Israel backs down on international inquiry into Gaza flotilla killings

Israel has agreed to co-operate with an inquiry by the UN into the flotilla massacre, according to reports. It is thought Israel has agreed the move as a way of heading off an inquiry by the UN Human Rights Council which Israel loathes even more than the general assembly. It is under the auspices of the UNHRC that the Goldstone investigation and report on Israel's Gaza war crimes was conducted.

At last week's meeting in Washington Obama probably told Netanyahu to wise up and go along with the talking shop as the US will make sure nothing substantive will come out of it by way of criticism or action against Israel. Unfortunately that's probably true, but nevertheless it is an indication of the growing isolation of the settler state, showing that those activists murdered on the flotilla did not die in vain.