials so that the implications are such that I imagine there will be diplomatic pressure on Turkey," he added.
Israeli commandos boarded the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, the largest ship in a flotilla aimed at breaking Israel's Gaza blockade, on May 31, 2010, leaving nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.
The 144-page indictment called for nine life sentences to be given to each of four Israeli commanders, including former armed forces chief Gabi Ashkenazi.
The date for the trial is not yet announced, but it would be held in the absence of the accused, Israel having ruled out any prosecution of those who took part in the attack.
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/41638 |