Israel, US Foil UN Condemnation

Diplomats Work Together To Prevent Security Council Statement Slamming Jewish State For UNRWA Building Strike

By Yitzhak Benhorin
January 15, 2009
Courtesy Of Y Net News

WASHINGTON –Israel and the US succeeded in preventing a United Nations announcement condemning the Jewish state for its strike on a UN compound in Gaza Thursday. The condemnation was proposed by Britain among other countries.

The announcement was scheduled to be released to the press by current Security Council President, French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert. Instead, Ripert made a public speech calling on both sides to cease their fire, according to UN Resolution 1860.

EU ambassadors initiated the council meeting following the IDF strike on an UNRWA compound in Gaza earlier Thursday. The meeting was intended to end with the issue of an announcement declaring Israel responsible for the situation in Gaza.

Israeli diplomats alerted US diplomats to the intention, and the latter transferred Israel's response to the Security Council while the meeting proceeded – which caused the council to disperse without a concrete resolution.

Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN, Danny Carmon, told Ynet that "this is the first time we have succeeded in thwarting an attempt to act against us thanks to reliable firsthand information received from the Foreign Ministry and the IDF."

At least three people were injured in the IDF attack on the UNRWA compound. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologized for the incident before UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but stressed that IDF forces were attacked from the building before it was hit.

Roni Sofer contributed to this report