Report: Turkey drops homicide case against Israeli officers
Posted December 09, 2016 6:00 am
ISTANBUL (AP) - A Turkish court on Friday dropped a case against Israeli military officials charged in the deaths of 10 Turkish activists who had sought to breach the naval blockade on Gaza in 2010, Turkey's state-run news agency reported.
The four Israeli military officials were on trial in absentia in Istanbul, held responsible for the deaths of nine activists. A tenth victim died in a hospital in 2014.
The court in Istanbul also revoked arrest warrants that had been issued for the Israeli military officials, including the former military chief, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
The decision reflects a deal to mend ties between Israel and Turkey.
Under the deal reached this year, Israel agreed to pay $20 million in compensation to the victims of the 2010 Israeli naval raid on a Turkish aid ship trying to reach Gaza. In return, Israeli nationals would not be held criminally or financially liable for the incident.
A prosecutor last week requested that the case be dropped.
Expecting Friday's outcome, families of the Gaza flotilla victims and their supporters marched out of the courtroom in protest before the decision was made.
They chanted "God is Great" and "Mavi Marmara is our pride" in reference to the Turkish ship at the heart of the case.
Attorney Gulden Sonmez held a picture of one of the Israeli defendants who had been on trial. "We've already condemned them," he said.
Family members hold up photos of victims of the Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip, which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation, outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Pro-Islamic activist Adem Ozkose gestures as family members hold up photos of victims of the Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip, which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation, outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Family members chant slogans and hold photos of victims of the Mavi Marmara ship, outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Family members hold photos of victims of the Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip, and three suspected Israeli commanders who stormed the vessel in a predawn confrontation, outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Family members hold photos of victims as Yasin Samli, the lawyers of the Turkish victims of the Mavi Marmara ship speaks to the media outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
A pro-Palestinian man supporting the victims of the Turkish Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, shouts anti-Israel slogans outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom have been tried in absentia and are not expected in court.(AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Police officers stand guard as pro-Palestinian people supporting the victims of the Turkish Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, shout anti-Israel slogans outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom have been tried in absentia and are not expected in court.(AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
People shout anti-Israel slogans as the lawyers of the Turkish victims of the Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, speak to the media outside the city's main courthouse after the trial in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says a court has dropped a case against Israeli military officials accused over the deaths of 10 Turkish activists, a decision aligned with a reconciliation pact between Turkey and Israel. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
The lawyers of the Turkish victims of Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, speak to the media outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom are being tried in absentia and are not expected in court.(AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
Pro-Palestinian people supporting the victims of the Turkish victims of Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, stand outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom are being tried in absentia and are not expected in court. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
A police officer stands as pro-Palestinian people supporting the victims of the Turkish victims of Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, shout anti-Israel slogans outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom are being tried in absentia and are not expected in court.(AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
The lawyers of the Turkish victims of Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, speak to the media outside the city's main courthouse in Istanbul, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The trial of Israeli commanders accused of killing activists aboard the Mavi Marmara resumes in Istanbul on Friday. Defendants Gabi Ashkenazi, Amos Yadlin, Avishai Levy and Eliezer Marom are being tried in absentia and are not expected in court. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel)
The Associated Press
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