Reaction from around the world
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Emir of Qatar
The Israeli act of piracy against Arab and foreign activists who tried to break an non humanitarian unjust siege imposed on our fellow citizens in Gaza Strip, for no reason but they exercised their democratic right of choice.
The crimes purportrated this morning against the civilians supporting the Palestinians remind us of the unjust siege the open bleeding wound in the Strip; and all those who preach freedom, justice and democracy are required now to move and act to break this siege so the bloods of those free men do not go down the drains.
This is also message addressed to the Arab states who were brought to the moment of justice by those free men on board.
Statement from the Turkish foreign ministry
The interception on the convoy is unacceptable ... Israel will have to bear the consequences of its actions.
We strongly condemn it and await an immediate explanation.
By targeting innocent civilians, Israel has once again clearly displayed that does not value human lives and peaceful initiatives.
We forcefully condemn these inhumane activities by Israel.
The incident that occurred in open sea which is a gross breach of international law, could cause irrevocable consequences for our relations.
We wish to express our condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased, and swift recovery to the wounded.
Statement from the White House
US President Barack Obama "expressed deep regret at the loss of life in today's incident, and concern for the wounded" in a phone call to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.
"The president also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible."
Ismail Haniya, Hamas leader in Gaza
The government of Hamas call on Palestinians to carry out a total strike in Gaza and West Bank to show solidarity and protest the Israeli crimes.
We request emergency session for the UN Security Council, Arab League and Islamic Conference and we demand the Palestinian Authority to stop all forms of negotiations.
The government decided to grant those on board Freedom ships the medal of honour.
We appeal to the UN to withdraw from the Quartet.
The government has decided to name the May 31 "the freedom day". We demand the Arab League to carry out all decisions to stop the siege of Gaza.
We say to those heroes that the essence of your honourable blood has reached us before the aids you are carrying to us.
We salute everyone on board the Freedom ships.
Salam Fayad, Palestinian prime minister
Israel went beyond all that could be expected.
This [attack] is a transgression against all international covenants and norms and it must be confronted by all international forums.
Statement from the Palestinian presidency
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemns the crime perpetrated by the occupation authorities against international solidarity activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla.
The Palestinian leadership is closely following the developments and the President calls on the United Nations to confront Israel, which is disregarding all international laws and norms.
The attack on the Flotilla is an attack against humanity.
This incident will have grave consequences in the region and the world.
Statement from the Arab League
Secretary General Amr Moussa has called for an emergency meeting at the League's headquarters in Cairo on June 1.
The attack clearly shows Israel's aggressive nature and its disrespect to international and humanitarian rules and laws.
We call on the international community to take immediate steps against Israel, a rogue state that practices all forms of terrorism and piracy, and instigates tension and instability in the region and in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.
Saad Hariri, Lebanese prime minister
The Israeli attack on the aid convoy is a dangerous and crazy step that will exacerbate tensions in the region.
Lebanon firmly denounces this attack and calls on the international community, notably major powers ... to take action in order to end this continued violation of human rights and threat to international peace.
Spokesperson for EU's foreign policy chief
High Representative Catherine Ashton expresses her deep regret at the news of loss of life and violence and extends her sympathies to families of the dead and wounded.
On behalf of the European Union she demands a full enquiry about the circumstances in which this happened.
The continued policy of closure is unacceptable and politically counter-productive. She calls for an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of the crossing for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza.
Guido Westerwelle, German foreign minister
I am deeply concerned about the events last night in the waters off Gaza ... These are disconcerting initial reports.
The foreign ministry is now working to establish the full facts of what happened.
Diego Lopez Garrido, Spain's secretary of state for EU affairs
The Israeli storming of a flotilla of activist ships heading for Gaza is unacceptable and very serious event.
We have have summoned the Israeli ambassador [to Spain] to give us explanations and, of course, we will investigate and will start handling this matter immediately.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian president
[The attack was an] inhuman Zionist regime action against Gazans.
Micheal Martin, Irish foreign affairs minister
I am gravely concerned at the reports emerging of the storming of a Turkish ship this morning by Israeli commandos.
