Obama demands Israel apologize for defending itself

News from Jerusalem:  The Obama administration is applying intense pressure on Israel to issue an apology for the 2010 raid of a Hamas-supporting flotilla attempting to enter the Gaza Strip, according to informed Israeli officials.

That flotilla, sponsored in part by a Turkish group, engaged in deadly clashes with Israeli special forces. Dozens of flotilla activists armed with knives, bats and metal pipes confronted the Israeli naval raid and immediately attacked the soldiers.

Nine activists were killed, while 15 Israeli solders were wounded.

Turkey has since been demanding that Israel issue an apology for the raid, a request scoffed at by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Informed Israeli officials told WND the U.S. has sided with Turkey in its demand for an apology.

The officials said that while the U.S. does not blame Israel for the raid, the Obama administration sees Turkey as key to the transformation of the Middle East and North Africa.

The U.S. wants to end the diplomatic row between Turkey and Israel. Israeli officials said the Obama administration does not believe it can persuade Turkey to drop its apology demand and so is instead pressuring Israel.

Turkey has been a central supporter of the opposition in Egypt and Syria.