January 25, 2011

The response was predictable when Israel released the findings of its commission of inquiry into the May 2009 Turkish flotilla incident: Israel’s defenders heralded it as absolving Israel of wrongdoing, Turkish critics of Israel dismissed it as not credible. Now the question is how the international community will view the report, which found that the Israeli Navy was not at fault in the May 31 confrontation aboard one of a flotilla of Gaza-bound ships that left nine Turkish passengers dead. \”We think that this is an independent report, credible and impartial and transparent investigation that has been undertaken by Israel,\” U.S. State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley said late Monday. \”It will contribute to the broader process that continues through the secretary-general\” of the United Nations. It\’s not clear that other countries will be as receptive to the Turkel Commission\’s findings released Sunday.