My department is seeking to establish the full facts of what has occurred and confirm the safety of the eight Irish nationals who sailed with the
Turkish-led flotilla.
The reports of up to 15 people killed and 50 injured, if confirmed, would constitute a totally unacceptable response by the Israeli military to what was a humanitarian mission attempting to deliver much needed supplies to the people of Gaza.
Statement from Britain's Stop The War Coalition
The action should see Israel condemned under international law.
Israel has repeatedly flouted law and public opinion worldwide in its treatment of the Palestinians.
The decision by Israel to attack the flotilla with such loss of human life shows it is arrogant and deadly intent in opposing any aid to the Palestinians.
Navi Pillay, UN high commissioner for human rights
I am shocked by reports that humanitarian aid was met with violence early this morning reportedly causing death and injury as the boat convoy approached the Gaza coast.
The blockade keeps undermining human rights on a daily basis.
The current situation falls far short of what is necessary for the population to lead normal and dignified lives.
I condemn once again the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel.
Franco Frattini, Italian foreign minister
Italy deplores the loss of civilian life in Israel's raid on a flotilla of aid ships bound for Gaza.
Statement from the UN Relief and Works Agency
We are shocked by reports of killings and injuries of people on board boats carrying supplies for Gaza, apparently in international waters.
Such tragedies are entirely avoidable if Israel heeds the repeated calls of the international community to end its counterproductive and unacceptable blockade of Gaza.
William Hague, British foreign secretary
I deplore the loss of life during the interception of the Gaza Flotilla. Our embassy is in urgent contact with the Israeli government. We are asking for more information and urgent access to any UK nationals involved.
We have consistently advised against attempting to access Gaza in this way, because of the risks involved. But at the same time, there is a clear need for Israel to act with restraint and in line with international obligations. It will be important to establish the facts about this incident, and especially whether enough was done to prevent deaths and injuries.
This news underlines the need to lift the restrictions on access to Gaza, in line with UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1860. The closure is unacceptable and counter-productive.
There can be no better response from the international community to this tragedy than to achieve urgently a durable resolution to the Gaza crisis.
I call on the government of Israel to open the crossings to allow unfettered access for aid to Gaza, and address the serious concerns about the deterioration in the humanitarian and economic situation and about the effect on a generation of young Palestinians.
This world is just too big for peace to cover. :)
It's a fact.
marctwain10,
There is no point defending Israeli Policies. The world, including the West and even the Vatican sees them as criminals, close to Hitler!
If Israel doesn't back up in their aggression and crimes against humanity, they will become a province of Palestine!
@nic yeah i know..what else is there to expect anyway :(
budslightyear,
You'll hear reactions from Qatar (already available in QL), but they will just be reactions. The usual bla bla bla and then later on they will go back to sleep and business as usual.
I've been wondering why we haven't heard from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other rich arab nation on this? All they do is to impose an embargo on Israel and then what? i don't think it ever affected Israel. It is all lip service. How long has this been going on again?
Ladybug12345
1.How do you know that all there was is food and medical aid if the ships wouldn't let customs officials on board? 2.The moment Hamas took over Gaza and declared they will keep attacking Israeli civilians (which they do and will keep on doing) they gave Israel the right to defend itself.3.Next time ... more
1.How do you know that all there was is food and medical aid if the ships wouldn't let customs officials on board?
2.The moment Hamas took over Gaza and declared they will keep attacking Israeli civilians (which they do and will keep on doing) they gave Israel the right to defend itself.
3.Next time I'm attached by a stone or a knife Ill try to remember my attacker is more scared of me that I of him.
4.The soldiers did use tear gas and fires only when fires upon. And about international waters, the ships states clearly they will enter the Gaza waters, if a killer is on your front yard are you going to wait for him to enter the door?
5.Hamas steels food that comes into Gaza, ask the UN and the red cross how many trucks were taken. When entering a contry you go through customs not fight your way in.
