Occupied Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday, began testifying before an Israeli commission of inquiry to explain a commando raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla, which killed nine Turkish activists.
The Israeli leader looked at ease as he entered the room shortly after 9am, smiling at the hoards of journalists and members of the public waiting to hear his sworn testimony.
After he took his seat, facing the panel, with his back to the audience, committee members entered the auditorium.
Opening the session, which was expected to last into the afternoon, committee chairman Yaakov Tirkel said some of Netanyahu's testimony would be given verbally and some would be delivered in written form.
Some of it is also expected to take place behind closed doors.
Netanyahu is the first of three top officials to give sworn testimony about the May 31 incident in which naval commandos stormed six aid ships, which were attempting to run the blockade on Gaza. Nine activists were killed in the incident scores of others wounded
The bloody raid caused a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey and sparked global calls for an inquiry, prompting Netanyahu's government to set up the so-called Tirkel Commission to examine the legality of the operation.
