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Deported Activists Arrive in Turkey

   Dorian Jones 03 June 2010
   A   Turkish   boy   waves   a   Turkish  and  a  Palestinian  flag  as
   pro-Palestinian  Turks  protest against Israel, at the entrance to the
   Israeli ambassador's residence in Ankara, Turkey, 31 May 2010.

Photo: AP

   A   Turkish   boy   waves   a   Turkish  and  a  Palestinian  flag  as
   pro-Palestinian  Turks  protest against Israel, at the entrance to the
   Israeli ambassador's residence in Ankara, Turkey, 31 May 2010.

   Hundreds  of  pro-Palestinian  activists seized during Israel's bloody
   raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have returned to a hero's welcome in
   Turkey after Israel deported them.
   Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc and several other lawmakers
   joined a crowd of supporters to greet the activists as they arrived in
   Istanbul early Thursday.

   Israeli  forces  killed  at  least  nine of the activists Monday after
   boarding  the  Turkish  ship leading the convoy. Turkish media say the
   nine,  eight  Turkish  nationals and a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin,
   died from gunshot wounds.
   Israel  has  said  its  commandos  opened  fire  after being attacked.
   Returning  activists  admitted fighting with the Israelis but insisted
   that they were the ones acting in self-defense.
   The  international  convoy  was  attempting  to  bring  10,000 tons of
   supplies to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's three-year blockade
   of the region.
   The  head  of a Turkish charity that helped organize the flotilla said
   Thursday that the activists did seize the soldiers' weapons, but threw
   them into the sea instead of using them.
   Bulent Yildirim, who heads the Islamist humanitarian relief foundation
   IHH  and  was  on  the  vessel,  also  said  some of the activists are
   missing.
   Israeli  Prime  Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday called criticism
   of  the  deadly  raid  "hypocrisy"  and  accused  the activists on the
   Turkish  ship  of  being  "extremists"  who  supported  terrorists and
   hatred.
   Some  of  the  activists  who  were detained have complained of brutal
   treatment  by  the  Israelis, a charge Israeli officials have strongly
   denied.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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