SECURITY COUNCIL:THE UN yesterday appealed for Israel and seaborne activists intent on breaking the Israeli blockade on Gaza to exercise caution, as the Security Council called for an investigation into Israel's raid on an aid flotilla which resulted in at least nine deaths.
After 11 hours of negotiations, the Security Council adopted a carefully worded statement calling for an impartial investigation, though it swiftly prompted conflicting interpretations.
The statement urged “a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards”. Diplomats said the word “independent” had been pulled from early drafts at US insistence because it implied that the investigation should not be conducted by Israel itself.
Turkey, which had called an emergency session of the council and urged it to launch an investigation similar to Richard Goldstone’s inquiry into last year’s war in Gaza, was left disappointed by the watered-down statement.
Most of those killed during Israel’s attack on the aid flotilla were Turkish. The incident has strained the decades-long alliance between Israel and Turkey almost to breaking point.
Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu described the raid on the Turkish aid vessel Mavi Marmaraas "tantamount to banditry and piracy". It was, he said "murder conducted by a state".
UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe did not say whether UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon would insist on an independent UN investigation as Turkey and others have demanded or accept an Israeli inquiry.
She said the release of the detainees, return of the deceased and care for the wounded were the most pressing issues.
The council also demanded the immediate release of all ships and civilians detained by Israel since the raid early Monday.
The Rachel Corrievessel, on which several Irish activists are sailing, is en route to Gaza.
“In light of what happened , we reiterate our call to all concerned to act with a sense of care and responsibility and for a satisfactory resolution,” Ms Okabe said.
UN officials had already raised their concerns with Israel about further aid boats planning to sail to Gaza. “All parties should act in accordance with international law and avoid provocations at this sensitive time,” Ms Okabe said.