Israel Creates Flotilla Commission | EU Calls for Blockade End

Love | Peace We have no idea why Israeli Prime Minister is smiling in this photo op, taken after his cabinet meeting in Jerusalem today. Israel’s Cabinet has approved an inquiry commission into its “bloody attack” (AP’s words, not ours) on a Gaza-bound flotilla two weeks ago.

The Cabinet convened today and okayed the independent public commission headed by a retired Israeli judge and including two high-ranking foreign observers, added as a result of consultation with the US.

Meanwhile, the European Union, meeting in Luxumbourg,  pressed Israel today to lift the blockade of Gaza, calling it “unacceptable and counterproductive ” in a draft statement. And Turkey has already rejected the new commission to investigate the event. 

EU officials including Blair said there were indications Israel may agree to relax its blockade of Gaza by opening at least one border crossing to large-scale commercial traffic. EU diplomats also said Israel would likely drop its restrictive list of goods permitted into the region, and instead, maintain a short list of items banned because of security concerns. Read on at AP: EU presses Israel to lift Gaza blockade.