The U.N. Security Council says it expects a "positive answer" from Israel on whether it will cooperate with the U.N. fact-finding team to the Jenin refugee camp. 

The council's current president, Sergei Lavrov of Russia, made the statement late Sunday after an emergency session to debate a resolution demanding Israel work with the team. 

Diplomats say U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked for 24 hours to try to work things out. The secretary-general spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres Sunday. 

Israel's communications minister, Reuven Riblin, says the U.N. team is, in his words, "out to get us." He said the team's composition made it inevitable that its report would blame Israel for the destruction at the Jenin camp. 

Palestinians say Israeli soldiers massacred civilians in the West Bank camp during their recent offensive. Israel says about 50 Palestinians were killed in heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen. 

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the main sticking point was whether the United Nations or Israel itself would choose the Israeli witnesses to be interviewed. The three-man team, led by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, has been waiting in Geneva to head to Jenin. Other members include former International Red Cross President Cornelio Sommaruga, and the former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata. Retired U.S. Major General William Nash is the team's top military advisor. 

The U.N. team was originally set to arrive in Jenin Saturday. But Friday, the United Nations agreed to a one-day delay so the Israeli cabinet could formally vote on whether to accept the mission. 

Israel originally welcomed the mission when the Security Council voted to send it earlier this month. But this week, Israeli officials expressed concern the team will focus on the destruction at Jenin and ignore Israel's contention the camp was a haven for terrorists. 

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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