Iran has commended the Turkish government’s decision to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Israel by dismissing the Israeli ambassador in Ankara and suspending military agreements with Israel.
Yesterday, Turkey ordered Israeli Ambassador Gaby Levi to leave Turkey in response to Israel’s refusal to apologize for its deadly attack on a flotilla of ships bringing aid to Gaza in 2010.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing Israel of trying to influence the United Nations’ investigation of that attack.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry writes: “From the time that the investigating body was first formed, the Zionist regime has tried to set numerous conditions in order to influence the investigation and the outcome.”
In 2010, six ships carrying aid left for Gaza, led by activists who believe that Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is illegal. The Israeli attack on the convoy killed nine people aboard the Mavi Marmara, all of them Turkish citizens.
Turkey had called on Israel to apologize for its actions, but Israel has repeatedly refused to do so.
Yesterday, Turkish authorities also announced that all Turkish military agreements with Israel will be suspended.
The final report of the UN commission, which activists have decried as a whitewash, concludes that Israel did indeed use “excessive and unreasonable” force in its attack; however, it goes on to chide the attempt to breach Israel’s blockade as “reckless.” The report also recognizes Israel’s right to impose the blockade in the first place.
The report has called on Israel to compensate Turkey and the families of the victims.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry criticized the commission for condoning Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
