The report, which has not yet been officially released amid a dispute between Israel and Turkey, said however that Israel’s blockade of Gaza is legal.
Eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish descent died in the May 31, 2010 raid.
“Israel’s decision to board the vessels with such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning immediately prior to the boarding was excessive and unreasonable,” said the inquiry, led by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer.
It added, however, that the six-vessel flotilla “acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade” set up by Israel around the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory.
The inquiry called for Israel to make “an appropriate statement of regret” for the raid and pay compensation to the families of the dead as well as to injured victims.
The report has not yet been handed over to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is to decide the official publication date. A UN spokesman said Thursday that the report was expected to be handed over in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s foreign minister has set this week’s expected release of the report as a deadline for Israel to apologize, two Turkish newspapers reported Thursday.
“The date the United Nations is expected to release the report is the deadline. If there is no apology until that date we will put our Plan B into motion,” Davutoglu said in accounts printed in Turkey’s Hurriyet and Zaman newspapers.
Turkish newspaper reports have said Turkey also is considering downgrading diplomatic ties, cutting off economic ties and military cooperation, and giving Turkey’s full backing to the Palestinian quest for state recognition.
In addition to an apology, Turkey is also demanding compensation for the victims’ families and an end to Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, imposed since 2007.
