Israel's storming of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla set off a diplomatic furore, drawing criticism from allies and enemies alike and straining ties with regional ally Turkey, which called off planned joint military exercises and demanded a UN inquiry. Washington said it deeply regretted the loss of lives and was examining the circumstances that led to Monday's killing of the mostly international activists aboard the six-ship convoy as it tried to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. The Arab League, which has endorsed indirect peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel that started last month, called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to discuss the violence. The head of the Arab League said Arab states should reconsider their ties with the Jewish state while Turkey, Israel's strongest Muslim friend in the region, summoned Israel's ambassador and said it would recall its own. “Israel's attack indicates Israel is not ready for peace. Israel attacked the liberty fleet because it feels it is above the law,” Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said in Doha. “There is no benefit in dealing with Israel in this manner and we must re-assess our dealing with Israel,” he said. Turkey, which had supported the convoy, cancelled three planned joint military exercises with Israel, and Ankara said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan would cut short an official visit to Latin America to return home. “Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behaviour,” Turkey's foreign ministry said. The Turkish Embassy in Riyadh in a statement said that it protests in strongest terms the use of force by the Israeli defense forces. The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Israel's “heinous crime”, which it said was “pre-planned” by the Israeli government. Pakistani diplomat Marghoob Saleem Butt said on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), “We strongly condemn today's Israeli attacks on the boat convoy.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described the killings as a massacre and the United Nations and European Union both demanded an inquiry. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “It is vital that there is a full investigation to determine exactly how this bloodshed took place. I believe Israel must urgently provide a full explanation.” Greece canceled a visit by the Israeli air force chief scheduled for Tuesday. Deputy foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas summoned Israel's ambassador, Aly Yahya, and demanded “an official account about the Israeli army's acts against the flotilla,” spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said after the meeting. Around 10,000 Turks marched in protest from the Israeli consulate in Istanbul to a main square, chanting, “Murderous Israel you will drown in the blood you shed!” Around 1,000 protested in Jordan's capital, Amman, calling for their government to cut diplomatic ties with Israel. Smaller protests erupted in capitals across the Middle East as well as in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, the Greek city of Thessaloniki and the Pakistani city of Karachi. Palestinian youths protesting the raid scuffled with Israeli soldiers. – Agencies Spain and France condemned what they called the disproportionate use of force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his scheduled White House visit.
