Israel says it will take part in UN investigation of deadly raid on Gaza-bound flotilla

Israel to take part in UN probe of flotilla raid

JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister has informed U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon that Israel will take part in a U.N. investigation of the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, a government spokesman said Monday.

The panel will be set up by Ban, who has been pressing Israel to cooperate with the investigation.

“Today, Israel informed the secretary general of the United Nations that we will participate in a panel set up by the secretary general to look into the flotilla incident,” spokesman Mark Regev told The Associated Press. “Ultimately we are sure that the facts are on our side. We have no problem whatsoever with a credible, objective panel.”

The decision marks a departure for Israel, which has frequently viewed the United Nations with suspicion and accused many U.N. bodies of being unfairly biased against the Jewish state.

Regev would not say what, if any, assurances Israel had received from the U.N. chief.