Merkel: Mideast Quartet should help flotilla probe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for representatives of the Mideast Quartet to be included in an investigation of Israel's raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Merkel's spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said in a statement Thursday that she spoke by telephone with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to express her dismay at the loss of life.

Merkel and Abbas agreed that a thorough investigation of the event was needed to diffuse tension in the region.

The German chancellor suggested that representatives from the Quartet of Middle East mediators – the European Union, United Nations, Russia and the US – take part in the probe.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel rejected calls from the United Nations and others for an international investigation of its Monday military operation.

Israel says the commandos used force only after activists on board a Turkish flagship attacked them. Nine of the activists were killed.

An official in the Prime Minister's Office said there is "no case in recent history" where a democratic country's army involved in the deaths of civilians in an overseas operation has been subjected to an international investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement by the government.

Despite the official's comments, cabinet ministers seemed to be in agreement on the involvement of foreign elements in Israel's investigation. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called for the establishment of an Israeli commission of inquiry to investigate the raid.

Lieberman told Ynet the investigation must be supervised by impartial foreign officials.