'Israel will reject int'l inquiry'

Michael Oren: "we're a democratic nation, will investigate ourselves."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Michael Oren pose 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Michael Oren pose 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Israel intends to reject an international inquiry into last week's raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren said Sunday in an interview with Fox News.
"We are rejecting an international commission. We are discussing with the Obama administration a way in which our inquiry will take place," Oren said. Regarding claims that an internal commission of inquiry would not yield credible results, he stated, "Israel is a democratic nation. Israel has the ability and the right to investigate itself, not to be investigated by any international board."
RELATED:Navy officers call for probe into raidAnalysis: Turkey also stands to lose over flotilla affairPM: Mercenaries aboard Gaza ship"Israel will not apologize for measures taken to defend its citizens, or measures taken to protect the lives of its soldiers," Oren said.
Meanwhile on Sunday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague called for a "credible and transparent" probe of what had transpired, adding that "there should be an international presence at minimum."
In Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the ministers he had informed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Israel would defer for further consideration his call for an international investigation of the boarding of the Mavi Marmara last week.
"We must cautiously weigh the manner in which such an investigation will be conducted to protects the interests of the IDF and Israel," Netanyahu said.