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Insisting that Tel Aviv's right to self defence is not negotiable, US Ambassador Alejandro D Wolff put the entire blame for the current crisis on Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which controls Gaza, saying Washington cannot equate the actions of Israel, a UN member, with those of a terror group.
"There is no equivalence there," he remarked after a three and a half hour emergency closed-door meeting of the 15-member Council late last night.
Wolff said Hamas is in violation of earlier agreements and there are no prospects of it abiding by the statement issued by the Council last Sunday calling for immediate truce.
"Any statement at this point of time would not be adhered to and would have no underpinning for success, would do no credit to the Council," he told reporters after the meeting.
As the diplomats came out of closed-door meeting held at the request of Libya to take stock of the ground invasion by Israel, Arabs expressed frustration that the Council could not agree even on a press statement, even though most members were agreeable on the elements.
Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council, told reporters that they could not agree on any statement, though there were ‘strong convergences’ on basic elements.
The members, Ripert said, expressed serious concern on escalation of violence and deterioration of the situation in Gaza and southern Israel.
They supported "immediate permanent and fully respected" ceasefire, expressed "deep concern" over humanitarian situation in Gaza and favoured free access to humanitarian supplies.
They also supported call for protection of civilians and regional and international efforts being made to resolve the crisis as also the need for parties to go back to the negotiation table.
Though Ripert did not name the member state which blocked any statement, Arab diplomats later identified the US as the hold out, saying that Washington did not want even to issue the statement on the lines of the one the Council did on Sunday last.
American Ambassador Woff did nothing to contradict what the Arabs had said as he laid all blame on Hamas.
The problem that the region is facing, he said, is Hamas' continuing rocket attacks on Israel. "The efforts we are making ... 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.
The emergency meeting was convened ahead of the arrival here of Arab Foreign Ministers to press the United Nations to adopt an Arab-sponsored resolution which was moved by Libya a week ago.
They are expected to hold a meeting among themselves and then call on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and permanent and elected members of the Council separately.
Council diplomats say there could be an open meeting of the Council on Tuesday in which the Arab Foreign Ministers could take part.
As the Council began closed door meeting last night, it had before it a text of a statement drafted by Arabs which expressed "serious concern at the escalation of situation in Gaza, in particular, after the launching of ground offensive by Israel. It also called on all parties to declare immediate ceasefire and to stop immediately all military activity.
British Ambassador John Sawers expressed "disappointment" about the Council's failure to agree on a statement and called for, among other things, an end to smuggling of arms from Egypt to Gaza which sustained the capacity of Hamas to fight.
But Egyptian diplomats took strong objection to his statement, saying that no such thing was happening.
A statement, unlike a resolution, needs the concurrence of all Council members though it is way down in importance than a resolution.
Council diplomats said that the United States, which is a permanent member, could not be persuaded to either back the Libyan draft or a watered down version of it.
Wolff maintained that there is no use of issuing statements which are not going to be observed. The Arabs do not agree with Washington's view and thus the Council is deadlocked.
Permanent Palestinian observer Riyad Mansour said Israel cannot continue to behave as a state above the international law and the Council needs to stop the aggression.
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All you that criticize hamas for firing rockets into Israel need to look in the mirror and ask your self: What would you feel towrad Israel if you watched your child die in your arms or watched your father or mother killed by the Israeli army. How would you feel? Would you feel hatred? Would you try and fight the country that killed your family? The embargo against Palestine has caused years of suffering to it's people. Children can't get clean water, food, medical supplies.. It's been a death camp for a very long time. The only way they can fight is to fire rockets at the only area where they can reach.
Why is it that Muslims in general have an expectation and blaming mentality ?Why dont they modernise ? Why dont they allow secularism ? Why couldnt Pakistand and Bangladesh be secular ? Why dont they look inside and revolutionise their thought ? Why do they hound Salman Rusgdie and Taslima Nasreen ? We didnt hound Raja Rammohan Ray or Swami Vivekananda. In desert you cover your face to protect from storms. Why do u do it in India blindly ? When Buddha and Hindu statues were demolished left and right, how much did they protest. Why did they not riot against the Taleban and their supporters then ? But when it is one dilapidated Babri in Ayodhya, they cry hoarse over it year after year. Why dont they build a Church, Synagogue, Pagoda and Temple in Mecca and Medina as a sign of Islamic tolerance. Are there not masjids in Kasi, Kanchi and Mathura ? Why is it that for Indian Muslims , Palistine is closer to heart than JK Hindus and Sikhs ?
If hamas was firing rockets before, did Israel or USA give an ultimatum to it for retaliatory action. Was the world told about the situation developed by Hamas? Why this sudden action when the area is freezing. Can the world understand the plight of the people there. For my Rightist friends: Is it wrong to fight for independence? Palestine, Kashmir, Chechyna are all issues of independence. Something like E. Timor, but USA and the world is blind, because these are Muslim countries and not Christian like Timor.
JK enjoys maximum autonomy in India. If you still call JK, an ISSUE OF FREEDOM, then sorry, I think its REALLY IS AN ISSUE OF ISLAMIC RELIGION and what does it teaches its followers. If JK was an issue of freedom, why Sikhs and Hindus are eliminated from there ? Arent they kashmiri brethren ? The problem with Muslims is this. A violent section of them preach hatred against others and ruin their lives. A vocal section of them claims the perpetrators are not Muslims , but they will never challenge the violent Muslims. A third oral section will give examples of retaliatory actions and say, 'see here how Muslims are being treated badly'. They will never see who started the riots and violence in the first place.
