The Return of MAVI MARMARA

ISTANBUL, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Mavi Marmara, the flagship of the ill-fated Gaza-bound flotilla attacked by Israel in May, returned to Istanbul on Sunday.

More than 10,000 people gathered at Istanbul's Sarayburnu port to express their anger at Israel, waving flags of Turkey and the Palestinian territories.

A welcoming ceremony was held by the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH) for Mavi Marmara ship at the port.

People across Turkey, peace activists from 50 countries and representatives from nongovernmental organizations attended the ceremony.

Mavi Marmara set sail from Turkey with humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 22, 2010.

On May 31, Israeli soldiers attacked the flotilla in international waters. Nine activists were killed and 54 others were injured by the attacks. - Xinhua News

"Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Ahmet Dogan, the father of the American-Turkish teenager who died, Furkan Dogan, said the victims' families wanted more than an apology and compensation from Israel.

"If they want to ease the pain of the families of the martyrs, the embargo and blockade (of Gaza) must be lifted," he said. - The Telegraph

BUT Israel is still trying to fool the whole world by continuously claiming that the Peace Activist on board Mavi Marmara were terrorists. Sounds like the WMD in Iraq to me. Below is how the Israeli National News reported Mavi Marmara's return.

The "Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief" -- known by the acronym "IHH" -- held a welcoming ceremony for the vessel at the port. The Turkish terror-linked organization was behind the armed, trained mercenary-style "activists" who occupied the vessel during the May 31 incident that has been the focus of tension between the two nations for months.

Davutoglu held firm to the Ankara government's position that Israel is to blame for the rift between the two countries, but he insisted to journalists at a news conference in Istanbul on Saturday, “We have the intention of making peace with Israel.”

The Turkish-sponsored vessel, part of a six-ship flotilla intent on breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza, had ignored Israeli naval commands to change course. Eight of the nine who died in the ensuing clash were Turkish nationals, and all were members of the IHH organization. The ninth terror activist was a Turkish citizen of American origin. - ARUTZ SHEVA

AND its his strong words against the murder on Mavi Marmara that earned Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad the honour of being among the Top 10 anti-Semitic persons for 2010 ... and the STATESMAN has no regrets!