Israel to use 'all necessary force' against Lebanese activists

Israel's UN envoy has told the world body that Israel is entitled to use "all necessary force" to prevent activists sailing from Lebanon to Gaza.

In a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Ambassador Gabriella Shalev said Israel suspects the organisers may be linked to Lebanon's Hezbollah.

A group of Lebanese women activists is planning to sail to Gaza on a ship with medical supplies in a new bid to break Israel's four-year blockade of the Palestinian territory.

Hezbollah denies backing the aid flotilla saying that it didn't want to give Israel a pretext to attack the activists.

Israel is under pressure after it seized an aid flotilla in May, killing 9 Turkish activists during the operation.