Israel has announced the creation of a committee of inquiry to look into the Israeli naval raid on a flotilla trying to break the blockade of Gaza that ended in the deaths of nine people.
But the make-up of the committee makes clear that this investigation will not be "impartial, credible and transparent," as the UN Security Council called for in the aftermath of the flotilla raid. Although the United States has applauded the Israeli announcement, the UN is reportedly skeptical and is keeping the option of an international probe "on the table."
This announcement is just the latest middle finger to the world from Israel.
There a number of problems with the panel tasked to investigate the Israeli actions aboard the flotilla, but the most glaring is the people who will sit on it. The chairman of the panel, former Supreme Court Justice Yaakov Tirkel, told Army Radio that "he opposed bringing in foreign observers and made clear that he is not a devotee of drawing conclusions about individuals and dismissing those responsible for failures," according to a Haaretz editorial.
Two foreign observers–who won’t have the right to vote on anything related to the commission–will indeed be on the panel, but one them is David Trimble, who, as Richard Silverstein points out, "is a co-founder of the newly launched Israel advocacy group, Friends of Israel, joining John Bolton, Dore Gold, and Spain’s former right-wing prime minister, Jose Aznar." Is there better company than John Bolton and Dore Gold to be close with when joining an "credible" inquiry investigating Israel’s deadly use of force against unarmed activists trying to break the siege of Gaza?
Other participants of the "impartial" committee include a former Israeli general. No Israeli soldiers will be questioned.
The results of the investigation have already been leaked to the press by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Haaretz reports:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of Monday’s cabinet meeting that the main goal of the Gaza flotilla probe is to prove to the world that the Israel Navy operation on the Gaza-bound aid ship was appropriate and met international standards.
"The government decision will make it clear to the world that Israel is acting legally, responsibly, and with complete transparency," said Netanyahu.
The anticipation of what the panel will say is killing me.
