Israel’s defiant prime minister said yesterday his country is the victim of “an international campaign of hypocrisy” — and the Gaza-bound ship stormed by his commandos “was no Love Boat — this was a hate boat.”
In a nationally televised address, Benjamin Netanyahu said critics of Israel’s high-seas seizure of the cargo ship packed with pro-Palestinian activists were blind to the real intent of the “terror-supporting flotilla.”
“The flotilla was trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza, not bring humanitarian aid,” he said. “Ships like these are capable of smuggling large amounts of weapons.”
Without being inspected by Israel, blockade runners could turn Gaza “into an Iranian port” that threatens several nations in the Mideast, not just Israel, he said.
Netanyahu is under increasing pressure as friendly nations, like Britain yesterday, called for an end of the blockade of Hamas-run Gaza, which Israel and Egypt imposed three years ago to prevent weapons from being smuggled to the militant group.
The PM said the situation was similar to Israel’s brief war with Hamas in 2008 to stop terrorists from shelling Israel in cross-border attacks.
Despite Israel’s “effort to avoid hitting innocent civilians” at that time, “the UN accused Israel of war crimes — and regretfully, I must say that is what is happening now, too,” Netanyahu said.
His staunch defense came amid these developments:
* The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 32-3 to condemn Israel and set up an independent fact-finding mission. The United States, Italy and the Netherlands voted no.
* Vice President Joe Biden strongly sided with Israel, which he said “has an absolute right to deal with its security interest.” Speaking on PBS’s “Charlie Rose,” he also reiterated the Obama administration’s support for an impartial probe.
* Turkish media quoted relatives of two of the nine passengers slain in Monday’s bloodbath as saying they wanted to be shahids, the term used for suicidal martyrs.
“I am going to be a shahid. I dreamt I will become a shahid,” Ali Khaider Benginin, 39, told his family before boarding the blockade-running Mavi Marmara.
Also yesterday, hundreds deported from Israel following the raid returned home to heroes’ welcomes in Turkey.
“They faced barbarism and oppression but returned with pride,” said Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc.
* Israel released new video that appeared to show one of its naval boats being attacked as it neared the Mavi Marmara before it was boarded.
Meanwhile, a second Gaza-bound ship of pro-Palestinian activists will not be allowed to dock uninspected — setting the stage for a new confrontation at sea, an Israeli Cabinet minister told The Post yesterday.
“The policy has not changed,” Yuli Edelstein said at a meeting of The Post’s editorial board.
Crew members aboard a former merchant ship carrying 15 activists said they expect by tomorrow night or early Saturday to reach the waters off Gaza where Israeli commandos stopped the blockade-breaking cargo ship on Monday.
Also, Palestinian supporters in Europe announced yesterday they had money to send three more ships for a “Freedom 2” flotilla, also intended to challenge the Israeli forces.
Edelstein, public diplomacy minister, said Israel won’t allow Gaza-bound cargo to pass without checks to see whether it includes rockets and other weapons.
“It’s not going to happen,” he said. “We are doing everything in our power to prevent it.”