Turks Vent Anger Against Israel over Gaza Flotilla Raid

The public outcry against Israel seemed to be growing in Turkey, as Turks detained during the Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla began returning home.

A rally at Istanbul's central Taksim Square that began during the afternoon of June 2 and continued into the early hours of the next day drew thousands of protesters, who chanted in unison: "Israel - Terrorist." Meanwhile, Turkish media outlets featured interviews with returning detainees, who claimed that they had been mistreated while in Israeli custody.

Top government and military officials on June 2 huddled in Ankara to discuss possible political, diplomatic and economic retaliatory steps that Turkey might take against Israel. At least nine people were killed during the Israeli commando raid on the Turkish-flagged convoy. [For background see EursaiaNet's archive].