Palestine accuses Israel of breaking int'l law
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The permanent Palestinian observer to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, on Tuesday accused Israel of breaking international law after the Israeli navy attacked a Gaza-bound humanitarian convoy of ships, which left at least 10 people killed.
Mansour told reporters here that Isarel broke international law by its action to raid the flotilla, which he said was plying the international waters as it was raided.
According to media reports, early this morning in international waters, Israeli intercepted and took control of the six-ship aid convoy, which was carrying hundreds of activists from several countries. At least 10 people were killed in serious violence on one or more of the vessels.
The six ships were navigating in the high seas when Israeli soldiers stormed them about 65km off the Gaza coast, reports said.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian ambassador supported the statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the need to have a full investigation into the matter and the call of the Secuity Council "it calls for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards."
Mansour also extended a welcome to the presidential statement adopted by the UN Security Council to condemn the Isareli deadly attacks, showing the extensive international condemnation of the Israeli attacks on the humanitarian aid flotilla.
The 15-nations Council on Tuesday condemned the Israeli attacks on a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza and requested "the immediate release of the ships as well as the civilians held by Israeal."
The condemnation was contained in a presidential statement adopted by the Security Council, which met in an emergency meeting at the request of Lebanon, Turkey and Palestine. The meeting kicked off on Monday afternoon and dragged on into Tuesday.
As the council meeting was under way, the secretary-general expressed his shock at the deadly military interception on boats loaded with relief supplies headed for Gaza, calling on Israel to fully explain its actions.
"I condemn this violence," Ban said from Kampala, Uganda, where he presided over the first review conference of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"It is vital that there is a full investigation to determine exactly how this bloodshed took place," he said. "I believe Israel must urgently provide a full explanation."
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