John Lyons, Istanbul
TWO journalists from an Australian newspaper were among five plane-loads of Palestine activists who arrived in Turkey last night, after Israel bowed to international pressure to release those arrested from the flotilla that tried to break its Gaza blockade.
Fairfax journalist Paul McGeough, an Irish citizen, and photographer Kate Geraghty must have found the experience of landing amid scores of police cars, ambulances and security guards strange after several days incommunicado in an Israeli jail.
They both said they were "fine" as they entered a reception hall at the airport along with activists from 38 different countries.
Under pressure from the international community to release the 600 or so activists detained in various prisons, Israel decided not just to do it but to make sure it happened quickly, using three commercial jets and two Turkish military planes.
Another Australian, Ahmed Luqman, did not leave Israel with the five planes as he was in hospital recovering from a gunshot would to his leg sustained during the raid by Israeli commandos in which nine activists died.
