Salt on an old wound 
Turkey's outrageous sentencing of Israeli commanders dredges up the settled Mavi Marmara catastrophe 

May 31, 2012
NY Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/salt-old-wound-article-1.1087100#ixzz1wTyKzWVX
Two years ago today, Israeli commandos boarded ships sailing from Turkey to Gaza  --  in explicit, intentional violation of a legal naval blockade.
They were searching for contraband arms, the kind used by Hamas terrorists to bombard Israeli towns. On a ship called the Mavi Marmara, the commandos were set upon by men with knives, metal rods and other weapons.
A fight ensued. Nine passengers were left dead.
The world, of course, rushed to blame Israel, and there were investigations: by Turkey, by Israel, by a United Nations commission.
Those proved once more that facts are stubborn things.
Turkey's report amounted to bombast, Israel acknowledged strategic errors. And the Israel-hostile UN, while calling Israel's use of force excessive, declared the commandos had faced a "significant, organized and violent resistance" onboard the ship. The panel reiterated that Israel had every legal justification for enforcing the blockade.
Now, an Istanbul court has indicted four Israeli; the ex-military chief of staff and former heads of military intelligence, the navy and air force will be tried in absentia .
The punishment sought: 18,000 years in prison.
Turkey is said to be holding out for an apology. The Turks should be the ones saying sorry.