AJC Welcomes UN Palmer Report on Gaza Flotilla

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Sep 02, 2011, 12:53 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC welcomed the UN report on the May 2010 flotilla for its endorsement of Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and recognition of the security threats that the Hamas regime poses.

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"This UN report reaffirms that the tragedy of May 31, 2010 was totally avoidable, except that extremists on board the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara were looking for a fight with Israel," said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commissioned the report more than a year ago. Sir Geoffrey Palmer, former prime minister of New Zealand, served as chair, and Alvaro Uribe, former president of Colombia, as vice chair of the panel.

"The flotilla acted recklessly in attempting to break the naval blockade," the UN Palmer report said. "The majority of the flotilla participants had no violent intentions, but there exist serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly IHH. The actions of the flotilla needlessly carried the potential for escalation." IHH is a radical Islamist organization based in Turkey with strong ties to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Hamas in Gaza.

The UN report supports Israel's enforcement of its internationally recognized naval blockade of Gaza. The blockade was "imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea," concluded the Palmer panel. Indeed, Harris stressed that Israel has seized ships carrying large amounts of Iranian weapons destined for Hamas.

"Let's remember that Israel left Gaza in 2005, and transferred the territory to the Palestinian Authority, but Hamas violently seized control of Gaza in 2007, and to this day continues to pummel Israel with mortars and rockets," said Harris. "The U.S. and EU have designated Hamas a terrorist organization, and supported Israel's imposing the naval blockade."

At the same time, Israel has allowed delivery of humanitarian assistance by land to Gaza. The Palmer report affirmed that "humanitarian vessels should allow inspection and stop or change course when requested." With the tragic exception of the Mavi Marmara, this procedure has been followed, including the other five ships in the May 2010 flotilla.

While some observers are focusing on the report's criticism of Israel for using "excessive force," the Palmer panel pointed out that "Israeli Defense Forces personnel faced significant, organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers when they boarded the Mavi Marmara requiring them to use force for their own protection. Three soldiers were captured, mistreated, and placed at risk by those passengers. Several others were wounded."

The report also states that Turkey bears some responsibility for what transpired that day. "More could have been done to warn the flotilla participants of the potential risks involved and to dissuade them from their actions," the report said of Turkish officials.

In its recommendations on preventing future incidents, the UN report stressed that humanitarian assistance to Gaza should be delivered by land crossings in coordination with Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Noting that Gaza has no ports capable of receiving large ships, such as Mavi Marmara, the report expressed doubts about the flotilla's proclaimed humanitarian goals

Israel has expressed regret over the loss of life in the violent confrontation. The Palmer report also states the need for an "appropriate statement of regret" by Israel - but not for an apology, which Turkey demands.

Turkey today announced it would downgrade diplomatic ties, as well as military relations, with Israel.

"As long-time friends of Turkey, we deeply regret the Turkish move," said Harris. "It will prove no less damaging to Turkey than to Israel, as the bilateral relations serve the interests of both sides, not one side only. And it should be noted that Turkey, which faces a cross-border terrorist threat of its own -- from the PKK operating in northern Iraq -- should understand better than anyone that there are no easy answers to violent groups bent on murder and mayhem. Look at the Turkish use of massive force to respond -- and the large number of deaths that have resulted so far."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee