PM suspends agreement to cooperate with UN Jenin mission

In a move that was likely to dramatically sharpen international criticism of Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided late Tuesday to withhold his government's cooperation, for the time being, with a UN fact-finding mission to probe the events that unfolded during the IDF's operation in the Jenin refugee camp.

Senior political sources said the decision - taken following a deliberation between Sharon, Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and foreign ministry officials in Jerusalem - was largely motivated by the fear that Israel would not be treated fairly by the UN team. The sources described the delegation as having a political rather than a professional make-up.

"We weren't happy with the fact that there was no military presence on the team," one Israeli official told Reuters.

The sources also said that Israel had not been fully consulted on matters regarding the mission, and that the team's mandate contradicted the agreement reached with Israel. The sources added that Israel fears the team's mandate will be expanded to investigate IDF actions in other West Bank towns.

Israel's ambassador to the UN, Yehuda Lancry, was to inform Secretary General Kofi Annan of the decision later Tuesday. The team had been scheduled to arrive in Israel on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Sharon had told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Israel had been left with no choice but to accept the fact-finding team to the camp, but that he feared the outcome of the mission.