The Turkey-based IHH terror group plans to mark the second anniversary of the 2010 flotilla to Gaza by holding a mass anti-Israel march in downtown Istanbul, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
According to the reports, the group has announced its intention to hold the march, entitled “Marching for the Liberation of Jerusalem,” on May 31 at the Taksim Square, located in the heart of Istanbul.
Nine IHH members were killed onboard the Mavi Marmara during the flotilla in May of 2010. The nine were killed when Israeli soldiers who boarded the Gaza-bound ship were forced to open fire, after being attacked by the IHH terrorists on board with clubs and knives.
The Marmara had been violating the naval blockade on Gaza and claimed to be carrying humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, a fact which was later proven to be wrong.
The incident severely strained the relations between Israel and Turkey. Turkey demanded that Israel apologize for the deaths of the nine, but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu refused to apologize. Turkey responded by downgrading its diplomatic ties with Israel.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan further deteriorated the situation when he chose to verbally attack Israel on several occasions.
Reports last week indicated that behind the scenes efforts are currently being made to improve the relations.