By NNN-APP,
United Nations : The United States Saturday night blocked a Libyan move in an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council to demand an immediate cease-fire in Gaza after Israel launched a ground invasion that had sparked worldwide condemnation.
After nearly four hours of deliberations behind-closed-doors, council diplomats told reporters that the U.S. refusal to back a Libyan-drafted statement or an immediate truce had thwarted the move, since council statements must be passed unanimously.
The text by Libya, the only Arab member of the council, expressed “serious concern at the escalation of the situation in Gaza, in particular, after the launching of the Israeli ground offensive” and called on all parties “to observe an immediate ceasefire.”
U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said the United States saw no prospect of Hamas abiding by last week’s council call for an immediate end to the violence.
Therefore, he said, a new statement at this time “would not be adhered to and would have no underpinning for success, would not do credit to the council.”
France’s U.N. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, the council president for the month of January, announced that there was no agreement among members on a statement.
But he said there were “strong convergences” among the 15 members to express serious concern about the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the need for “an immediate, permanent and fully respected cease-fire.”
Libya’s U.N. Ambassador Giadalla Ettalhi, the only Arab member of the council, said the United States objected to “any outcome” during the closed council discussions on the proposed statement.
He said efforts were made to compromise and agree on a weaker press statement but there was no consensus.
The United States and Libya have clashed repeatedly on the Israeli-Palestinian issue since Libya joined the council a year ago, and Washington has tried to keep the topic off the agenda whenever possible.
Riyad Mansour, the permanent Palestinian observer to the United Nations, said it was the council’s responsibility to demand that Israel “stop this aggression immediately.”
“Israel cannot continue to behave as a state above international law— this is the law of the jungle,” he said.
The observer said 3,000 Palestinians have been killed and injured since Israeli warplanes starting bombing Gaza a week ago. More than 480 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and four killed in Israel.
He warned that if the Israeli assault is not stopped immediately, thousands more Palestinian civilians will be killed and injured.
“This is immoral, this is illegal, this is unacceptable, and the Security Council cannot continue to sit on its hands and not force Israel to comply with its position, the position that it adopted on Sunday morning,” Mansour said.
He said 3,000 Palestinians have been killed and injured since Israeli warplanes starting bombing Gaza a week ago. More than 480 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and four killed in Israel.
Wolff, the American envoy, did nothing to contradict what the Arabs had that the U.S. had blocked the 15-member council from calling for an immediate ceasefire as he laid the entire blame on Hamas.
The problem that the region is facing, he said, is Hamas’continued rocket attacks. “The efforts we are making nationally are designed to establish a sustainable, durable ceasefire and that means no more rocket attacks.
It is important not go back to status quo ante by allowing Hamas to threaten Israelis and continue to bring deprivation to the people in Gaza,” he said.
International criticism of the offensive has increased steadily, but Israel maintains the offensive is aimed at stopping the rocket attacks from Hamas-run Gaza into southern Israel.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate end to Israel’s ground operation in Gaza. Speaking by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Ban conveyed his “extreme concern and disappointment,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
Ban reiterated his call for an immediate cease-fire and urged regional and international partners “to exert all possible influence to bring about an immediate end to the bloodshed and suffering,” the statement said.
The secretary-general said the Israeli ground operation is complicating efforts by the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers- the U.N., the U.S., the European Union and Russia – to end the violence.
France’s U.N. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert echoed Ban.
“We think it’s time for both parties to stop fighting and go back to the political track,” said Ripert. He said he was speaking as French ambassador not as Security Council president, a job he took over on Jan. 1.
The president of the U.N. General Assembly, Miguel d’Escoto Borckmann, blasted Israel’s ground assault into Gaza and criticized the actions of the U.N. Security Council.
He also accused the United States, a veto-wielding permanent council member, of aiding Israel by undermining the council’s ability to intervene in the Gaza crisis.
Several Arab foreign ministers are expected at U.N. headquarters on Monday to urge the Security Council to adopt a resolution ending the Israeli offensive.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delayed his arrival until Tuesday so he can meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the West Bank.