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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| UN chief demands immediate release of Gaza flotilla detainees |
| 2010-06-02 |
| [Ma'an] UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appealed for the immediate release of those detained following Monday's Israeli raid of an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, reiterating his call for a prompt probe into the deadly incident. The return of the deceased and care for the wounded are also a top priority, UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe told reporters in New York, according to the UN News Centre. At least 10 civilians died and dozens more were wounded when the Israeli military intercepted a six-ship convoy that was in international waters as it headed for Gaza. "We reiterate our call to all concerned to act with a sense of care and responsibility and for a satisfactory resolution and the United Nations has raised its concerns about this with international partners and with Israeli authorities and all parties should act in accordance with international law and avoid provocations at this sensitive time," Okabe said. The secretary-general is en route to New York from the Ugandan capital, Kampala, where he spoke on the phone to several world leaders including President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Ban, who condemned the violence a day earlier, also discussed the raid with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. Upon returning to New York, he will hold further talks on a future course of action -- including an investigation -- with Arab, Turkish and Israeli officials, as well as with members of the Security Council and others. |
| Posted by:Fred |