[THS] Israeli commando who shot six dead on ship may get medal of valour

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

Israeli commando who shot six dead on ship may get `medal of valour'


James Hider and Alexander Christie-Miller


Six of the nine activists killed in Monday's raid on an aid convoy were shot by a single
Israeli commando who is now being considered for a medal of valour.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7144448.ece

Israeli reports of the likely award for the soldier — credited with saving his injured
comrades as passengers attacked them with clubs, knives and even the guns they
had captured from the commandos — are expected to inflame the row with Turkey
over the attack on the flotilla.

Mustafa Akyol, a prominent political writer, described the move as an "insult and a
provocation to Turkey". Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, vented his
anger yesterday by quoting from the Bible.

"I am speaking to them in their own language. The sixth commandment says: `Thou
shalt not kill.' Did you not understand .... I say in Hebrew: `Lo Tirtzakh'," Mr Erdogan
said.