TEL-AVIV, November 6 (RIA Novosti) — Israel welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to end the preliminary examination into the so-called Gaza Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, in which 10 Turkish activists died, a statement on official Israeli Foreign Ministry’s website said Thursday.
“Israel is of the view that there was no basis to open a preliminary examination in the first place and regrets that the precious time and resources of the Court, Israel takes positive note of the decision by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to close the Preliminary Examination into the Flotilla (Mavi Marmara) incident which was opened following a referral submitted to the ICC in the name of the Union of the Comoros in May 2013,” a statement said.
The ICC’s chief prosecutor said Thursday there would be no investigation into the case, because the alleged crimes were not of “sufficient gravity” to justify further action by the court.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry reminded that the incident has already been reviewed and carefully investigated in Israel, and also by a Panel of Inquiry established by the UN Secretary General. In both cases it was found that "IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers were compelled to respond with force to protect their lives in the face of organized, pre-meditated and lethal violence”.
In 2010, Israeli commandos staged a raid on a six-ship flotilla, which was trying to break the Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza strip. Ten Turkish nationals died as a result.
Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in 2006 after an Israeli soldier was captured by Hamas militants. The blockade was strengthened in 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza.
The incident severely damaged Turkish-Israeli relations, and only three years later, in 2013 Turkey received an official apology from Tel-Aviv.
