Turkish Survivors of Flotilla Massacre: "Israel’s" Apology Not Accepted

Local Editor

Turkish survivors of the 2010 "Israeli" raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship said they would not forgive the attack in which nine of their comrades were gunned down despite a recent apology by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The victims on Monday said they refuse to drop lawsuits against the soldiers involved in the killings, even if "Israel" pays compensation.

"We will continue with the criminal lawsuits we have opened against the "Israeli" soldiers and commanders, and we won't accept dropping this suit if compensation is paid," said Musa Cogas, who was shot in the shoulder by "Israeli" commandos on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara, part of a flotilla headed towards Gaza to bring over aid.

"It's not possible to heal my wounds with just an apology," added Cogas, who also witnessed his 30-year old friend, Cengiz Songur, get killed. "Unless these soldiers are punished and the "Israeli" blockade of Gaza is lifted...we won't accept compensation."
An Istanbul court is hearing charges that have been filed against four of "Israel's" most senior retired commanders, including the ex-army chief, in absentia and could carry life sentences.
"Israel" claimed that this a politically motivated "show trial."

Ahmet Varol, a journalist who was on the Mavi Marmara, said one "formula for a resolution" would be for "Israel" to provide a timetable for ending the blockade of Gaza and make Turkey a monitor of that process.

"Our efforts are for the full lifting of the blockade. Nobody wants compensation, and while an apology may have diplomatic meaning, it means nothing to the victims," he said.

"Israeli" commandos raided the Mavi Marmara on 31 May 2010 from helicopters and speedboats before opening fire on the activists.

Troops shot some of the activists at point-blank range, while others were shot from behind as they attempted to flee.
"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 22 for the killings and pledged compensation to the bereaved or injured and agreed to ease a crippling six-year blockade on Gaza.

A senior "Israeli" official told Reuters last month "Israel" did not commit to ending its Gaza blockade as part of reconciliation with Turkey and could clamp down even harder on the Palestinian enclave if security is threatened.
Erdogan said these gestures met his conditions for normalizing relations with its former ally.

But as part of the agreement on compensation, "Israel" wants lawsuits against its soldiers to be dropped.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org