Opposition leader Tzipi Livni Tuesday criticized the government's decision to take part in a flotilla investigative panel set up by the UN, claiming that she opposes a UN probe committee that will judge the IDF, its soldiers and its commanders.
Livni also highlighted that five inquiry committees have already been set up.
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According to Livni, Israel should have stipulated to foreign observers that the
Turkel Committee be the only committee to investigate the incidents of the flotilla raid.
The opposition leader criticized the government's conduct during the
Gaza flotilla raid claiming that it harmed the IDF's capabilities to
function in the future.
Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said on
Tuesday Israel hopes that its decision to take part in a flotilla investigative
panel set up by the UN would significantly improve
relations with Turkey.
The decision to agree to cooperate with the UN investigation, which was
announced on Monday, is "primarily meant, to my knowledge, for Turkey
and Israel to find a way to bring relations back to a better place,"
Meridor told Army Radio.
Turkey was in favor of the Israeli decision calling it "a step in the right direction."
The decision by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner cabinet, a
forum known as the septet, to agree to participate in the panel
established by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, was largely viewed as
an attempt to meet demands made by Turkey asking for an international
investigative committee, and thereby significantly reducing the tension
between the two countries.
“Part of our agreeing to this process is that Israel, as the prime
minister has said, is interested in reducing tensions with Turkey and
bringing the ties with Turkey back to normal,” a senior government
official said.
Ban called the establishment of the panel an “unprecedented development.”
“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 a statement on
Monday.