WORLD BRIEFING | MIDDLE EAST

Flotilla Raid Illegal, U.N. Panel Finds

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: September 22, 2010

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A report released in Geneva by three United Nations-appointed human rights experts said Wednesday that Israeli forces violated international law when they raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May, killing nine activists. The United Nations Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission concluded that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza was unlawful because of the humanitarian crisis there, and that the military raid on the flotilla was brutal and disproportionate. The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by saying the Human Rights Council had a “biased, politicized and extremist approach.” ThePalestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza, praised the report and called for those involved in the raid to be brought to trial. Israel refused to cooperate with the panel, but is working with a separate United Nations group that is also examining the incident.

(the new york times)

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