NewsMine — war-on-terror — israel — hostilities — 2002 — 02-7-strike-july — Viewing Item

Un security criticism { July 25 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-mideast.html http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-mideast.html July 25, 2002 Israel Under Fire in U.N. Security Council By REUTERS Filed at 6:19 a.m. ET JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel on Thursday faced fierce criticism in the United Nations Security Council over an air strike that killed 15 Palestinians including a top Hamas commander and nine children in Gaza City. Nation after nation said during a late-night debate that Tuesday's attack was unacceptable and unwarranted. But U.S. officials said Washington, Israel's closest ally, would oppose a draft resolution condemning the attack if it were put to a vote. The U.S. decision meant Israel was unlikely to suffer anything more than a tongue-lashing in the Security Council as it tries to limit the damage done to its image by the civilian deaths in the attack on the militant's home in a crowded area. In a gesture that appeared designed to ease the criticism, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Israel would release some $43 million of frozen Palestinian Authority tax revenues and take other steps to ease the hardships of 700,000 Palestinians living under Israeli curfew in the West Bank. ``We are making every effort to ease the escalation (since the Gaza strike),'' Peres told Army Radio. ``I know that this is a serious escalation and I am really afraid that innocent people on both sides will pay a high price.'' Hamas has vowed to kill hundreds of Israelis to avenge the attack by an F-16 warplane which fired a one-ton guided missile at the house of Salah Shehada, commander of the Islamic group's military wing called the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades. In new violence on Thursday, Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli motorist near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, the army said. A coalition of militant groups called the Popular Army Front said in a statement that it was behind the attack. Palestinian witnesses said troops later arrested at least four Palestinians in the West Bank city of Qalqilya including a local militant leader and that a military bulldozer demolished the house where he had been discovered. U.S. URGES FOCUS ON CONSTRUCTIVE DIPLOMACY At least 1,467 Palestinians and 559 Israelis have been killed since Palestinians began an uprising against Israeli occupation in September 2000 after peace talks stalled. Israeli forces reoccupied seven of the eight Palestinian- ruled cities in the West Bank last month following a wave of suicide bombings by Palestinian militants. The Palestinians called Tuesday's attack in Gaza City a war crime and Arab ambassadors urged the 15-member Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding troops leave the seven cities. But U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said past council resolutions formed a ``more than adequate basis to guide efforts to achieve a negotiated solution'' and the world should focus on ``constructive diplomatic efforts.'' Syria's state press said the U.S. condemnation of the air strike as ``heavy-handed'' was not strong enough and accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of sabotaging peace moves. Israel launched the attack on Gaza one day after Hamas's spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, said the organization would consider halting suicide attacks if Israel withdrew from the seven occupied West Bank cities. But Yassin said on Wednesday there would be ``100 new Salah Shehadas'' and ``new operations which will bring about the deaths of hundreds'' of Israelis. Peres said it was unlikely that a dialogue before the Gaza strike between the Palestinian Authority and militant groups would have led to an agreement to halt attacks on Israel. The strike prompted criticism in Israel and an army inquiry into the incident. Israeli leaders said they regretted the civilian deaths and some acknowledged mistakes had been made. The U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv told Americans in Israel it was taking seriously threats by Hamas, which has carried out dozens of suicide attacks on Israeli targets, to avenge the air strike. ``We and the Israeli authorities believe these to be credible threats. We advise all U.S. citizens to review the mission's security guidelines...In this period of heightened tension, it will be particularly important to reduce exposure to risk,'' it said in a cautionary message. Copyright 2002 Reuters Ltd. | Privacy Policy

9 children attack Americans not target Gaza hamas killed { July 23 2002 } State dept cencerns { July 25 2002 } Suicide bomber { July 30 2002 } Un security criticism { July 25 2002 } University bombing Us decries strike { July 24 2002 } Files Listed: 8

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