Ban announces Israeli, Turkish members of inquiry panel into flotilla incident

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the Israeli and Turkish members of the Panel of Inquiry on the 31 May incident involving a flotilla headed for Gaza after departing Turkey.

Israel's Panel member Joseph Ciechanover and Turkey's Panel member Özdem Sanberk both “have distinguished records of public service,” Mr. Ban said in a statement.

The Secretary-General said that he looks forward to meeting the men on 10 August in New York, when they will join the Panel's other members: Geoffrey Palmer, Chair of the Panel and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Alvaro Uribe, Vice-Chair of the Panel and outgoing President of Colombia.

“As I said when announcing the Panel, I hope the Panel will fulfil its mandate based on the Presidential Statement of the Security Council and with the fullest cooperation of the relevant national authorities of the two countries,” Mr. Ban said.