The UN Security Council discussed Tuesday a draft presidential
statement that would call for an end to Israel's closure of
crossings into the Gaza Strip, but failed to reach an
agreement.
The 15-member council held consultations in an emergency session
throughout the day amid calls by Arab countries for moves to help
end the lockdown of Gaza which has effectively blocked humanitarian
assistance to the 1.5 million population in Gaza.
Briefing the council, Under-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs Lynn Pascoe expressed continued UN concern about what he
termed the "extremely fragile" humanitarian situation in the Gaza
Strip while strongly urging Israel to allow "regular and unimpeded"
delivery of fuel and basic necessities to the area.
The top political chief also warned Israel against what he
called "collective penalties" for the Palestinian people.
"Israel must reconsider and ease its policy of pressuring the
civilian population of Gaza for the unacceptable actions of
militants," Pascoe said, "Collective penalties are prohibited under
international law."
Diplomats took the floor in a formal open meeting to voice their
concern over the humanitarian consequences caused by Israel's
lockdown of the territory before huddling behind closed door to
discuss a draft presidential statement prepared by Libya, the
council's president for this month.
The nonbinding text, which has the support of Arab countries,
expresses concern over the situation in Gaza and calls on Israel to
end its restrictions and ensure access for humanitarian aid to the
Palestinian people.
It also urges Israel "to abide by its obligation under
international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and
immediately to cease all its illegal measures and practices against
the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip."
Palestinian UN observer Ryad Mansour said the situation in the
Gaza Strip was distressing and grave, as Israel had intensified its
"collective punishment" of the Palestinian civilian population,
obstructing the entry into Gaza of even basic food stuffs and other
essential humanitarian supplies.
"The current situation is absolutely untenable, humanly
unbearable and morally unacceptable," Mansour said, urging the
council to take "urgent, practical and specific measures" to end
the crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Israel's UN delegate Gilad Cohen said the current crisis was
caused by "many wrong choices" made by Palestinian militants who
had fired more than 2,000 rockets and mortars at Israel in
2007.
Israel and its Western allies, including the United States and
France, opposed the passage of the document, which would require
the approval of all council members.
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters that the current
draft was "unacceptable" because "it does not talk about the rocket
attacks" on Israeli civilians.
Western diplomats doubted any adoption of the text in its
current form, saying it would have to be amended to include more
balanced language.
The council is expected to continue their consultations over the
text Wednesday afternoon.
(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2008)
