BICOM

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said yesterday that his country has warned pro-Palestinian activists of the risks in trying to breach the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. “We will warn our citizens about the possible outcomes. But the idea of non-governmental organisations being under control of the government in Turkey is an orientalist approach,” Davutoglu said. He explained that the groups involved in organising aid ships were non-governmental organisations and therefore outside governmental control.

Israel has asked Turkey to prevent organisers from sending an aid convoy of ships to Gaza next month. In May 2010, Israeli commandos boarded one of a flotilla of ships, the Mavi Marmara, which attempted to enter Gaza. The commandos were met with fierce resistance, leading to the deaths of nine on board, and the incident led to a breakdown in Israel-Turkey relations. The new initiative aims to mark the one-year anniversary of the incident, with the Free Gaza Movement planning an international convoy of 15 ships to set out from different parts of Europe to Gaza in late June. In further news, a UN panel is expected to submit a report on the Mavi Marmara incident in the upcoming days.