Svetoslav Ivanov (r), one of two Bulgarian journalists, who were arrested by Israeli commandos at a ship carrying aid to the Gaza Strip, arrived safely at the Sofia airport. Photo by bTV
The two Bulgarian journalists, who were arrested Monday, after Israeli commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip, arrived in Bulgaria Wednesday evening.
Svetoslav Ivanov, a reporter, and Valentin Vassilev, a cameraman, who work for the country's biggest private national TV channel bTV, were greated at the Sofia airport by relatives, friends and colleagues, bTV inform in their late evening news report.
The two told media, gathered at the airport, that they felt like being in an action movie the entire time during and after their arrest, 70 kilometers away from the Gaza strip, and were not given any information before meeting with Bulgarian diplomats.
Ivanov further said that for 3 days he had been separated from his cameraman and was not allowed to make any phone calls. According to Vassilev, he was denied medications for high blood pressure, after the Israeli authorities seized his own. He received medical assistance only thanks to the Bulgarian representative. The meeting with them was requested by the Bulgarian journalists, and not offered by the local authorities, the two say.
9 people, all reported to be Turkish citizens, have been killed after Israeli commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip.
Israel declared Monday that the organizers of the flotilla, which tried to reach the Gaza Strip despite the Israel blockade, are terrorists connected to Hamas and Al-Queda. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in Canada, canceled his visit to Washington on Tuesday to return to Israel.
The attack sent shock waves of outrage in Palestine, Greece, and Turkey, while the EU and the UN demand full investigation of "what has happened."