The United States late Saturday blocked approval of a Security Council statement calling for an immediate Israeli-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza and southern Israel and expressing serious concern at the escalation of violence.
US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Alejandro Wolff said the US 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 UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, the current council president, announced that there was no agreement on a statement, though 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."
However, while France condemned Israel's military ground operation in Gaza, Jiri Potuznik, the Czech EU presidency spokesman in Prague, expressed support for Israel, saying that the Jewish state appeared to be acting defensively, Reuters reported. "At the moment, from the perspective of the last days, we understand this step as a defensive, not offensive, action," he said.
Arab nations demanded that the council adopt a presidential statement calling for an immediate cease-fire following Israel's launch of a ground offensive in Gaza earlier Saturday, a view echoed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
|