Turkey tries Israeli commanders in absentia over Gaza flotilla case

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey on Tuesday, Nov 6, put four former Israeli military commanders, including the head of the army, on trial in absentia for the 2010 killing of nine Turks on a Gaza-bound aid ship, Today's Zaman reported.

The trial, which began at the Istanbul 7th High Criminal Court on Tuesday, drew large groups of people who gathered in front of the Çağlayan courthouse early in the morning to protest against Israel over the 2010 raid. The suspects did not show up to the first hearing as was expected. The judge began hearing testimonies of the complainants in the hearing.

The trial will further test relations between the one-time strategic allies and has been dismissed by Israel as a "show trial" and "political theater."

A Turkish state prosecutor seeks multiple life sentences for the now retired Israeli officers over their involvement in the nine killings and the wounding of more than 50 others.

The indictment names Israel's former Chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, former Navy Commander Eliezer Marom, former Air Force Commander Amos Yadlin and former head of Air Force intelligence Avishay Levi, seeking prison sentences of more than 18,000 years for each of them.

Among the charges listed in the 144-page indictment are "inciting murder through cruelty or torture" and "inciting injury with firearms."

A total of 490 people aboard the ship during the raid, including activists and journalists, are expected to give evidence. Normally barred from courtrooms, the trial will be officially recorded by television cameras, although proceedings are not expected to be broadcast.

A United Nations report into the 2010 Israeli raid described the blockade of Gaza as legitimate. It said violent activists on board the Mavi Marmara had attacked raiding Israeli naval commandos, but also accused Israel of using disproportionate force against the activists.