Israel calls a spade a spade. Does India do that? Israel does what it needs to do to protect its citizens. Doesnt care for World opinion.Now look at India.India plays double games by supporting terrorist PLA and by criticising Israel against Hamas.It whimpers when Bangladesh Army kills 18 soldiers and 'sends a protest note'.It 'sends a protest note' when every fortnight Lankan Navy guns down Indian fishermen.It shudders to hang the parliament attacker.It is afraid of bringing in uniform civil law.I would say, even a eunuch knows to protect herself.India criticises Lankan attack on LTTE but wants Prabhakaran when captured.What a bundle of lies is our country. Shame on our politicians.
U.S. is doing the right thing.Israel did not start this conflict and they should not end it till Hamas stops shelling bombs into Israel.This is the only way Muslims learn.
How many of you know the condition in which the Gazans have lived for the past 1.5 years since Hamas was publicly elected? They were made to be dependent on the Israeli military check posts for their daily needs of water, food. The israelis have no control on air or else they would have done that also. When the intifada began, the israeli army was bound on killing children as they would grow and become a stronger force. Whatever happening is not good for the stability of the whole world..... Palestine is an occupied country (by israel) and palestinians are fighting for their land in all the means possible for a decent way of life.... which everyone claims as terrorism.
This is great. It is important for the Arabs to remember that we cannot negotiate with terrorists. Arabs need to put pressure on Hamas and stop it from indulging in irresponsible actions.Israel has not made any mistake. The fault lies with Palestine and Arabs squarely.
Dear Sir,It always that USA has double standards, he telling India to control and not take any action against Pakistan because Pak belong to their group and on the hand not stopping Israeli against Hamas because here Israeli belongs to US group. US always seek their benifit first than any others. Either US joint Indian forces to attact all miltans places in Pak or should act in a way to stop attack on Hamas. US should stop double faced polices. I am sure Obama is going to act in same way as Bush. There is no differance between Bush and Obama.thanks
Can the world's largest exporter of Terrorism a.k.a. Terroristan a.k.a. Pakistan dare to send non state actors officially or unofficially? Well done Israel.
No country should have veto power in the UNSC. It is very necessary to have democracy in the world body. Each country should have equal voting right irrespective of whether it is rich or poor.
Why doesn't US advise Israel to exercise restraint the way it asked India to do following the Mumbai attack? The double standards of US belie the claim that it has a strategic relationship with India or it is fighting a global war against terror. It is actually abetting terror by not acting against the source of terror, namely Pakistan. India does not need to hand over any dossier to it on terror suspects. It should actually create conditions in which Taliban target US and allied forces forcing the latter to act against them.
Because Pak is a nuclear country. The US is pöast Pak friendship, now its leaning towards India and will heavily lean in future. That is change of alliances for the future. But the Us is wary of Paki nukes.
these islamic countries always cry foul. iy was hammas who broke the cease fire and fired rockets on isreal. now if isreal is retaliating then why the islamic countries start crying. isreal has right to protect itself. cease fire, had it been respected , the things would not have gone to this extent. the morale is do not break promises which islamic nations usually have the habit to do so.
Terrorist Groups are not under control of UNSC. Now it has come the point that every country has right to smash such terrorists and protect the people of its nation. Isreal has done well.
Now US is doing good job and ignoring Arab leaders false advises, thats good sign, India also start going into US umbrella along with Israel (ofcourse not for other wrong activities) only to protect from corrupted, failed, foolish jihadi invasion of India. Indian gov. supported prev. Arafat no. of times, but Islamic countries organization never supported India on Kashmir and always blindly supported Pak, so why India wants this foolish Meherbani or useless blessings from these Saudi, Iran, UAE, Malaysian leaders? only for Muslim votebank politics, Congress played this henous muslim votebank politics for decades, now they need to change this foul, activities atleast now. Those muslim votebank politics not helpful for another 90% majority, its only helpful for 0.1% of Muslim Mullah's who backed by fanatic saudi, Pak jihadi fundamentalist leaders. Atleast US
DEAR SIRS, PLEASE IMAGINE THE PLIGHT OF GAZAN PEOPLE. KEPT IN AN OPEN JAIL WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FOOD, ELECTRICITY, WATER, COMMON AMENITIES, VIRTUALLY CAGED WITHOUT FREEDOM. IF THEY HAPPEN TO RESPOND, US AND ISRAEL CALLS IT TERRORISM. WHO IS THE TRUE TERRORIST ? WHO IS THE ACTUAL SUFFERER ? IF GAZA POPULATION THROW A STONE AT ISRAELI, THEY RESPOND BY SENDING FIGHTER PLANES, BOMBING A FEW APARTMENTS, KILLING ONE MAN AND FOUR FEMALES AND 10 CHILDREN. I CANT UNDERSTAND THIS LOGIC. EVEN A DOG WILL NOT ACCEPT THE PITIABLE SITUATION. IT WILL BARK AND EXPRESS ITS ANGER. YOU ARE TRYING TO SILENCE THE BARKING DOG BY BEATING.
US IS HAVING ALWAYS DOUBLE POLICY THE DAYS ARE NEAR WHEN US WILL BECOME USSR
USSR had lot of internal fights between them, USA will never get separated. Any contry in the world will say not to fight or keep quite .. but never will ask to wage a war.. India does not have guts to go for war as we see too many things and get scared of losses.Well doe USA in this Issue--period
"Tel Aviv's right to self defence is not negotiable" why this is not applicable for india Mr.Alejandro D Wolff ?