Rally in Turkey commemorates anniversary of Gaza flotilla incident

May 30, 2011, 21:48 GMT

Istanbul - A vocal crowd of tens of thousands gathered Monday evening in Istanbul's main Taksim Square to commemorate the anniversary of Israeli forces' attack on an aid flotilla headed to Gaza that left nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.

Eight Turkish citizens and an American citizen of Turkish descent were killed by Israeli commandos in a raid on the Mavi Marmara, the largest of the ships in the flotilla, in the early hours of May 31, 2010.

Protesters waving Palestinian and Turkish flags shouted 'Murderer Israel will be brought to account' and other anti-Israel slogans, as well as proclaiming 'God is great' and other expressions of faith, in a march that preceded the commemoration.

'People were killed for nothing, just because they were supporting peace for the Palestinians. We cannot forget this,' Fatima El Mourabiti, a Belgian activist who was on the Mavi Marmara, told the German press agency dpa, after saluting the crowd.

The march and commemoration were organized by the Turkey-based Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), the charity group primarily responsible for organizing the flotilla mission.

'We are here to honour the memory of the nine martyrs who died in Israel's attack on the aid flotilla one year ago, and to protest Israel at this event. Israel needs to remove the embargo immediately,' said Safiye, a 28-year-old woman who wouldn't give her last name.

The speeches, songs and prayers in commemoration of those who died - whom the IHH and its supporters consider 'martyrs' for their cause - served to rally support for a second flotilla that the activists are planning.

At a press conference held earlier Monday aboard the Mavi Marmara, organizers said 1,500 activists and 15 ships were set to take part in the 'Freedom Flotilla II - Stay Human II,' which would set sail in late June.

The second flotilla will carry medical supplies, construction material and other goods in a second attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave, organizers said.

Critics have said that Egypt's recent decision to open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Israel makes it possible for residents of Gaza to obtain needed goods and alleged that the flotilla is primarily a political provocation.

'We are a humanitarian convoy, but our action is a political action,' El Mourabiti acknowledged. 'It's a political action because our governments didn't take action against Israel's policies.'

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