Israel Eases Opposition to Inquiry Into Jenin Attack
After a late-night strategy session led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israel seemed to retreat somewhat from the combative stance it had assumed on Tuesday, when the government expressed strong reservations about the mandate and composition of the team and said it would stall its arrival until Israel was assured it would not expand into a "set-up to accuse Israel of war crimes."

Tonight Danny Ayalon, foreign policy adviser to Mr. Sharon, said the Israeli officials had been dispatched "with a very positive attitude, hoping to conclude very soon the things we had concerns about, and to move on."

The United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, had refused to reconsider the officials he named to the team, saying Israel had agreed that this was his choice, and declined to delay their work.

The Security Council promptly gave Mr. Annan its support, and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell declared, "It seems to be in the best interests of all concerned, especially the best interests of the Israelis, to let a fact-finding team come in and see what the facts are."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/25/international/middleeast/25MIDE.html