【英语国际】以色列因袭击救援船事件陷入外交危机

At least nine pro-Palestinian activists died when Israeli commandos boarded a ship headed to the blockaded Gaza Strip early Monday, plunging Israel into a diplomatic crisis that could obstruct action on the most pressing issues in the Mideast, from U.S.-backed peace talks to sanctions against Iran.

The incident drew harsh words from the Arab world and questions from foes and allies about why the operation to intercept the six-ship flotilla, for which Israel had weeks to prepare, turned deadly. The United Nations Security Council met in emergency session to consider condemning Israel's actions.

The clash brought tensions with Turkey, one of Israel's few friends in the Muslim world, to a boiling point. Thousands of Turks protested in Istanbul. And Ankara, which had publicly backed the flotilla, withdrew its ambassador to Israel.

Israel defended its actions, saying soldiers being lowered from a helicopter onto the deck of one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara -- a Turkish-flagged ferry carrying 600 passengers -- were beset by activists armed with metal poles, knives and guns.

Details of the clash remained sketchy, with information limited to briefings by the Israeli military, which cut off access to flotilla participants early Monday.

President Barack Obama, in a phone call with the Mr. Netanyahu, expressed regret at the loss of life and 'expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible,' a White House spokesman said.

European allies were less circumspect. France and Spain quickly concluded the Israeli use of force was excessive. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he 'condemns a disproportionate use of force.' Spain called the Israeli actions 'unacceptable.'

The European Union called for a full enquiry. The U.K. called for Israel to drop its blockade of Gaza.

The international censure could endanger some of the key foreign-policy aims of Mr. Netanyahu's government, analysts said. Those include Israel's stated top strategic priority: keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The incident could also have repercussions for U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a Washington priority. Any disruption to talks could put more strain on the U.S.-Israel relationship, which has been chilled in recent months by Israel's insistence on construction plans in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

周一早上以色列士兵登上一艘开往被封锁的加沙地带的船只，至少九名支持巴勒斯坦的活动人士死亡。以色列因而陷入一场外交危机，这场外交危机可能阻碍从美国支持的巴以和谈到对伊朗实施制裁等中东地区最迫切的问题上的进展。

此次事件招致阿拉伯世界的强烈谴责，其对手与盟友也均发出质疑，为何以色列准备了数周之久的拦截六艘船只组成的小型船队的举动成为了流血事件。联合国安理会(United Nations Security Council)召开紧急会议考虑对以色列的行为加以谴责。

此次冲突使得以色列与其穆斯林世界的新朋友土耳其的关系紧张到极点。数千名土耳其人在伊斯坦布尔举行抗议活动。曾公开支持这一小型船队的土耳其政府召回了该国驻以色列大使。

以色列就其行为进行了辩护，称土兵们从直升飞机上降落至船队中的一艘船上时，遭到了手持金属杆及刀、枪等武器者的包围。这艘船即搭载着600名乘客的土耳其货船Mavi Marmara号。

冲突的具体细节尚不完全清楚，信息仅限于以色列军方发布的简要说明，以色列军方周一早上切断了外界与小型船队遭袭事件参与者的联系。

白宫一名发言人说，美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)在与内塔尼亚胡(Netanyahu)通电话时，对有人员死亡表示遗憾，并表达了尽快获悉周一早上发生的这起不幸事件的全部事实及细节的重要性。

以色列的欧洲盟友则没有这么慎重。法国与西班牙迅速断定以色列使用武力是过度行为。法国总统萨科齐(Nicolas Sarkozy)说，他谴责不恰当地使用武力的行为。西班牙称以色列的行为是不可接受的。

欧盟(European Union)呼吁进行全面调查。英国呼吁以色列放弃对加沙地带的封锁。

分析人士说，国际社会的公开谴责可能危及内塔尼亚胡政府的某些重要的外交目标，其中包括以色列曾声明过的不能让伊朗获得核武器的头等优先战略。

该事件还可能给美国政府斡旋的巴以和谈带来不良后果，这是美国政府的要务。而和谈若出现中断可能给美以关系带来更多压力，因以色列坚持在约旦河西岸及东耶路撒冷地区实施建设计划，美以关系在近几个月来一直持续紧张。