Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Alfredo Mantica said Saturday Israel is the only democratic reality on the Middle East.
"Israel is the only democratic reality on the Middle East," Mantica said answering a question on Italian positions regarding to the Israeli attack on humanitarian aid ships en-route to Gaza. "There is no fundamental split between ruling circles and intellectuals in Israel because they are a part of Israeli society," he continued.
Israeli commandos stormed the six-ship Freedom Flotilla off the Gaza coast as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave.
Official Israeli reports said nine people were killed in the operation, which took place in neutral waters in the Mediterranean Sea, however, Arab media reports put the death toll at close to 20.
The international community strongly criticized the Israel's attack. Protests against the siege of the crew took place outside Israeli embassies in many other world capitals following the incident.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini strongly condemned killing of civilians in the Israeli attack and called it a very serious factor.
After Italian citizens, seized with other crew member of Freedom Flotilla, were freed the minister thanked Israeli government for cooperation.
Italy along with the U.S. voted against the UN Security Council resolution on sending an independent international mission to investigate all details of the attack.
ROME, June 5 (RIA Novosti)
