THE HAGUE
A Turkish non-governmental organization appealed Thursday against the International Criminal Court’s decision to not investigate a deadly Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara ship in 2010.
A legal team representing the Humanitarian Relief Foundation or the IHH agency filed the appeal at the court in The Hague and made the demand to bring Israeli officials behind the attack to justice.
Ramazan Ariturk, one of the lawyers in the team, said their appeal would be examined by the court’s preliminary office.
In November, the court announced it would not investigate the maritime incident between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli forces due to a lack of "sufficient gravity."
In May 2010, Israeli commandos killed eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin in a raid on the Mavi Marmara, a ship that was part of the “Gaza Freedom Flotilla.” The flotilla was carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which was under an Israeli blockade at the time.
Israel had welcomed the decision to not open the investigation, alleging that the legal action was "politically motivated." The court's decision drew widespread criticism from Turkish lawyers who accused the international court of being "hypocritical."
Turkey has downgraded diplomatic relations with Israel and military relations between both sides have also been suspended since the 2010 attack.
