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US vetoes Security Council resolution on violence in Gaza
Report, UN News, 13 July 2006
John R. Bolton, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, vetoes the draft resolution calling on Israel to halt its military incursion in the Gaza Strip. Ten of the 15 Security Council nations voted in favor, while Denmark, Peru, Slovakia and the United Kingdom abstained. (UN Photo/Marie Gandois)
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The United Nations Security Council failed today to adopt a draft resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza and for a halt to what it called a “disproportionate” military reaction by Israel, due to a veto by the United States, which called the text unbalanced and outdated.
Denmark, Peru, Slovakia and United Kingdom abstained from voting on the draft, which also called for the release of all Palestinian officials detained by Israel and called on the Palestinian Authority to take “immediate and sustained” action to bring and end the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel.
The text would have explicitly condemned Israel’s current “military assault” in Gaza, which, it said, “has caused the killing and injury of dozens of Palestinian civilians” and destroyed Gaza’s main power station.
In addition, the draft called on the international community to provide emergency assistance to the Palestinian people to help alleviate the dire humanitarian situation, and on the Israeli Government to restore and maintain the continuous and uninterrupted supply of fuel to Gaza, and to “act expeditiously” to replace destroyed equipment at the power plant.
Explaining Washington’s negative vote, Ambassador John Bolton of the United States said the text did not reflect important new developments, including the fact that the Secretary-General is sending a team to the region.
More
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4983.shtml
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The United Nations Security Council failed today to adopt a draft resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza and for a halt to what it called a “disproportionate” military reaction by Israel, due to a veto by the United States, which called the text unbalanced and outdated.
Denmark, Peru, Slovakia and United Kingdom abstained from voting on the draft, which also called for the release of all Palestinian officials detained by Israel and called on the Palestinian Authority to take “immediate and sustained” action to bring and end the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel.
The text would have explicitly condemned Israel’s current “military assault” in Gaza, which, it said, “has caused the killing and injury of dozens of Palestinian civilians” and destroyed Gaza’s main power station.
In addition, the draft called on the international community to provide emergency assistance to the Palestinian people to help alleviate the dire humanitarian situation, and on the Israeli Government to restore and maintain the continuous and uninterrupted supply of fuel to Gaza, and to “act expeditiously” to replace destroyed equipment at the power plant.
Explaining Washington’s negative vote, Ambassador John Bolton of the United States said the text did not reflect important new developments, including the fact that the Secretary-General is sending a team to the region.
More
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4983.shtml
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The United States has rejected a United Nations resolution demanding Israel end its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The US was the only country to vote against the draft resolution put forward by Qatar on behalf of Arab nations. Ten of the 15 Security Council nations voted in favour and four, Britain, Denmark, Slovakia and Peru, abstained.
The draft resolution accused Israel of a "disproportionate use of force" that endangered Palestinian civilians, and demanded Israel withdraw its troops from Gaza.
The draft had been changed before the vote over concerns that it was too biased against Israel. Calls for the release of the Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants and an end to rocket attacks on Israel were added.
But John Bolton, the US ambassador to the UN, said the draft was still unacceptable because it had been overtaken by events in the region - including the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah on Wednesday - and was "unbalanced".
More
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/36D7D6BE-EE01-4564-9AEA-EC02AA9AE8F2.htm
The US was the only country to vote against the draft resolution put forward by Qatar on behalf of Arab nations. Ten of the 15 Security Council nations voted in favour and four, Britain, Denmark, Slovakia and Peru, abstained.
The draft resolution accused Israel of a "disproportionate use of force" that endangered Palestinian civilians, and demanded Israel withdraw its troops from Gaza.
The draft had been changed before the vote over concerns that it was too biased against Israel. Calls for the release of the Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militants and an end to rocket attacks on Israel were added.
But John Bolton, the US ambassador to the UN, said the draft was still unacceptable because it had been overtaken by events in the region - including the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah on Wednesday - and was "unbalanced".
More
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/36D7D6BE-EE01-4564-9AEA-EC02AA9AE8F2.htm
The United States blocked a resolution Thursday that would have demanded Israel halt its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the first United Nations Security Council veto in nearly two years.
The draft, sponsored by Qatar, accused Israel of a "disproportionate use of force" that endangered Palestinian civilians, and demanded Israel withdraw its troops from Gaza.
The U.S. was alone in voting against the resolution. Ten of the 15 Security Council nations voted in favor, and four abstained.
The draft had been reworked repeatedly to address concerns that it was too biased against Israel. Language was added calling for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit and urging the Palestinians to stop firing rockets at Israel.
Nonetheless, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said it was still unacceptable because it had been overtaken by events in the region - including the abduction of two IDF soldiers by Hezbollah militants on Wednesday - and was "unbalanced."
"It placed demands on one side in the Middle East conflict but not the other," Bolton said. "This draft resolution would have exacerbated tensions in the region."
Israel launched the operation two weeks ago in response to a raid carried out by militants along the Gaza border, in which two soldiers were killed and Shalit was abducted.
More
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737324.html
The draft, sponsored by Qatar, accused Israel of a "disproportionate use of force" that endangered Palestinian civilians, and demanded Israel withdraw its troops from Gaza.
The U.S. was alone in voting against the resolution. Ten of the 15 Security Council nations voted in favor, and four abstained.
The draft had been reworked repeatedly to address concerns that it was too biased against Israel. Language was added calling for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit and urging the Palestinians to stop firing rockets at Israel.
Nonetheless, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said it was still unacceptable because it had been overtaken by events in the region - including the abduction of two IDF soldiers by Hezbollah militants on Wednesday - and was "unbalanced."
"It placed demands on one side in the Middle East conflict but not the other," Bolton said. "This draft resolution would have exacerbated tensions in the region."
Israel launched the operation two weeks ago in response to a raid carried out by militants along the Gaza border, in which two soldiers were killed and Shalit was abducted.
More
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737324.html
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