Israel on Monday offered a vigorous defence before the United Nations Security Council over its deadly overnight raid on a flotilla of ships carrying aid bound for Gaza.
Israel's Deputy United Nations. Ambassador Daniel Carmon took to the floor of the international body to fire back against the idea that the ships were peaceful, unarmed and humanitarian.
Fox News quoted him as saying, "What kind of peace activists use knives, clubs and fire from weapons stolen from soldiers to attack soldiers who board a ship in accordance with international law?"
Ambassador Carmon was reacting a day after Israeli commandos attacked a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying 10,000 tons of aid destined for the blockaded Gaza Strip.
According to an Al Jazeera report, people across the world have protested against the attack on an aid-carrying convoy bound for Gaza that left several pro-Palestinian activists on board dead and many more injured.
The Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of six ships carrying hundreds of activists, politicians and journalists from across the world, was trying to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver about 10,000 tonnes of basic aid including food, medicine, and construction material.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said he was "shocked by reports of killings and injuries" and called for a full investigation.
Several countries have called for urgent meetings on Israel's lethal use of force.
Arab states, most of which were already in an uneasy peace with Israel, were said to be furious over the incident.
The European Union's 27 nations issued their own statement against the raid.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Israel had 'lost all legitimacy' because of the raid.
Carmon, however, maintained that the flotilla turned down repeated requests from Israeli troops to stand down for inspection in accordance with international laws. He characterised the incident on the ship as a 'lynch' on Israeli soldiers.
"The results of Monday night's events are tragic and unfortunate, and Israel deeply regrets any loss of innocent lives, but it cannot compromise its security. Nobody would," he said.
Image: Israeli Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Daniel Carmon speaks during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council | Photograph: Chip East/Reuters
