Israeli officials accused the United Nations of conducting a smear campaign against Israel, as the Israeli cabinet further delayed the arrival of a UN fact-finding mission at the Jenin refugee camp. Despite the complaints, Israel did not close the door to the UN team completely. A government decision on whether to cooperate with the UN mission was expected within a day, said Gideon Meir, an Israeli foreign ministry official.

Meir suggested that the fact-finding team could harm Israel's image far more than the bad press Israel was receiving for postponing the team's arrival.

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I think we have to disagree with the United Nations now, even at the cost of world opinion, Meir said, accusing the organisation of an anti-Israel bias. They want to set us up. Israel has insisted that the three-member team include more military and counter-terrorism experts, and that it investigate Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians which emanated from the Jenin camp as well as military incursion.

Israeli officials have expressed concern that the team might summon soldiers to testify before it. This awful United Nations committee is out to get us and is likely to smear Israel and to force us to do things... Such as interrogating soldiers, said communications minister Reuven Rivlin.

In its weekly Sunday meeting, Israel's cabinet decided to again delay the team's arrival. The fact-finding team, originally scheduled to arrive Saturday, has been awaiting Israeli approval before it leaves Geneva.
Bureau Report