UN/GAZA: Palestinians reject Israeli apology on Gaza deaths

A Palestinian official accused Israel on Thursday (November 09) of "state terrorism" in an attack in Gaza that killed 18 civilians and said Israeli apologies for such incidents were insincere and no longer acceptable. "This is terrorism, this is state terrorism," Palestinian U.N. Observer Riyad Mansour told an emergency Security Council meeting. "These are war crimes for which the perpetrators must be held accountable under international law." But an Israeli diplomat insisted Wednesday's deadly shelling in Beit Hanoun had been accidental. Israel was "deeply saddened" by it and doing its utmost to avoid a repetition, Israeli envoy Daniel Carmon said. "Israel has been asked repeatedly to show restraint. We were told we must give the moderates within the Palestinian leadership time and space to contain Hamas and other terrorist organizations. But let me ask you, what is enough time, when is it okay to say no more? After one thousand rockets? After two thousand rockets? When is enough enough?" Carmon said. The council met at the request of the 22-member Arab League, the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference and the 116-nation Non-Aligned Movement after what Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert referred to as "a technical failure" but which Palestinian leaders have called a massacre. The 18 dead, including seven children and four women, were buried at a mass funeral in Gaza on Thursday. Some lawmakers from the governing Hamas movement in Gaza have threatened to resume suicide attacks against Israel. Since the end of June, more than 450 Palestinians had been killed in the Gaza strip. While Israel apologized after each such incident, it was "with a forked tongue" even as military attacks continued, said Mansour. A draft Security Council resolution put forward by Arab states would call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and a U.N. observer force to enforce the cease-fire, as was done in southern Lebanon after the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah that ended in August. But the United States, Israel's closest ally and one of five permanent council members with veto power, typically opposes council intervention in the Middle East conflict as ineffective in ending the Arab-Israeli cycle of violence. "Despite all of the emotion in the air, we must have an honest and even-handed discussion of recent events in Gaza," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said. He urged Israel to quickly look into the artillery attack and take steps to avoid a repetition while stressing the responsibility of the Hamas government, which refuses to recognize Israel and reject violence. French ambassador to the U.N. Jean Marc de la Sabliere called for an urgent meeting of the Mideast Quartet (Russia, U.S.A., the E.U. and the U.N.) to try and broker peace in the region. Iran's delegate to the U.N., Javad Zarif accused the U.S. of inaction, saying that this emboldens Israel to continue its aggression. He added, "The council should take the calls and concerns of the international community about Zionist regime's aggressive policies and inhuman practices in the occupied territories more seriously. And to stop that regime from making mockery of international community and this council, by hypocritically preaching peace here and insolently practising terror, horror, barbarism and crimes against humanity back there in the region." Angela Kane, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for political affairs, also pressed Israel to do more to avoid civilian casualties and the Palestinians to try harder to prevent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza. While a government of national unity was the best way to work toward Palestinian law and order, the Israeli attack had led to a suspension of talks on a new government, she said.

ITN Source | November 10, 2006

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