On Tuesday, Israel’s Security Cabinet hardened the country’s rejection of an independent inquiry.
Earlier reports said discussion about setting up an inquiry had been on the agenda of the meeting, which brings together seven ministers with security responsibilities.
However, an official said it was blocked by Defence Minister Ehud Barak, an architect of Israel’s winter onslaught, supported by Benjamin Netanyahu, who was elected prime minister in March.
Both men have called the UN report one-sided and said it undermined Israel’s right to defend itself. They argue internal investigations by the Israeli military are already dealing with a small number of violations.
“Our struggle is to delegitimize the continuing attempt to delegitimize the state of Israel. The most important sphere we need to work in is the sphere of public opinion in the democratic world,” Mr Netanyahu was quoted telling the cabinet.
Foreign and justice ministry officials are reported to favour setting up an investigation in the hope of defusing an international row which is widely seen to have done damage to Israel’s reputation.
Instead, ministers agreed on the establishment a legal-diplomatic panel to handle any possible war crimes prosecutions against Israel or its citizens.
Separately, Palestinian Authority President and Fatah party leader Mahmoud Abbas has been holding talks in Cairo with Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak.
It is the latest in a long-running process attempting to reach a reconciliation deal between Fatah and the other main Palestinian faction, Hamas.
Aides of Mr Abbas have accused Hamas, which runs Gaza, of shirking a commitment to sign the Egyptian-mediated agreement after Fatah signed it.
Hamas says it will sign the document as long as there are no clauses added that have not been agreed.
It said its previous request for a postponement was to give it time to study new Egyptian proposals, and to comment on the Goldstone report.