The U.N. will release its report on Israel's deadly raid of a Gaza-bound flotilla over a year ago, reports The New York Times, which obtained an advance copy of the study. The long-delayed and highly contentious study concludes that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is legal but that Israeli forces used "excessive and unreasonable" force when they were confronted by "organized and violent resistance" from passengers aboard the flotilla--a clash that resulted in nine deaths

The big question, the Times explains, is what impact the report will have on the deteriorating relationship between Turkey and Israel. "Israel considers the report to be a rare vindication for it in the United Nations," the paper explains, while "Turkey is particularly upset by the conclusion that Israel's naval blockade is in keeping with international law and that its forces have the right to stop Gaza-bound ships in international waters." While Israel has offered to express regret for the incident and pay compensation for the victims, Turkey is demanding a full apology and the end of Israel's naval blockade of Gaza.The "report allows each side to feel vindicated and gives them the ammo they need to mutually sink" the Turkey-Israel relationship, tweets journalist Yigal Schleifer.

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Uri Friedman