Israel Lawmakers OK Gaza Flotilla Investigation

Updated at 7:22 a.m. Eastern.

Israel's Cabinet has given final approval for an official investigation into the navy's bloody attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla two weeks ago.

The inquiry will be headed by a retired Israeli Supreme Court justice and it will include two high-ranking foreign observers: Nobel Peace laureate David Trimble of Ireland and Canada's former chief military prosecutor, Ken Watkin. The Cabinet gave its approval on Monday.

Israel has come under harsh criticism for its May 31 raid on the flotilla. Nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed in the raid.

The addition of the foreign observers is meant to boost the credibility of the Israeli-led probe.

The White House has backed Israel's inquiry into the raid, calling it "an important step forward."

Many other countries, however, will have strong doubts over the Israelis' interest in conducting a wholly unbiased investigation into their own military's actions.

Chief amongst Israel's critics in the flotilla raid has been Turkey, the country from which all nine of the activists killed hailed.

"We don't believe that Israel, the country that conducted such a raid against a civilian convoy in international waters, is going to conduct an unbiased investigation," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told reporters Monday. Turkey is still calling for an international investigation led by the United Nations.

Israel rejected demands for a U.N. inquiry, fearing it would be biased, reports CBS Radio News correspondent Robert Berger.

The panel will investigate the actions of the Israeli army and the pro-Palestinian activists - some of whom were allegedly armed with clubs and knives and waiting to attack the Israeli troops as they came aboard their vessel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the inquiry will prove that Israeli troops acted in self-defense against the activists.