UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has agreed to delay dispatching a UN fact-finding team to the devastated West Bank refugee camp of Jenin, after Israeli demands.
But Mr Annan said the delay would only be for a day or two and said the team should be in Jenin by Saturday.
After agreeing that a UN team could go to Jenin, Israel told Mr Annan last night that the mission, approved by the UN Security Council, should be delayed and include military as well as counter-terrorism experts.
Mr Annan said he would not discuss his choice of team members but considered adding experts as might be deemed necessary.
"The secretary-general agreed to postpone the departure of the fact-finding team to allow this consultation to take place but expects the team to be in the Middle East by this Saturday", a statement from his office said.
The Jenin camp was the scene of eight days of intense fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinians. Palestinians said Israeli troops committed a massacre and that hundreds died. Israel says 48 people were killed while it lost 23 soldiers.
The U.N. Security Council reacted quickly to the news, telling Israel to live up to its promises. Members expected fast implementation of its Friday resolution endorsing the mission, said the Russia's UN ambassador, Mr Sergei Lavrov, the current council president.
Palestinian UN Observer Nasser al-Kidwa immediately accused Israel of blackmail.
"Either it is final or it is blatant blackmail, which would definitely undermine the integrity the fact-finding mission", he told reporters.
"We thought the Israeli side did not have anything to hide but obviously they do."