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Welcome to Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org for Thursday, June 17 2010.
Turkey declares that it will not send a new ambassador to Israel, and Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2 to launch in mid-July, these stories and more coming up, stay tuned.
Turkey’s government has decided to not send a new formal representative to Israel, is freezing a military contract, and ending joint military exercises for the time being.
All this comes in response to the killings on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla this past May. Turkey has since become a leader among the nations of the world expressing outrage and taking actions to punish Israel for its lawless act.
In addition, Turkey has also spended security cooperation and agreement to train pilots to train pilots and security cooperation with the Israelis. This also comes with word that should Israel fail to cooperate with an internationally- recognized investigation of its actions that even more diplomatic actions are slated to take effect. No detail was given about what those further actions might be.
Eight of the dead nine dead on the Flotilla were Turkish citizens. The ninth was a dual citizen of Turkey and America.
This change in relations comes in stark contrast with what they were before the Gaza war and the most recent killings. Total economic trade between the two countries is in the billions of dollars and until recently, military cooperation was very close.
Details about the next Freedom Flotilla are also coming out. Mazin Kaheel, of the European Campaign Against the Siege, says that all of the plans have been arranged and that this second fleet will be bigger than the first. The goods and ships are all ready to go and by mid-July Freedom Flotilla 2 should be on their way to Gaza.
Kaheel also indicated that many lawsuits against Israel around the world are in the works and some are looking into bringing charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court.
Israel’s security cabinet met Thursday morning and approved easing the siege on Gaza. The naval blockade is still in effect and the import of cement by other than the UN is still banned.
The security cabinet decided to expand the list of allowed goods into Gaza to include all foodstuffs, toys, and other household related items.
In the West Bank, Palestine News Network is reporting that 11 more residents were kidnapped in morning invasions by the Israeli military.
39 is the new total of civilians that have been taken by Israel just this week alone.
Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem, you have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Center, for constant update, please visit our website at www.imemc.org this report has been brought to you by Brian Ennis
