Israel will not let Ireland's Rachel Corrie ship, carrying aid and human rights activists, to enter the Gaza Strip, the Ynet news portal said on Friday citing the country's premier.
The vessel was to join the Freedom Flotilla, attacked by Israeli military in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea on Monday, but failed to join the international aid convoy in time. It is now set to break the Israeli sea blockade on its own in the coming days.
"We shall not allow the ships to reach Gaza. Not now and not later on. We intend to direct the Rachel Corrie ship to the Ashdod Port and transfer its civilian goods to Gaza following a security check," Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying.
Israeli commandos stormed the six-ship Freedom Flotilla off the Gaza coast as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave. Official Israeli reports said nine people were killed in the operation, but Arab media reports put the death toll at close to 20.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Israelis rallied outside the Turkish embassy in Tel-Aviv to protest against "unfriendly policies" of Ankara, once Israel's closest ally in the region.
Eight out of the nine people confirmed killed in Monday's attack were Turkish citizens and Thursday saw mass anti-Israeli protests in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, as the country paid last respects to the victims.
Turkey has severely condemned the aggression, saying that it will remain "a black spot" in human history. Following the attack, the country recalled its ambassador from Israel, accusing the Jewish state of "international crimes" and "piracy" and threatening "to review political, military, trade and economic ties."
The protestors waved banners saying: "Israel has right for self-defense," "[Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip] Erdogan- fascist," "Erdogan=danger."
Stones and a stun grenade were thrown at the embassy. Three protestors were detained by police, Israeli TV said.
TEL AVIV, June 4 (RIA Novosti)
