The Israeli government will not cooperate with the latest commission set up by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate Israel's conduct during the Gaza flotilla affair two months ago.
Despite no official statement being made by the government, senior officials all confirmed that there was no way Israel would confer legitimacy on the UNHRC, widely seen as a forum designed solely for attacking Israel. One official said that "we are not going to even grace them with an official statement. They are totally irrelevant".
The lack of cooperation means that the UNHRC commission will be unable to interview Israeli soldiers, officers and senior politicians. The commission will include Sir Desmond de Silva from Britain, a former undersecretary of the UN and war-crimes prosecutor; Karl Hudson-Phillips from Trinidad and Tobago, a former judge at the international court of justice; and Mary Shanthi Dairiam from Malaysia, a women's rights campaigner.
At the same time, the government is expected to cooperate with another UN commission, this one established by the Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. Mr Ban's commission is not expected to gather evidence, but will rather assess the reports of Israel's Turkel Commission and a report that is expected from the Turkish government. This commission is expected to be headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Jeffrey Palmer and to include Israeli and Turkish representatives.
"We haven't been pleased with all Ban's decisions," said an advisor in the Prime Minister's Office, "but he has usually been fair and if there has to be international involvement, it may as well come from him."
The UNHRC commission will deliver its report by mid-September and it is expected to travel to Gaza and Turkey to collect information. A trip to Israel is highly unlikely given the lack of cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Turkel Commission is continuing its work. Their first stage is to study the report published two weeks ago by the "experts committee" headed by former Major General Giora Eiland. The Turkel Commission received the classified version of the report from the IDF, minus the names of soldiers and officers quoted in it. This is in line with the government's original decision that the commission would concentrate mainly on the diplomatic and legal aspects of the operation against the flotilla.
Meanwhile, Israeli diplomats were satisfied with statements by both the UN Secretary General and various EU leaders calling upon any countries or organisations planning more blockade-breaking flotillas to send all shipments of supplies to Gaza overland, through the Israeli-controlled crossings.
To get more Israel news, click here to sign up for our free Israel Briefing newsletter.