UN chief proposes international probe into Gaza flotilla raid - paper

United Nations Secretary General Bank Ki-moon has proposed to Israel to set up an international commission to investigate the raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla a week ago, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Sunday.

The commission would be headed by former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer, an expert on maritime law while commission members would include representatives from the United States, Turkey and Israel, the paper said.

Israeli commandos stormed the six-ship Freedom Flotilla off the Gaza coast on Monday as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave blockaded by Israel.

Official Israeli reports said nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed in the raid, however, Arab media reports put the death toll at close to 20.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Israel should back the idea as the investigation would help expose links between Turkish authorities and the flotilla organizers whom Israel accuses of supporting terror groups, including Al Qaeda, the paper said.

TEL AVIV, June 6 (RIA Novosti)