By IRNA
New York : The United States forced the Security Council to shelve a draft resolution to condemn Israel for new wave of military attacks on Gaza in which scores of Palestinian youth were killed.
The 15-nation council began discussions on a non-binding statement a week ago to condemn Israel for disproportionate use of force against defenseless Palestinians since January 16. Women and children were among victims if Israeli violence.
Israel also sealed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip, complicating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza’s 1.5 million people.
Diplomats told reporters that the council was hopelessly deadlocked due to irreconcilable Libyan and US demands on the content and phrasing of the statement.
Libya’s ambassador to the United Nations, Giadalla Ettalhi, president of the council for the month of January, indicated that Tripoli blamed Washington for the deadlock.
He told reporters that the United States rejected the amendments produced by Libya and it is a question to be put to them.
The Arab League last week proposed a non-binding draft statement expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The draft found support among all the council members except Washington.
Riyad Mansour, the permanent Palestinian representative to the United Nations, made clear he was disappointed.
“We had hoped that the Security Council would adopt something. It is very unfortunate that it did not,” he said.