Israel Matzav

Israel appoints civilian investigation committee for flotilla follies

On Sunday and Monday, the Netanyahu government appointed a civilian investigative committee examine the events of May 31 when the flotilla of fools was intercepted off Gaza.

The commission will be chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Yaakov Turkel, and will include international law expert Professor Shabtai Rosen and Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Amos Horev, a former president of the Technion.

Two foreign observers have been selected as well, “in light of the unique international aspects of the event,” government spokespeople said. The two are Irish politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate William David Trimble and former Judge Advocate General of the Canadian army Brigadier-General Kenneth Watkin.

The Commission may call IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi as a witness, but not individual IDF soldiers.

Turkey has already decided that they don't trust any commission established by Israel.

The United States issued the following statement on Sunday in response to the commission's formation.

Today, the Government of Israel took an important step forward in proposing an independent public commission to investigate the circumstances of the recent tragic events on board the flotilla headed for Gaza. Through a presidential statement of the United Nations Security Council, the United States joined the international community in condemning those acts which led to nine fatalities and many injuries on board the flotilla, and supporting the completion of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation.

We believe that Israel, like any other nation, should be allowed to undertake an investigation into events that involve its national security. Israel has a military justice system that meets international standards and is capable of conducting a serious and credible investigation, and the structure and terms of reference of Israel's proposed independent public commission can meet the standard of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation. But we will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions.

While Israel should be afforded the time to complete its process, we expect Israel's commission and military investigation will be carried out promptly. We also expect that, upon completion, its findings will be presented publicly and will be presented to the international community.

Aaron Lerner comments:

"Important step" - but don't count on me to slam you if it serves my interests. The "terms of reference of Israel's proposed independent public commission can meet the standard" - that's "can".

"But we will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions."

Now, here is the puzzler: It is one thing for President Obama to warn that America insists that the Israeli commission operate in accordance with its mandate. But that's not what his spokesman says.

In the tradition of the Left - "the ends justify the means" - the White House warns that it won't really endorse the exercise before it knows its outcome.

President Obama's knife remains very much on Netanyahu's throat.

Jennifer Rubin adds:

First, contrary to assurances to some Jewish leaders, the Obama administration is not enthusiastically embracing or participating in an investigation of Israel. In fact, the administration’s response is a grudging acknowledgment that Israel insists on doing this itself and a warning that Obama and the “international community” will continue to sit in judgment. There is no repudiation of an international inquest; to the contrary, the door is left wide open if the UN decides that the results of the inquiry aren’t “credible.”

Second, after being apparently encouraged by the Reid-McConnell letter, which treated the UN statement as a positive development, the Obama team gloats about its move. (”Through a presidential statement of the United Nations Security Council, the United States joined the international community in condemning those acts which led to nine fatalities and many injuries on board the flotilla, and supporting the completion of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation.”) This is what comes from cheer leading the unacceptable — you get more of it.

Third, it orders Israel to present the findings to the “international community.” What other country must do so? Would the U.S. dream of seeking the UN’s stamp of approval on its drone policy?

Finally, there is no indication that we are the least bit interested in investigating Turkey or the terrorists responsible for the violence. Since Turkey will not investigate itself, why is no international inquest convened to explore that nation’s “acts which led to nine fatalities and many injuries on board the flotilla”? It is because Obama refuses to cast blame or focus the international community’s ire anywhere but on Israel.

And at the end of all this, we will get another Goldstone-like commission from the 'Human Rights Council' anyway.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:28 PM