JERUSALEM — Israel announced yesterday it will take part in a UN investigation into the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla last spring.
The move, a departure from Jerusalem’s traditional mistrust of the world body, allowed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to formally announce the creation of an investigative panel into the incident, in which nine Turkish activists, including one with US citizenship, died after being shot by Israeli commandos boarding their ship.
“I sincerely hope that this will contribute to the peace process, as well as improvement of relationship between Israel and Turkey,” Ban said. The panel will now include Turkish and Israeli representatives.
The flotilla had been trying to breach Israel’s three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip. Both sides have said they were acting in self-defense during the confrontation.