Occupied Jerusalem: Israel, on Sunday, dismissed moves by the United Nations Human Rights Council to open a probe into the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, saying the panel was biased.
"This panel of experts is not intending to look for the truth but to satisfy the non-democratic countries which control the Human Rights Council, who have an automatic anti-Israeli majority," a senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
His remarks came two days after the UN named a panel of experts to investigate whether the commando operation, in which nine Turkish activists were shot dead, breached international law.
Although Israel has yet to respond officially to the council's request for cooperation, the government is widely expected to refuse to have anything to do with it. The country has consistently rejected calls for an international independent investigation into the raid and instead launched two internal enquiries.
Troops involved in the raid say they only resorted to lethal force after being attacked when they boarded the Turkish passenger ferry Mavi Marmara from helicopters.
However, the activists on board say the naval commandos opened fire as soon as they landed on deck.
The 47-member Human Rights Council condemned the raid as an "outrageous attack" during an emergency session, just days after the operation and decided to set up a commission of enquiry.
The panel is due to present its findings in mid-September.
