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Israel to initiate flotilla probe
JERUSALEM
(UPI) -- Binyamin Netanyahu's Cabinet will consider approving an independent panel to probe the deadly Gaza flotilla raid, the prime minister's office said Sunday night.
In an announcement just before midnight, the Israeli prime minister's office said the Cabinet would meet in special session Monday to take up the matter, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The investigatory committee would include David Trimble of Northern Ireland, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, and Ken Watkin, a former judge advocate general of the Canadian armed forces.
In Washington, the Obama administration reacted positively to the news out of Jerusalem.
"Today, the government of Israel took an important step forward in proposing an independent public commission to investigate the circumstances of the recent tragic events on board the flotilla headed for Gaza," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement, adding the United States "will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions.
"While Israel should be afforded the time to complete its process, we expect Israel's commission and military investigation will be carried out promptly. We also expect that, upon completion, its findings will be presented publicly and will be presented to the international community."
The committee would be led by retired Supreme Court Judge Jacob Terkel. Other panel members would include international law expert Shabtai Rosen, and Maj. Gen. Amos Horev, a former president of the Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology.
The prime minister's office said the committee will determine whether actions taken by Israel to prevent ships from reaching the Gaza coast and "other matters tied up with this" were in accordance with international law.
Israel has come under strong international criticism for the Israeli commando raid on an humanitarian aid ship last month that resulted in nine activists being killed.
JERUSALEM
(UPI) -- Binyamin Netanyahu's Cabinet will consider approving an independent panel to probe the deadly Gaza flotilla raid, the prime minister's office said Sunday night.
In an announcement just before midnight, the Israeli prime minister's office said the Cabinet would meet in special session Monday to take up the matter, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The investigatory committee would include David Trimble of Northern Ireland, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, and Ken Watkin, a former judge advocate general of the Canadian armed forces.
In Washington, the Obama administration reacted positively to the news out of Jerusalem.
"Today, the government of Israel took an important step forward in proposing an independent public commission to investigate the circumstances of the recent tragic events on board the flotilla headed for Gaza," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement, adding the United States "will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions.
"While Israel should be afforded the time to complete its process, we expect Israel's commission and military investigation will be carried out promptly. We also expect that, upon completion, its findings will be presented publicly and will be presented to the international community."
The committee would be led by retired Supreme Court Judge Jacob Terkel. Other panel members would include international law expert Shabtai Rosen, and Maj. Gen. Amos Horev, a former president of the Technion, Israel's Institute of Technology.
The prime minister's office said the committee will determine whether actions taken by Israel to prevent ships from reaching the Gaza coast and "other matters tied up with this" were in accordance with international law.
Israel has come under strong international criticism for the Israeli commando raid on an humanitarian aid ship last month that resulted in nine activists being killed.
