Turkey’s PM calls Israeli raid on ship ‘bloody massacre,’ demands Gaza blockade be lifted

Turkish PM calls Israeli ship raid a ‘massacre’

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s prime minister sharply criticized Israel for a “bloody massacre” that killed nine people on a Gaza-bound aid ship and warned Tuesday that no one should test Turkey’s patience.

The harsh words come after Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel, scrapped three joint military exercises and called the U.N. Security Council to an emergency meeting that demanded an impartial investigation into Monday’s deadly attack in the Mediterranean.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told lawmakers in the Parliament that the Israeli military raids on an aid flotilla was an attack “on international law, the conscience of humanity and world peace.”

“This bloody massacre by Israel on ships that were taking humanitarian aid to Gaza deserves every kind of curse,” he said, demanding that Israel immediately halt its “inhumane” blockade of Gaza.

The flotilla was the ninth attempt by sea to breach the three-year-old blockade Israel and Egypt imposed after the militant Hamas group violently seized the Gaza Strip in 2007, home to 1.5 million Palestinians. Israel allowed five seaborne aid shipments to get through but snapped the blockade shut after its 2009 war in Gaza.

“They have once again showed to the world that they know how good they are at killing people,” Erdogan said. “Israel in no way can legitimize this murder, it cannot wash its hand of this blood.”

Erdogan said Turkey would continue to support the Palestinian people.

“We will not turn our back on Palestine, Palestinians and Gaza,” Erdogan said.

“No one should test Turkey’s patience,” he added. “Turkey’s hostility is as strong as its friendship is valuable.”

He urged Israelis to question the actions of their government.

“It is damaging your country’s image by conducting banditry and piracy,” Erdogan said. “It is damaging interests of Israel and your peace and safety. It is the Israeli people who must stop the Israeli government in the first place.”

He said Israel cannot face the international community without expressing “regret.”

“Israel cannot ensure its security by drawing the hatred of the entire world,” the prime minister declared.

Turkey sent three planes to bring back some 20 Turks wounded during clashes that broke out when Israeli commandos raided the Turkish vessel. Erdogan said he had snubbed an Israeli offer to fly back the Turkish wounded.

The nationalities of the dead have not been released yet.

Turkey has been increasingly assertive diplomatically in the Middle East. It has also accused Israel of abandoning Turkish-mediated talks with Syria, which demands the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Golan Heights as a condition for peace.