Adalah Human Rights Organization said the deportation took place with the violation of the rights of the participants. “Adalah received telephone calls from the participants who reported that the immigration authorities had already begun to conduct their responsibilities for deportation and custody, and with the denial of participants in legal advice,” warning that it was a rough violation of fair proceedings.
The flotilla seemed about 50 smaller vessels with approximately 500 people and a symbolic amount of food and medications for civilians in Gaza. The United Nations reminds that, as an occupation force, Israel has an obligation to enable unobstructed help. “Israel must provide food and medical stocks or facilitate impartial humanitarian aid programs, delivered quickly and without obstacles,” said in a statement.
Sharp reactions arrived from several countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Israeli described as a “act of piracy” and “the genocidal policy of Netanyahu’s government”, emphasizing that the flota was an expression of global solidarity with Palestinians. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim requested the release of Malaysian citizens and announced the launch of legal proceedings against Israel, while South African President Cyril Ramaphos confirmed that he was among the reserves and grandson Nelson Mandela. The most radical move withdrew Columbia, whose President Gustavo Petro published the interruption of the Trade Agreement with Israel and expulsion of Israeli diplomats.
The Palestinian authorities and the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs assessed the action of the Israeli army as a violation of the international law and the “terrorist act against civilians”. Meanwhile, solidarity protests erupted in a number of world cities – from Istanbul and Athens to Berlin, Rome, Madrid and Buenos Aires. Italian unions have announced a general strike, while the governments of Great Britain, France and Belgium expressed concerns about their citizens and requested consular approach to detainees.
Francesca Albanese, a UN Special Rapporteur for Palestine, emphasized that the incident once again showed the passivity of the Western governments towards the Gaza blockade. “Abduction of civilian activists who risked lives in order to submit assistance in the embarrassment of the international community,” she said.
(Vijesti.ba)