"With Israel’s History we can conclude that there are two categories of people: Humans and Israelis" - STATEMENT LIKE THESE PROVE THE JEWISH PPL NEED A STRONG COUNTRY !
msafa
For those who think Israel Has the right: (I think this is a complete answer for their argument)1-Israel military defends his country against food and medical aid??!2-They are going from International waters to waters of Gaza to Gaza. No Israeli territories. Who made the Israelis the judges who deci... more
For those who think Israel Has the right: (I think this is a complete answer for their argument)
1-Israel military defends his country against food and medical aid??!
2-They are going from International waters to waters of Gaza to Gaza. No Israeli territories. Who made the Israelis the judges who decide what goes in and out of that region.
3-Metal bars and kitchen knives are neither a soldier's nor a terrorist's weapon of choice. They are weapons of people who are scared and desperate to defend themselves…
4-In your county when people are angry with the government (Chaos) police kills people because they have stone and rod? Or uses Tear gas or something else…What about International waters??
5-Why should they have to stop in Israel? For the food they are carrying to be stolen and given to the illegal settlements?
With Israel’s History we can conclude that there are two categories of people: Humans and Israelis less
Logiczilla
The flotilla and the attack on the Israili soldiers by the passengers using 7th century tools was meant to provoke the Isralies and thereby gain international sympathy. How gullible the international community is to eat out the hands of the terrorist sympathizers.. If the goal of the so called pseud... more
The flotilla and the attack on the Israili soldiers by the passengers using 7th century tools was meant to provoke the Isralies and thereby gain international sympathy. How gullible the international community is to eat out the hands of the terrorist sympathizers.. If the goal of the so called pseudo human rights group - the free Gaza movement, was to provide humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of Gaza, they should have sent it through the normal channels approved by the Isralies. The fact that they disregarded the normal channels to send aid shows that their intention was to provoke and gain sympathy from the gullible international community.
So here we go...sob sob. less
NAF869
"the blockade of Gaza is illegal" - and sending rockets onto civilians is legal? also, a country has the right to close its border. Is the US/Mexico border open to whoever that wants to enter? "boat was boarded, illegally, in international waters" - This happen just before the boat was illegally abo... more
"the blockade of Gaza is illegal" - and sending rockets onto civilians is legal? also, a country has the right to close its border. Is the US/Mexico border open to whoever that wants to enter?
"boat was boarded, illegally, in international waters" - This happen just before the boat was illegally about to invade Israel's border.
"and that while Israel claims that enough aid gets through to Gaza each week the UN states that less than a quarter of the necessary aid gets through" - I don't see any hungry children in Gaza like I see in Africa. You think they don't have enough food? Send them more. But please do it the legal way, not the illegal way like they tried. less
bla bla bla bla bla.... that's all they do, after incidents like this one... some of these leaders, like to preach just to clear their own public image but when it comes to adequate and effective actions (not waiting to react only, as usual), they are as useless as Israelis authorities are criminals and murderers.
I am waiting for the usual diatribe from Obama and Cameron, where they will bemoan the loss of civilian lives and then skirt the whole issue whilst laying the blame on Hamas.
In a week, it will all be forgotten and life will be back to normal..
i'm agreed with you, who cares, unless each of them have their own priorities and pre written scripts.
who cares.
whatever they are , they believes that God will forgive him whatever they are doing , or God will give them heaven
these people all believing such nonsense , once they realize that there is nothing like so called Gods , then i hope our world will be a better place , because nobody
will think there is a heaven waiting for him and so each person is valuable to us
unless you divide - you cant RULE (world)
Centuries old stuff..still being applied everywhere around the world..
Muslims need to unite and stop killing each other...look at Pakistan...their greater enemy is within
what do you think about world new type of slavery system ?
first of all, religion will not make morality in society.
Arabs needs to do unite and do more for their neighbours.
So? Who cares? The world does not care and the arabs only have words.
psycho maybe it is coz of the reason that Gaza folks are also muslims. All muslims support each other globally.That's good coz we christians don't support one another eva.
Mostly lip service. Latest is 20 killed and many more missing. A 1976 Noble laureate, two journalists from Malaysia and two from Pakistan are still missing
funny arab countries...lol
'fellow citizens??????how are these guys your fellow citizens for crying out louad???