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Turkish Group Behind Mavi Marmara Plans Second Attempt to Infiltrate Gaza

The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), a group behind the Mavi Marmara incident and has recently been the subject of anti-terror investigations, has announced that it is planning a second flotilla in efforts to undermine Israeli security in the Gaza Strip.

Bulent Yildirim, director of the IHH, announced the plans for “Freedom Flotilla II” on Thursday, in only the latest in a stream of blatant anti-Israel sentiment coming from Turkey in recent weeks since the start of Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Just last week, Yildirim himself stated that “Turkish Jews will pay dearly” for Israel’s actions.

News of the flotilla was first broke on the IHH Facebook page with the following status: “Members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition will meet this evening to discuss a possible freedom flotilla to ‪#‎Gaza.”

Israeli soldiers boarded the original Mavi Marmara flotilla in May 2010 when the ship attempted to break the Gaza blockade.  The flotilla crew attacked the soldiers, after which the soldiers opened fire, killing nine Turkish IHH members. 10 Israeli soldiers were wounded in the incident.

In response to the Israeli military resistance encountered in 2010, this purported second flotilla would have a Turkish military escort.  According to Yildrim, “Turkish army troops will accompany the ships to protect [them] from any potential attack.”

Such an action on the part of the Turkish government would only add to the escalating ill-will between Turkey and Israel.  Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made a series of outrageous comments in recent weeks, and even compared Israel’s actions to those of Hitler, saying, “Those who condemn Hitler day and night have surpassed Hitler in barbarism.”

Israel has recalled non-essential diplomats from Turkey after anti-Israel riots occurred outside Israeli consulates.  Relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.

[Photo: Israel Defense Forces / WikiCommons ]