Azerbaijani citizens among those in Gaza-bound aid flotilla detained by Israeli commandos - UPDATE

Two Azerbaijani citizens from the Gaza-bound aid flotilla detained by Israeli navy in neutral waters are currently in a prison in the Beer Sheba city of Israel, the Israeli Interior Ministry told Trend. The date of their departure is still unknown. The Azerbaijani citizens will be sent back from the Tel Aviv airport, but not through Jordan as reported previously. The Israeli Ministry source refused to provide any information about the identity of the detainees.

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13:27

Two Azerbaijani activists from the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla detained by Israel are currently in Israel, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told Trend.

He said their identity is not known yet, but their health condition is normal, and they will be sent back with the next flight.

Earlier, it was reported that two Azerbaijani citizens are among 124 foreigners deported from Israel to Jordan last night.

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13:07

Two Azerbaijani citizens, who were among 124 foreigners from the Freedom Flotilla deported from Israel to Jordan last night, have not yet arrived in Amman, the Azerbaijani embassy in Jordan said.

The deportation process began on Wednesday night. All 124 people, two of which are Azerbaijanis, are already on the border between Israel and Jordan, but there is no information about their names and ages yet, the embassy said.

The embassy will provide the necessary assistance to Azerbaijanis on their arrival in Amman.

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12:31

If two Azerbaijani citizens wanted to leave Israel voluntarily, they might be in Jordan now among other foreign nationals from the Freedom Flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's official said.

Israel wants all Flotilla activists to leave the country as soon as possible. So, all those who cooperated with the Israeli authorities and left the country voluntarily have been sent to Jordan and possibly they stay there, the source said.

However, he declined to provide detailed information about the identity of two Azerbaijani nationals. Only those actvists who refused a voluntary deportation have stayed in Israel, the source added.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is working to establish identity of two Azerbaijani activists of the Freedom Flotilla detained by Israeli navy, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Elkhan Polukhov said.

About 682 activists are expected to be deported, the local media reported according to the Israeli Interior Ministry. Only 45 of them have agreed to voluntarily leave Israel on Tuesday, RIA Novosti reported.

"It was decided that the detainees will be immediately deported under the procedures specified by the law. The Israeli Interior Ministry has announced that the departure will start tonight and is expected to be completed within 48 hours," the government reported.

The fate of prisoners, whose immediate release was demanded by the international community, was resolved at a meeting of military and political office - a forum of key ministers and heads of security agencies of Israel.

The Israeli commandos attacked Freedom Flotilla of six vessels bound for Gaza in neutral waters on May 30-31. The attack left nine activists killed and dozens were injured.

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12:10

The Israeli Interior Ministry has announced the names of those on the detained Turkish ship who were immediately deported.

The list also includes names of two Azerbaijani activists. The list has names of citizens of Australia (3), Azerbaijan (2), Italy (6), Indonesia (12), Ireland (9), Algeria (28), USA (11), Bulgaria (2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1) , Bahrain (4), Belgium (5), Germany (11), South Africa (1), the Netherlands (2), the United Kingdom (31), Greece (38), Jordan (30), Kuwait (15), Lebanon (3) , Mauritania (3), Malaysia (11), Egypt (3), Macedonia (3), Morocco (7), Norway (3), New Zealand (1), Syria (3), Serbia (1), Oman (1 ), Pakistan (3), Czech Republic (4), France (9), Kosovo (1), Canada (1), Sweden (11), Turkey (380) and Yemen (4).

The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkey did not confirm the information about deportation. Reportedly, there are no Turkish citizens among 124 individuals who have been deported to Jordan.

Jordanian government spokesman Nabil al-Sharif said that 124 deported people, who are from 12 Muslim countries that do not mainly have diplomatic ties with Israel, have arrived in Jordan in five Jordanian buses (30 of them are Jordanians, 16 - Kuwaitis). He noted that the rest are citizens of Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, Oman and Bahrain.


/ANSPRESS, Trend/