UNITED NATIONS (Islamweb & Agencies) - Palestinians rebuked the U.N. Security Council and the United States on Monday for not taking action in the West Bank and Gaza, saying the lack of an international presence contributed to 11 months of brutal Israeli reaction to a Palestinian uprising against occupation. (Read photo caption below)But Washington, which has veto power in the 15-member Security Council, backed Israel in the public meeting and said a proposed Palestinian resolution calling for monitors was one-sided and unworkable.
``It is precisely because of the gravity of events on the ground that we question the appropriateness and effectiveness of any action here in New York,'' U.S. chief representative James Cunningham said.
``What is required now is not rhetoric, not debate that polarizes an already volatile situation, and certainly not an effort to condemn one side with unbalanced charges or to impose unworkable ideas that will not change the reality on the ground,'' Cunningham told the council.
Because of the U.S. objections, many non-Islamic countries did not appear anxious to push any resolution to a vote and some, like Russia, were silent on monitors or observers.
Nasser al-Kidwa, the chief Palestinian U.N. observer said discussions were underway with developing nations before the draft would be formally introduced. In practice, no monitors can be sent without Israel's permission but Arab and other Islamic countries want the principle established.
Al-Kidwa, said the escalation of Israeli brutality might have been avoided had the 15-member body lived up to its responsibilities by taking specific measures blocked by the United States months ago. ``Frankly, it seems to be that there is something fundamentally wrong,'' he said, adding that life for Palestinians has turned into a ``veritable hell.''
Al-Kidwa's draft resolution calls for an undefined ''monitoring mechanism,'' that should ``help create a better situation on the ground.'' It also asks Israel to relinquish Orient House and other Palestinian offices it seized in Jerusalem this month, a demand most U.N. members echoed.
Pakistan's ambassador, Shamshad Ahmad said the Palestinians needed an observer force ``to help cool down the situation and facilitate resumption of the peace process.''
ISLAMIC NATIONS
The meeting was called by the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Conference and will give all U.N. members a chance to voice views. But it is doubtful the council can even agree on a statement, much less a resolution, diplomats said.
Israel's U.N. Ambassador Yehuda Lancry called the draft resolution a one-sided document that is ``seeking to place blame for the present crisis squarely on one party'' and requiring ''virtually nothing of the Palestinian side.''
At a rally of Jewish leaders near the United Nations, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton said she had no faith ``that the United Nations is going to do the right thing'' and call on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to condemn what she calls ``Arab terrorism.''
Every U.N. ambassador advocated implementation of proposals drafted last March by an international commission, headed by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell. They include a cooling-off period, confidence-building measures and a resumption of peace talks. Israel says the uprising against Israeli occupation first must stop.
Lancry claimed that Israel had waited for a cooling off and was rewarded with bombers instead. ``We waited and we ended up waiting only for the next attack,'' he claimed.
More than 550 Palestinians and 150 Israelis have died in the violence which erupted after peace talks were deadlocked and Ariel Sharon now Israel's prime minister, visited holy sites in Jerusalem on Sept. 28.
Europeans criticized all sides. Typical was Britain's envoy, Stewart Eldon, who said Israelis doubted the Palestinian Authority was a true peace partner, while Palestinians doubted Israel was willing to move the negotiations forward.
Eldon said the Palestinian Authority had to ``make a 100 percent effort'' to reduce what he called violence and preempt bombing by extremists. Israel had to restrain its use of force, lift closures crippling the Palestinian civilians and end a policy of assassinating Palestinian militants, he said.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Palestinian Observer to the United Nations Nasser al-Kidwa speaks at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the U.N., August 20, 2001. Palestinians rebuked the Security Council and the United States for not taking action to place monitors in the West Bank and Gaza, saying this contributed to the past 11 months of of brutal Israeli reaction to a Palestinian uprising against occupation.. (Peter Morgan/Reuters)