Israel deports flotilla activists after world outcry

Reuters | June 1, 2010

Israel, facing mounting international outrage at its raid on an aid convoy sailing to Gaza, said on Tuesday that it would expel all activists seized on the ships and dropped threats to prosecute some of them.

Israel had said it would deport 682 activists from over 35 countries, seized during the assault in which nine activists were killed on a Turkish vessel, but the police minister had said some might be prosecuted for assaulting Israeli marines.

Amid widespread anger at the Israeli action, the U.N. Security Council called for an impartial investigation of the deaths, and the Turkish prime minister demanded the immediate lifting of Israel's "inhumane" blockade of the Gaza Strip.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later that all activists "would be deported immediately," and Israeli officials said they hoped to complete the operation in 48 hours.

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