The UN Security Council on Friday put off by 24 hours a vote on
a draft resolution condemning Israel's deadly attack in Gaza, after
Arab nations agreed to soften the text.
Members of the 15-member body met briefly to discuss the
draft,which was introduced by Qatar on behalf of Arab states.
The council would meet at noon (1700 GMT) on Saturday to vote on
the text, whose wording was toned down somewhat from a version
being circulated earlier this week, said Western diplomats.
Arab nations initially asked the council to adopt a resolution
calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a UN observer force
to enforce the ceasefire.
A new draft circulated on Friday dropped both the ceasefire call
and a UN observer force, calling on the international community to
take steps to stabilize the situation, revive the Middle East peace
process, and consider "the possible establishment of an
international mechanism" for the protection of civilians.
Both the original text and the revised version urged Israel to
end its military operations in Palestinian territories and withdraw
its troops from Gaza immediately.
But diplomats said the US would likely veto the new draft
although Washington had not publicly stated its position.
Israeli tanks attacked a residential neighborhood in Beit Hanoun
in northern Gaza early Wednesday, killing at least 18 people,
including eight children.
It was the deadliest attack on Palestinian civilians in the past
several years, prompting a wave of strong censure across the Arab
world and the international community.
Israel has been a key US?ally in the Middle East and the
United States has repeatedly supported Israel's military action
against the Palestinians as defending itself from "terrorist"
attacks.
(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2006)
