Israeli report on Gaza flotilla raid condemned as ‘PR exercise’

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

13 Comments

MV Rachel Corrie docked in Louth

Tweet

Doctor Fintan Lane, the Irish peace activist who embroiled in the Israeli raid on aid ships to Gaza last year, has called the findings of an Israeli report into the attack a public relations exercise.

Lane was one of three Irish people seized by Israeli commandos as the peace flotilla they were passengers on attempted to land in Gaza with aid supplies on May 31 2010.

Nine Turkish activists were shot dead in the shock raid, which a UN report released last year criticized the Israeli navy for. The commandos had shown  an unacceptable level of brutality, the UN report stated.

Lane is now part of an international committee organizing a second flotilla for Gaza on March 30. Irish peace activists have bought a boat which will carry 25 people.

Lane said he was quite aware that the Israelis were capable of repeating the commando attack, but he remained defiant. 

"The Israelis do what they like outside their own territory," Lane told the press. "This happened in international waters and the idea they found legal justification for that is ridiculous."

Lane added: "They stand alone in believing that. The UN report before Christmas was very clear. It was an illegal act."

Lane then called on the Irish Government and the European Union to support the second peace flotilla and to continue for an end to the siege of Gaza.

Print

E-mail

Tweet