Turkey: Flotilla Fallout
BY Joe Rubin

It was less than three years ago that Israel's President Shimon Peres addressed the Turkish Parliament, the first Israeli president to speak before a Muslim assembly. The two countries were even working jointly on a Turkish-funded plan to bring economic development to the Gaza Strip.

But relations were thrown into turmoil last week when Israel's deadly raid on an international flotilla attempting to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip generated worldwide headlines and recriminations.

Istanbul-based journalist Yigal Schleifer, who follows Turkish politics for the Christian Science Monitor, could see the main vessel from his window before it set sail. After the raid, he went on to the streets, taking photos at the funeral of the eight Turkish activists killed in the operation, and capturing striking images at a massive rally of solidarity for the Palestinians in the city's famous Taksim Square.

We've spoken to Schleifer a couple times this week over webcam as more images have surfaced and as the political fallout grows for the region and for Turkey.

Also, watch this newly released footage, screened at the U.N. Thursday, shot by a Brazilian filmmaker and activist on the ship.

Israeli Attack on the Mavi Marmara, May 31st 2010 // 15 min. from Cultures of Resistance on Vimeo.