Palestinian factions accuse UN supporting Israeli attack on Freedom Flotilla

Palestinian factions have accused the UN of being a partner with Israeli in the attack on Freedom Flotilla III, which aimed to break the nine-year Israeli siege on Gaza, Anadolu agency has reported.

In a press conference held on Tuesday, Islamic Jihad Leader Khalid Al-Batsh said that: “The [Palestinian] national and Islamic factions announce their support to the Freedom Flotilla and the activists on board of Marianne, which was attacked by the Israeli occupation early on Monday while it was heading to Gaza.”

Five Palestinian factions from both the left and right took part in the joint press conference, which was held in the Gaza fishing port.

“We hoped that the UN and the international community would have protected the ships of the Flotilla and guaranteed their arrival to Gaza, but it looks like the UN is a partner in the siege and the international piracy practiced against this Flotilla,” Al-Batsh added.

He called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to activate international protection for the ships heading to Gaza, saying Israel should take responsibility for the repercussions of the attack on the Marianne.

In addition, he called on the international community to put more pressure on Israel in order to lift the siege on Gaza and build a seaport connecting Palestine with the outside world.