Israel in eye of storm over Gaza ship raid

Ankara: Israel's regional allies froze military ties as angry protests erupted over the storming of aid ships bound for Gaza, while Muslim leaders demanded swift UN action to punish the "criminal" assault.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked" by the navy assault on a convoy carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, lawmakers and journalists through international waters towards besieged Gaza.

Ban called on Israel to "urgently" explain itself over the raid, reported to have killed up to 19 people, many of them Turks, and a UN diplomat said the Security Council had scrambled to convene emergency talks on the crisis.

Israel's closest ally Washington said it "deeply regrets the loss of life" and was "working to understand" what caused the "tragedy."

The Jewish state's chief regional partner Turkey responded with fury, scrapping plans for joint war games with Israel and recalling its ambassador, as it warned the "flagrant breach of international law" would have "irreparable consequences" for bilateral ties.

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Tens of thousands of furious Turks poured into the streets with protesters in Istanbul burning Israeli flags, shouting "Damn Israel!" and demanding "A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye, revenge, revenge!"

The Vatican voiced "deep sadness and concern" and Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair expressed his "deep regret and shock," as capitals across Europe summoned Israel's ambassadors to explain the assault.

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Greece, which had dozens of nationals in the convoy, also pulled out of joint military exercises with Israel as an aid group claimed that commandos in helicopters had fired on a Greek vessel.

Israel said its troops were attacked after they stormed six ships loaded with thousands of tonnes of aid and with hundreds of activists aboard, and that both sides used live fire.

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Israel, which has blockaded Gaza since its bitter foe Hamas was elected to power three years ago, had called the expedition illegal and warned it would act to stop it.

Muslim leaders united in condemning what Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called a "massacre" and Arab League chief Amr Mussa said was a "crime."

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