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John Bolton, US Ambassador to UN speaks to reporters after a Security Council meeting regarding the Israeli actions in Gaza. (AP)
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| By Associated Press July 4, 2006 |
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The U.N. Security Council must do its part to avoid a major crisis in the Middle East by compelling Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza, the Palestinians' U.N. observer said Monday.
Riyad Mansour called the standoff over a kidnapped Israeli soldier in Gaza "critical," and urged the international community to help keep Israel and the Palestinians -- as well as the entire Middle East -- from "plunging into an irrevocable cycle of violence."
The council cannot abandon its responsibility "in the face of this rising threat to the already too fragile, tense and instable security situation in the Middle East," Mansour wrote in a letter to France's ambassador, who holds the Security Council presidency for July.
Mansour did not say how he believes the council should act, but there is little it can do besides pass a resolution that would condemn Israel for its offensive.
The letter came as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive in Gaza Monday, part of efforts to force Palestinian militants to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, seized on June 25 in a raid on an Israeli army post.
The militants first demanded that Israel free all imprisoned Palestinian women and minors in exchange for information about him. They later increased their demand to include the release of a further 1,000 prisoners, and then gave Israel 24 hours starting Monday to begin letting them go.
The letter was delivered as Arab nations at the U.N. held a closed-door meeting to debate whether to seek just such a Security Council resolution. They made no decision after an hour's discussion and decided to meet again on Wednesday. The U.N. is closed Tuesday for U.S. Independence Day.
If the crisis becomes urgent enough, the lone Arab nation on the council, Qatar, could draft a resolution and demand Security Council consultations on it.
Diplomats said France, as president of the council, would have trouble turning down a Qatari request for a meeting to discuss a resolution if the crisis escalates in Gaza.
A draft resolution would force the United States to weigh whether to use its veto as a permanent member of the council. In the past, the U.S. has blocked such resolutions because it believes they are unfairly critical of Israel and ignore Palestinian actions.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said there was no need for the council to meet, especially because it debated the issue at length on Friday. During that meeting, Mansour called on the council to condemn the Israeli aggression, to order an immediate cessation of hostilities, and demand the release of 64 Palestinians, mainly elected officials, arrested by Israel.
"The council met on Friday to discuss this issue fully. As of now, we see no point in meeting further," Bolton said in a statement Monday.
On Friday, Bolton had also suggested he was opposed to a resolution because he believed it would only exacerbate tensions in the region.
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