Israeli envoys are due at the United Nations Thursday to explain Israel's objection to the fact-finding team named to investigate what happened at the Jenin refugee camp. 

Palestinians say Israeli forces massacred civilians -- a charge Israel denies. 

Israel says the U.N. team was set up with the goal of finding Israel at fault. It wants U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to put more military and anti-terrorism experts on the team. It says the mission should also investigate what it says was the terrorist network that flourished in the Jenin camp. 

Mr. Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard says the secretary-general will not negotiate the team's composition, and will not meet with the Israelis. He says Israel had indicated it would cooperate with whatever team Mr. Annan named, and that the secretary-general feels its members were his to choose. He says Mr. Annan expects the fact-finding team to be in place by Saturday. However, the team's departure for Jenin has been delayed while the Israeli envoys meet with other U.N. officials today. 

Palestinans say Israel's objections show it has something to hide. Israel denies the Palestinian allegations. 

The United Nations says Mr. Annan has not ruled out adding additional experts to the team "as deemed necessary." 

The team appointed by Mr. Annan is led by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari. Other members include the former president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Cornelio Sommaruga, and former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata. Retired U.S. General William Nash will be the team's top military advisor. 

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he thinks it is important for both the Middle East peace process and Israel's reputation that Israel allow the team in. 

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States has seen no evidence of a massacre at Jenin -- but that it is in Israel's best interest to allow the U.N. team to investigate. 

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