quinta-feira, 3 de junho de 2010

Israel rejects international investigation of raid

JERUSALEM — Israel on Thursday rejected calls from the United Nations and others for an international investigation of its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla but left the door open to foreign involvement.
Israel says the commandos used force, killing nine people, only after activists attacked them with knives, crowbars and clubs, as well as two pistols grabbed from raiders. Activists say Israel fired first.
Officials have insisted Israel's military already is investigating the raid and the country is capable of conducting a credible review.
"It is our standard practice after military operations, especially operations in which there have been fatalities, to conduct a prompt, professional, transparent and objective investigation in accordance with the highest international standards," government spokesman Mark Regev said.
Another official in the prime minister's office said there would be no separate international investigation. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official decision.