It's not a Jewish idea, it's Obama's idea

[Ognir]

Lieberman: Israel has no reason to fear probe of Gaza flotilla raid
Foreign Minister rejects call for international inquiry, backing Obama proposal to see Israel set up own investigation, with U.S. observer.
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Service and News Agencies Tags: Israel news Gaza flotilla Avigdor Lieberman

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday backed U.S. President Barack Obama's proposal for an independent inquiry into a raid on a Gaza aid flotilla that left nine dead.

"We have no need to fear any commission of inquiry," said Lieberman. "I told the prime minister ... that we should create a commission of inquiry that is open and transparent."

Observers say U.S. proposals for an Israeli commission with an American observer could help Israel avoid an international probe into Monday's mid-ocean clash, which earned Israel global condemnation, including from the UN.

"We have an interest in setting up such a committee on our own, not due to outside pressure," Lieberman told Israel Radio.

"We have excellent jurists ... one of whom will be willing to take it on himself, and if they want to include an international member of some sort in their committee that's alright too," he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to oppose an Israeli probe, however, in part due to objections from Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Sources in the prime minister's bureau told Haaretz it was still too early to talk of a committee of inquiry - although several ministers from the "group of seven", which advises Netanyahu, have come out in favor of an Israeli investigation.

Other ministers, including Labor minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer and Avishai Braverman, have backed an international inquiry.

"We acted in accordance with international law and we have nothing to hide," said Ben-Eliezer. "We have nothing to fear from an international probe."

Meanwhile, United Nations is already moving ahead with its own examination, and the UN Human Rights Council voted on Wednesday to dispatch investigators to the region. Thirty-two countries voted in favor of a committee of inquiry, with nine abstaining and three - the U.S., the Netherlands and Italy - against.

The decision is similar to the one that established the Goldstone Committee, which examined Israel's invasion of Gaza Strip a year and a half ago. That inquiry, led by a retired South African judge, accusing Israel and Hamas war crimes.

Arab states asked the council to condemn Israel for violating international law because it had taken over the flotilla's ships in international waters. The council's resolution also calls on Israel to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and to provide its residents with food, fuel and medicines.

The resolution's final article states that the council will send an independent, international group to investigate the facts of the incident and any violations of international law as a result of "the Israeli attack against a convoy of ships carrying humanitarian aid".

After Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Netanyahu did not comment on the possibility of an Israeli inquiry, but accused the international community of hypocrisy and warned against what he said would lead to transforming the Gaza Strip into an Iranian missile base.

It was Israel's obligation to prevent the import of weapons into the Strip that would be directed against Israel, the prime minister said.

"Iran continues to smuggle weapons to the Gaza Strip that are aimed at Israel," Netanyahu said, and called for the blockade to stay in place.

If ships are allowed to enter Gaza port freely, "the implication would be that there would be an Iranian port in the Gaza Strip, close to Tel Aviv, and this is a genuine threat to Israel's security. I say to you, and to the countries criticizing us, that an Iranian port in Gaza is also a threat to European states."

Senior political sources told Haaretz they see no justification for an external probe. They said the Israel Defense Forces needs to evaluate itself and at most someone from outside the chain of command should be included in the process.


http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-d ... d-1.293960