AP Photo
Jerusalem, United Nations:
Succumbing to an international investigation for its army's action for the first time, Israel on Monday agreed for a UN probe into the bloody May 31 raid by its commandos on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, a development described by UN chief Ban Ki-moon as "unprecedented."
Israeli naval commandos, airdropped on a Turkish aid ship deck to enforce their country's blockade of the Gaza Strip, killing nine pro-Palestinian activists, sparking worldwide condemnation for its action, including from India.
The decision to accept the UN's proposal to establish an international panel of inquiry into the deadly raid, the first such instance when Israel would be agreeing to an external investigation into its army's actions, was taken by the 'Forum of Seven' senior ministers led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It is also the first time Israel will be represented on a UN committee dealing with its activities. Israel had
balked at the UN request, but has faced international pressure to allow for an external probe into the matter.
The Forum of Seven decided to give UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a positive response, in principle, to allow him to move forward with establishing the panel of inquiry. Negotiations will simultaneously continue regarding who will comprise the committee and over its mandate.
Secretary-General Ban has announced a four-member panel to investigate the raid of the Gaza bound flotilla by Israeli forces that led to the death of nine Turks.
"Today I am very pleased to announce the launch of the Panel. This is an unprecedented development," he added.
The panel will be led by former New Zealand premier, Geoffrey Palmer, who will be joined by outgoing president of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe as Vice-Chair. The panel will also have two additional members, one each from Israel and Turkey.
It will begin its work on August 10 and submit the first progress report by mid September.
"I thank the leaders of the two countries with whom I have engaged in last minute consultations over the
weekend, for their spirit of compromise and forward looking cooperation," Ban said.
In the past few months, Israel has rejected all calls for an international investigation.
"For the past two months, I have engaged in intensive consultation with the leaders of Israel and Turkey on the setting-up of a Panel of Inquiry on the flotilla incident of 31 May," Ban said in a statement.
Justifying Israel's acceptance of the UN probe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier opposed the move favouring an internal Israeli enquiry, said that Israel had decided to be a part of the investigation since it had "nothing to hide."
"The opposite is true," the Israeli premier said adding that it was in "Israel's national interest to ensure that the factual truth regarding the flotilla incident would be exposed for the world to see."
"Saying truth was the principle we are promoting through this decision," Netanyahu said.
Israel had set up a domestic investigation with international actors, which included Lord David Trimble, a
Nobel Peace laureate from Northern Ireland, and Brig. Ken Watkin, former judge advocate general of the Canadian Forces.
Ban had welcomed the domestic inquiry but said that it could not replace an international one into the incident, which evoked worldwide outrage.
Turkey also pushed for an international investigation into the probe. The United States has been more muted in its criticism of its key ally and backed a domestic inquiry.
A recent investigation conducted by the Israeli military criticised some aspects of the raid including the absence of any backup plan and the insufficient coordination between different branches of Israeli intelligence.
This international panel will draw its mandate from the Security Council presidential statement that was issued immediately after the incident.
It condemns Israel's interception of the aid convoy and calling for a "prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation."
Ban expressed hope that the panel will receive the fullest cooperation of the relevant national authorities of the two countries, and noted that the investigating team will provide recommendations for the prevention of similar incidents in the future.
"I also hope that today's agreement will impact positively on the relationship between Turkey and Israel as well as the overall situation in the Middle East," he said.
Ban has suggested to forma review panel, before establishing the official committee, to look into the investigations being already carried out by Israel and Turkey into the incident.
It means that the official panel will only begin its work once the two countries have completed their own investigation.
Israel has not discussed who might represent it on the committee but Turkey has mentioned the name of a senior diplomat, who has served as director general of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, as its representative.
Israeli naval commandos, airdropped on a Turkish aid ship deck to enforce their country's blockade of the Gaza Strip, killing nine pro-Palestinian activists, sparking worldwide condemnation for its action, including from India.
The decision to accept the UN's proposal to establish an international panel of inquiry into the deadly raid, the first such instance when Israel would be agreeing to an external investigation into its army's actions, was taken by the 'Forum of Seven' senior ministers led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It is also the first time Israel will be represented on a UN committee dealing with its activities. Israel had
balked at the UN request, but has faced international pressure to allow for an external probe into the matter.
The Forum of Seven decided to give UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a positive response, in principle, to allow him to move forward with establishing the panel of inquiry. Negotiations will simultaneously continue regarding who will comprise the committee and over its mandate.
Secretary-General Ban has announced a four-member panel to investigate the raid of the Gaza bound flotilla by Israeli forces that led to the death of nine Turks.
"Today I am very pleased to announce the launch of the Panel. This is an unprecedented development," he added.
The panel will be led by former New Zealand premier, Geoffrey Palmer, who will be joined by outgoing president of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe as Vice-Chair. The panel will also have two additional members, one each from Israel and Turkey.
It will begin its work on August 10 and submit the first progress report by mid September.
"I thank the leaders of the two countries with whom I have engaged in last minute consultations over the
weekend, for their spirit of compromise and forward looking cooperation," Ban said.
In the past few months, Israel has rejected all calls for an international investigation.
"For the past two months, I have engaged in intensive consultation with the leaders of Israel and Turkey on the setting-up of a Panel of Inquiry on the flotilla incident of 31 May," Ban said in a statement.
Justifying Israel's acceptance of the UN probe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier opposed the move favouring an internal Israeli enquiry, said that Israel had decided to be a part of the investigation since it had "nothing to hide."
"The opposite is true," the Israeli premier said adding that it was in "Israel's national interest to ensure that the factual truth regarding the flotilla incident would be exposed for the world to see."
"Saying truth was the principle we are promoting through this decision," Netanyahu said.
Israel had set up a domestic investigation with international actors, which included Lord David Trimble, a
Nobel Peace laureate from Northern Ireland, and Brig. Ken Watkin, former judge advocate general of the Canadian Forces.
Ban had welcomed the domestic inquiry but said that it could not replace an international one into the incident, which evoked worldwide outrage.
Turkey also pushed for an international investigation into the probe. The United States has been more muted in its criticism of its key ally and backed a domestic inquiry.
A recent investigation conducted by the Israeli military criticised some aspects of the raid including the absence of any backup plan and the insufficient coordination between different branches of Israeli intelligence.
This international panel will draw its mandate from the Security Council presidential statement that was issued immediately after the incident.
It condemns Israel's interception of the aid convoy and calling for a "prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation."
Ban expressed hope that the panel will receive the fullest cooperation of the relevant national authorities of the two countries, and noted that the investigating team will provide recommendations for the prevention of similar incidents in the future.
"I also hope that today's agreement will impact positively on the relationship between Turkey and Israel as well as the overall situation in the Middle East," he said.
Ban has suggested to forma review panel, before establishing the official committee, to look into the investigations being already carried out by Israel and Turkey into the incident.
It means that the official panel will only begin its work once the two countries have completed their own investigation.
Israel has not discussed who might represent it on the committee but Turkey has mentioned the name of a senior diplomat, who has served as director general of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, as its representative.
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