Today, William Kristol reported in the Weekly Standard that members of the Obama Administration “have been telling foreign governments that the administration intends to support an effort next week at the United Nations to set up an independent commission... to investigate Israel's behavior in the Gaza flotilla incident.”

Shortly after the Kristol's article was released, Politico's Ben Smith reported that Administration officials “sharply den[ied]” the claims. Smith quoted an administration official who expressed the White House's support for “an Israeli-led investigation into the flotilla incident that is prompt, credible, impartial, and transparent.” From Politico:

The White House is sharply denying a claim by Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol that “the administration intends to support an effort next week at the United Nations to set up an independent commission, under UN auspices, to investigate Israel's behavior in the Gaza flotilla incident.”

[...]

The White House official said the administration continues to support “an Israeli-led investigation into the flotilla incident that is prompt, credible, impartial, and transparent.”

“We are open to different ways of ensuring the credibility of this Israeli-led investigation, including international participation, and have been in intensive talks with our Israeli partners in the past few days on how to move forward,” said the official. “We know of no resolution that will be debated at the UN on the flotilla investigation next week.”

This is merely the latest attempt by the Weekly Standard to smear the Obama Administration with unfounded and quickly denied accusations. In March, Weekly Standard writer John McCormack falsely reported that Obama was “selling judgeships” in exchange for votes on health care reform. Before that, Weekly Standard writer Michael Goldfarb falsely accused the Administration of threatening to close a Nebraska Air Force Base if Senator Ben Nelson didn't “fall into line” on health care. What will they come up with next?