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New Delhi: The UN Security Council on Tuesday called for an impartial inquiry into the Israeli commando raid on a flotilla of aid ships for Gaza, which left nine activists dead. Israeli disagreed, saying its soldiers had been “brutally attacked” and would continue to defend themselves.

Mark Sofer, Israel’s ambassador to India, told CNN-IBN's Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai in an interview the flotilla was not a humanitarian mission and the “truth” about it is coming out. “First of all any loss of life is tragic. This loss of life yesterday could have easily been avoided had the organisation that had been running it (flotilla) been a true humanitarian organisation dedicated to aid,” said Sofer about the Foundation For Human Rights And Freedoms And Humanitarian Relief (IHH or İnsani Yardım Vakfı in Turkish). “It was not, it is not -- the IHH is a jihadist organisation with close ties to the al-Qaeda. We have and we will allow humanitarian aid to Gaza but not through violence of so-called aid organisation.”

Sofer was asked what Israel’s reaction would be if India or Iran crossed their boundaries and attacked their rivals they accused of terrorism.

“I think every country in the world has the right to defend its citizens against terrorism emanating from aboard. Certainly India has that right, and I think every country has to work to defend its own citizens,” he replied.

Sofer claimed Israeli soldiers didn’t use excessive force and instead reacted when they were attacked by the ship’s passengers.

“There were six ships and in five of them there was completely peaceful action. In this big ship there were no Nobel laureates at all but fighters from the IHH organisation who made it clear before setting sail toIsrael that this was not a humanitarian aid towards Palestinians but just to end the blockade which was enforced when Hamas declared war on Israel.

Sofer said the international condemnation of Israel for the attack on the flotilla was unfair. “It is a little bit rich, sometimes, to hear international condemnation from countries like Iran, which just recently opened fire on some many of its own citizens, or Pakistan whose involvement in international terror is quite well known,” he said.

“We do feel that there was a tragic loss of life. It should never have happened and it wouldn't have happened had it been a true humanitarian aid flotilla.” The ambassador denied his country followed an “eye-for-an –eyelash” security policy. “Absolutely not -- it is not even an eye for an eye. Israel finds itself at war through no wish of its own and then we take every measure to defend itself and we will continue to do so, but certainly the idea of the Israeli Defence Forces is not to use indiscriminate use of force. The case is absolutely opposite.”

He rejected allegations that the blockade of Gaza was illegal. “I am not going to accept that the blockade is against international law. The blockade is an outcome of international law. Hamas has declared war on us, so we are at war with them.”

Sofer said Israel didn’t want “antagonism” with Turkey and would prefer talks to sort out their differences. “We are interlocuting with all our friends, including India. The truth is coming out more and more even as we speak.”