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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (centre) arrives to the weekly cabinet meeting held at his office in Jerusalem.
The White House described Israel's announcement of an "independent public commission" including two foreign observers to investigate its May 31 naval raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in which nine Turkish activists were killed, "an important step forward."
Gibbs also noted that "the United States joined the international community in condemning those acts which led to nine fatalities and many injuries on board the flotilla, and supporting the completion of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation."
Washington's chief ally in the Middle East "has a military justice system that meets international standards and is capable of conducting a serious and credible investigation," the statement said.
"The structure and terms of reference of Israel's proposed independent public commission can meet the standard of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation.
"But we will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions."
Earlier Sunday, a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the probe, to be chaired by retired Israeli supreme court judge Yaakov Tirkel.
The commission aims to "to investigate aspects related to the actions taken by the state of Israel to prevent vessels reaching the coast of Gaza on May 31," it said.
The two foreign observers would be Irish Noble Peace Prize winner David Trimble and Ken Watkin, a former judge advocate general of the Canadian armed forces, the statement said.
"In light of the exceptional circumstances of the incident, it was decided to appoint two foreign experts who will serve as observers," the statement said.
But it added that Trimble and Watkin "will not have the right to vote in relation to the proceedings and conclusions of the commission."
Netanyahu had told senior members of his right-wing Likud party that the composition and mandate of the commission was being coordinated with the United States.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Sunday that an "international component" would enhance the credibility of an Israeli inquiry.
"We've had discussions with Israel as to how and whether they might go about doing that," she said.
Israel and Egypt cut off most access to the Gaza Strip when Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas and other militants during a cross-border raid in June 2006.
The closure was tightened further the following year when the Islamist group, which has fired thousands of rockets and mortar rounds into Israel, seized power in Gaza.
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Gibbs also noted that "the United States joined the international community in condemning those acts which led to nine fatalities and many injuries on board the flotilla, and supporting the completion of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation."
Washington's chief ally in the Middle East "has a military justice system that meets international standards and is capable of conducting a serious and credible investigation," the statement said.
"The structure and terms of reference of Israel's proposed independent public commission can meet the standard of a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation.
"But we will not prejudge the process or its outcome, and will await the conduct and findings of the investigation before drawing further conclusions."
Earlier Sunday, a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the probe, to be chaired by retired Israeli supreme court judge Yaakov Tirkel.
The commission aims to "to investigate aspects related to the actions taken by the state of Israel to prevent vessels reaching the coast of Gaza on May 31," it said.
The two foreign observers would be Irish Noble Peace Prize winner David Trimble and Ken Watkin, a former judge advocate general of the Canadian armed forces, the statement said.
"In light of the exceptional circumstances of the incident, it was decided to appoint two foreign experts who will serve as observers," the statement said.
But it added that Trimble and Watkin "will not have the right to vote in relation to the proceedings and conclusions of the commission."
Netanyahu had told senior members of his right-wing Likud party that the composition and mandate of the commission was being coordinated with the United States.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Sunday that an "international component" would enhance the credibility of an Israeli inquiry.
"We've had discussions with Israel as to how and whether they might go about doing that," she said.
Israel and Egypt cut off most access to the Gaza Strip when Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas and other militants during a cross-border raid in June 2006.
The closure was tightened further the following year when the Islamist group, which has fired thousands of rockets and mortar rounds into Israel, seized power in Gaza.
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