Uri Avnery has written in his weekly article that the Gush Shalom movement he heads sees “no reason to withdraw our Supreme Court petition to disband the Turkel commission [appointed to look into the Israeli handling of the Freedom Flotilla on 31 May] and to appoint an official State Commission of Inquiry”.
According to Avnery:
“[T]he commission has not been accorded any legal standing at all. Netanyahu just asked three nice people to find out if the government’s actions were consistent with international law, nothing more”.
UPDATE: The Israeli cabinet voted on Sunday that the commission, headed by former justice Jacob Tirkel, will be allowed to subpoena witnesses and receive sworn testimony, but Israeli soldiers will not be questioned as part of the inquiry. according to the Prime Minister’s office.
Avnery’s article continues: “All commentators agree that the commission was not set up to clarify the affair, but only to help President Barack Obama to obstruct the appointment of an international inquiry commission. All agreed that this is a ridiculous commission without teeth, that its composition is pathetic and the terms of reference marginal. It seems that Judge Turkel himself felt ashamed. After accepting the appointment on Netanyahu’s terms, this week he threatened to resign if his powers were not extended. Netanyahu gave in”.
“NETANYAHU’S DECISION to enlarge the powers of the commission, so that it will be able to summon witnesses, is far from what is needed. The commission will be unable to investigate how and by whom it was decided to impose the blockade on Gaza, how it was decided to attack the flotilla, how the operation was planned and how it was carried out”
“Now, it seems, it will be given the legal standing of a ‘Government Commission of Inquiry’, but definitely not of a ‘State Commission of Inquiry’.
“Turkel himself, a week before his appointment, had also called for the appointment of a State Commission of Inquiry”.
“[A] ‘State Commission of Inquiry’ would resemble a regular court … such a commission would have the power to summon witnesses, have them testify under oath (with the usual penalties for perjury), cross-examine them, subpoena documents, etc. Also, the commission would warn in advance any persons whose interests could be harmed by its findings and accord them the right to be represented by a lawyer” …