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UN / EHUD BARAK
STORY: UN / EHUD BARAK
TRT: 2.39
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 21 JUNE 2010, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
2. Various shots, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ehud Barak, Defense Minister, Israel:
“Gaza is still reined over by a terrorist group called Hamas, which deliberately accumulated those rockets and missiles in order to terrorize our civil citizenry. Of course, we have nothing against the 1.5 million Gazans. Almost all of them are innocent people like everyone of us and has the right to get humanitarian needs but I insist there was never a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, there’s no hunger.”
4. Cutaway, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ehud Barak, Defense Minister, Israel:
“Some organization, probably backed by terrorist organization, once again is trying to send a vessel into Gaza. I should tell everyone that we think it’s a bit irresponsible to do that. Its well known that we ask all of them as we asked the previous flotilla to join us and go through Ashdod and we cannot accept someone who will try to just sail directly to Gaza.”
6. Cutaway, journalist
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ehud Barak, Defense Minister, Israel:
“I shared with the Secretary-General our views about his expectation about establishing an international inquiry into the incident. Our views are that, for the time being, as long as those new flotillas are in preparation, its probably better to leave it on the shelf for a certain time. We are moving ahead with our independent investigations which we believe is clearly independent, reliable, credible and should be allowed to work.”
8. Cutaway, cameraman
9. Pan right, Ehud Barak leaving press stakeout
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza as well as the Security Council’s recent presidential statement calling for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigations into the flotilla incident.
Ban had also proposed the establishment of an international panel, under the aegis of a third party and in which both Turkey and Israel would actively participate.
At a press stakeout following the meeting, Barak told reporters that the Israeli authorities recognize Gazans right to humanitarian aid and insisted that “there was never a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Israel recently eased its blockade on Gaza to allow more civilian goods into the territory. Ban, who welcomed the move, said in a statement that he hoped that it was a real step towards meeting needs in Gaza.
On media reports of another flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies heading for Gaza, Barak called the possible arrival of such a vessel “irresponsible” and added that “some organization, probably backed by terrorist organization” was responsible for the operation.
On 31 May this year, Israel raided a six-ship convoy in international waters that was carrying humanitarian goods and activists and heading for Gaza. The raid resulted in the deaths of nine civilians and the wounding of at least 30 others.
On investigations into the flotilla incident, Barak said that Israel is moving ahead with its independent investigations “which we believe is clearly independent, reliable, credible and should be allowed to work.”
Earlier today, the Middle East Quartet, comprising of the UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States, released a statement pledging to actively explore additional ways to improve the situation in Gaza.
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