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Israel plotted aid convoy attack - Palestinian diplomat

RIA Novosti

16:56 02/06/2010

MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - The Israeli siege of a Gaza-bound international aid convoy in neutral waters was carefully planned by the Israeli leadership, the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow said on Wednesday.

The Israeli military stormed on Monday the Freedom Flotilla carrying some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. At least nine activists were killed when Israeli commandos dropped on board from helicopters and opened fire. Arab media reports have put the death toll at close to 20.

"This operation was not an accident; it was carefully planned. It involved various forces and Israeli departments, who held numerous separate and joint meetings to discuss the details of the operation," Fayed Mustafa said.

The Palestinian diplomat said that by attacking the international convoy, the Israeli government planned to stop humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza "once and for all."

"Only one thing can be done to avoid such things in the future: the global community must establish an international commission to investigate this attack, to carefully study all details of the operation, find those guilty and bring them to an international trial. If Israel is again forgiven by the international community, it will carry out such acts again," he said.

The Israeli authorities deny the operation was planned and say violence broke out during a routine customs check.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of state terrorism on Wednesday.

"Palestinians faced state terrorism when Israel attacked the Freedom Flotilla," he told a news conference in the West Bank.

Abbas said that during his forthcoming visit to the United States he will ask President Barack Obama to make "bold decisions" regarding the Middle East peace settlement.

"During our meeting in Washington, I will tell him that bold decisions are needed to change the situation in the region," he said.