Families of Israeli raid victims file for compensation

More than 30 relatives of the Turkish nationals killed in a 2010 Israeli ship raid filed a lawsuit against Israel for compensation, Anatolia news agency reported Friday, citing lawyers. At least 33 relatives of the nine victims of the Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla filed a petition against Israel "to seek compensation for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages", said Ugur Yildirim, a plaintiff's lawyer. Several others who took part in the flotilla campaign have also filed for a symbolic compensation of 1 Turkish lira ($0.50) from the Jewish state, the lawyer added. All in all, the total amount of compensation sought by the plantiffs reaches 10 million Turkish liras ($5 million), according to Yildirim. Israeli commandos boarded the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, the largest ship in a flotilla aimed at breaking Israel's Gaza blockade, on May 31, 2010, leaving nine pro-Palestinian activists dead. A Turkish court is to hold on November 6 the first hearing of the major trial against four Israeli commanders held responsible for the deadly incident. Turkish prosecutors want life sentences for the commanders, who are likely to be tried in absentia. The raid triggered a crisis between Israel and Turkey, once regional allies, and resulted in a dramatic downgrade in diplomatic relations and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Turkey. Military ties were also cut.