Americas

Home page

Americas

U.S. regrets Israeli-Turkish diplomatic feud over deadly flotilla raid

03 September 2011 03:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The U.S. State Department on Friday expressed regret over the diplomatic feud between Israel and Turkey over the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last year which killed nine Turkish nationals, APA reports.

"We regret that prior to the publication of the report they were unable to reach agreement on steps that might have helped overcome their differences," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland at a regular briefing.

The U.S. comment came after Turkey decided on Friday to downgrade the Turkish-Israeli diplomatic relations to the level of second-secretary and suspend all military ties with Israel, in a furious response to the Jewish state’s refusal to apologize for the deadly attack. This means Turkey will recall its ambassador to Israel and Israel’s ambassador to Turkey will also be required to return home.

Nuland said Washington hoped the two countries "will continue to look for opportunities to improve their longstanding relationship, and we will encourage both to work towards that end."

"As we have said many times, the United States deeply regrets the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered among those involved in the incident," Nuland added.

A long-awaited UN report investigating a deadly flotilla incident heading for Gaza said on Friday that Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip was legal and appropriate, but that the raid of the flotilla was "excessive and unreasonable."

The 105-page UN report on the May 31 flotilla incident last year said that it "should never have taken place as they did and strenuous efforts should be made to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the future".

"Israel’s decision to board the vessels with such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning immediately prior to the boarding was excessive and unreasonable," said the report.

The report recommended that Israel make "an appropriate statement of regret," and "offer payment for the benefit of the deceased and injured victims and their families."

During the incident, Israeli soldiers boarded a Turkish aid flotilla bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip, and the ensuing confrontation caused the death of nine flotilla passengers.