UN wants Palmer on probe

Geoffrey Palmer. Photo / Steven McNicholl

The United Nations has proposed former New Zealand Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer as head of an inquiry into Israel's raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla a week ago.

The committee of inquiry would include representatives from the United States, Turkey and Israel, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

Sir Geoffrey, an expert on maritime law, is NZ's commissioner to the International Whaling Commission.

Haaretz said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon conveyed the proposal to Tel Aviv about a week ago.

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Murray McCully would say only that it was up to the United Nations to announce any panel it put together.

"We are aware that the UN is looking at the possibility of a panel being formed to look at it [the incident]."

Nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli marines stormed a Turkish ship a week ago as the flotilla moved to breach the blockade to supply aid to residents in Gaza.

New Zealander Nicola Enchmarch was among the passengers and crew who were captured and detained in Israeli custody before being deported.

Green Party MP Keith Locke, a long-time critic of Israel's policies with regard to Palestinians, said Sir Geoffrey was a good choice.

"He's got a good sharp mind and probably wouldn't take any nonsense, because the key task of the inquiry would be to get everyone to co-operate with it.

"In the past - as in the UN Gaza inquiry previously - Israel has refused to co-operate, and hopefully this time around they will."

However, Mr Locke noted early indications from Israel that it would not allow the inquiry to directly interview soldiers involved in the incident.

The inquiry's scope has not yet been defined but it is certain to consider whether Israel's takeover of the ship the Mavi Marmara contravened international law.

Senior officials at the Israeli Foreign Ministry told Haaretz Tel Aviv should consider the idea favourably because Turkey would probably oppose it.

Such a committee would reveal details about ties between the Turkish Prime Minister, the flotilla organisers and the Islamic Humanitarian Help Foundation, reportedly linked to terror groups.

"If the mandate is reasonable and does not include questioning IDF [Israel Defence Forces] soldiers, such a committee could remove the sting from the affair and neutralise similar future flotillas," one official said.

Tel Aviv is said to be leaning towards allowing an examination without the questioning of Israeli soldiers.

Reuters reported that the head of Turkey's state forensics laboratory said autopsy results on the nine Turkish activists killed in last Monday's raid showed they had been shot 30 times, many at close range. Five were killed by gunshots to the head.

Twenty-four people were still in a hospital in Ankara, including seven in critical condition, according to doctors.

Another ship attempted to reach Gaza yesterday but was stopped without incident and crew and passengers were to be deported.

Sir Geoffrey could not be reached.