Former Israeli official admits aid flotilla ‘mistakes’

THE Israeli intelligence service made mistakes during the storming of ships taking aid to the Gaza strip, a former military official acknowledged today.

Nine civilians were killed after Israeli commandos boarded the flotilla carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid en route from Cyprus in May.

Retired Major General Giora Eiland, who led the Israeli military inquiry into the storming of the Mavi Marmara, told the BBC’s Panorama programme that planning for the operation had been lacking.

“Certain mistakes were made by the Israeli forces, both by the intelligence and by the commanders of the navy... there was under-estimation of the potential resistance on the ship. The resistance was huge, much above expectation. Someone had to say ‘well the right conditions do not exist let’s do something else... let’s take Plan B’.

“They [the activists] were committed to kill and be killed.”

The Gaza flotilla was organised by The Free Gaza Movement, and a Turkish group called the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief.

Israel claimed it would co-operate with a UN probe, although it is holding its own inquiry where it has so far defended its commandos’ actions.