Erdogan still bristling over Flotilla attack

Alternative News | Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again demanded that Israel apologize for the attack on the Freedom Flotilla.

"This is an inhuman act, simply we can call it an act of piracy and a raid, that's why we expect and request an apology from Israel," Erdogan said on Monday during an official visit to Belgrade, Serbia, Reuters reported.

Israel attacked the Freedom Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea on May 31.

The attack left nine Turkish citizens on board the lead ship, the M.V. Mavi Marmara, dead and injured about 50 other people who were part of the team on the six-ship convoy, which was attempting to break the siege of Gaza to deliver 10,000 tons of humanitarian assistance to the long-suffering people of the territory.

Erdogan said "…also we wish that compensation should be paid to the families of those killed, and as a third, finally to see the doors towards the Gaza Strip to be opened, and the blockade to be lifted, because it's in the charter of human rights."

Erdogan added that "…these are our demands, and we will stick to our demands till the end," the Turkish leader concluded.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has also demanded that Israel agree to an international investigation, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman have insisted that Tel Aviv will not apologize.