Military audit clears soldiers in Gaza flotilla raid

As Israel faces the prospect of another aid-supply ship trying to break its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, a military audit released Monday into the deadly raid of a previous flotilla found mistakes but no negligence on the part of soldiers and commanders.

The military commission, created after Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara, concluded what most Israelis and international observers already suspected: Soldiers were ill-prepared to confront an angry mob and resorted to live fire to regain control of the situation.

In its report, the commission found “no failure, but mistakes” and did not recommend disciplinary action against any individuals.

“To my relief, the investigation found no negligence or failures on any significant matters,” said retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, Israel’s former National Security Council director who led the internal military probe into the May 31 raid.

The report praised commandos who participated in the raid and said live fire was justified, military officials said. The full report was not released publicly.

The findings of Israel’s first probe into the flotilla raid are not likely to satisfy international critics, particularly the Turkish government, which is demanding that Israel apologize and pay compensation for the nine Turkish citizens killed, including one holding a U.S. passport.

Many in the international community had questioned whether the Israeli military could objectively investigate its own conduct in the violent clash.

“By not finding fault with killing people, you’ve got to wonder what was the point of this kind of inquiry,” said Adam Shapiro of the Free Gaza Movement, which organized the pro-Palestinian flotilla. “This only underscores the need for an independent investigation.”

Israeli officials defend the naval blockade of Gaza as a way to prevent the Hamas movement, which rules the coastal strip and doesn’t recognize Israel’s right to exist, from importing weapons.

Eiland’s report did blame military intelligence agencies for underestimating the degree of violent resistance soldiers would face and faulted military commanders for ordering commandos to rappel from helicopters into a seething crowd, where they were quickly overwhelmed by activists.

The retired general concluded that activists disarmed Israeli soldiers and used the Israelis’ guns against them, shooting at least four. His report suggested that activists fired the first shot and may have smuggled at least one gun aboard.

Activists have insisted that they had no arms on board and that the ship had been inspected in Turkey.

Though Eiland did not call for resignations or blame specific military leaders, his report was more critical of high-level decision-making, and questions lingered about the future of some officials, including navy commander Vice Adm. Eliezer Marom.

A separate panel, the so-called Turkel Commission, is expected to evaluate broader questions about the raid, including whether Israel’s blockade is legal under international law and whether Israel used excessive force.

The military commission’s finding comes as another Gaza-bound ship is heading toward Israel. Sailing under a Moldovan flag, the ship left Greece on Saturday carrying 2,000 tons of food and medicine. The trip was organized by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, headed by Seif Islam Gaddafi, son of the Libyan ruler.

Amid conflicting reports about whether the ship will attempt to dock in Gaza or agree to be diverted to Egypt, Israel’s navy has been on high alert and has vowed to seize the ship if it attempts to break the blockade.

edmund.sanders@latimes.com