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Envoy says Israel Will Not Allow International Investigation of Flotilla
Raid

   Ira Mellman | Washington 04 June 2010
   Video  image released by Turkish Aid group IHH 3` May 2010 purports to
   show Israeli soldiers aiming a gun on the deck of a Turkish ship, part
   of an aid convoy heading to Gaza

Photo: AP

   Video  image released by Turkish Aid group IHH 3` May 2010 purports to
   show Israeli soldiers aiming a gun on the deck of a Turkish ship, part
   of an aid convoy heading to Gaza

   Israel,  trying  to  stem the traffic of weapons to Hamas, has tightly
   restricted   shipments  of  goods  into  Gaza,  including  cement  and
   construction  supplies  that  it  contends  would  be used by Hamas to
   fortify its bunker system.

   Listen to the full interview with the Israeli ambassador to the United
   States:

   Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, said Israel
   was  coordinating  an  effort  with  the United States to persuade the
   Turks  to  transfer the cargo aboard the flotilla to send it to Ashdod
   where  it  would  be  screened.  He says a similar request was made by
   Egypt.

   But,  said  the ambassador, those efforts did not pan out. He says the
   United  States  "understands  Israel's predicament vis a vie Gaza." He
   reiterated  there is no shortage of food or medicine in Gaza, but says
   Hamas  is  there  in Gaza and is smuggling in weapons. That, he says,Â
   is the reason for the naval blockade.

   Ambassador  Oren says Israel and the U.S. are talking about how Israel
   should respond to future aid flotillas to Gaza and that Israel is open
   to other suggestions. The ambassador also said they hope flotilla host
   countries,  either  Turkey or Ireland, will cooperate with attempts to
   stop attempts to break the blockade.

   When  asked  if this has been a public relations nightmare for Israel,
   the ambassador responded: "This has not been a public relations picnic
   for  Israel."  Oren  said  Israel  will  not  allow  an  international
   investigation of the incident.

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