Special Report: Palestine-Israel conflicts
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| An Israeli navy patrol boat maneuvers at the port of Ashdod June 5, 2010. Israeli forces seized an Irish-owned ship bound for Gaza on Saturday, boarding the Rachel Corrie close to the Gaza shore near the Mediterranean, an Israeli military spokeswoman said. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) |
JERUSALEM, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Monday that the army has decided to establish an inquiry panel into the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla a week ago.
The panel will look into internal testimonies that had been given by Israeli navy as well as conducting fresh investigations, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
Headed by Israeli retired Major General Giora Eiland, the panel is expected to draw a conclusion by July.
The investigation team was established due to the "great importance with which the IDF views a comprehensive clarification of the facts related to its operational activities," Ha'aretz quoted the army as saying.
Israeli navy commandos boarded a pro-Palestinian international aid flotilla last Monday and clashed with activists on one of the ships, a raid ended with at least nine activists from the flotilla killed and dozens injured.
There has been great pressure from the international community on Israel to accept an international inquiry into the events, including a call from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to establish a panel that would include Israeli, Turkish and American members.
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