UNITED NATIONS: US VETOES UNITED NATIONS PLEA TO ISRAEL NOT TO HARM PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT ARAFAT

Record ID: 646940

  • Title: UNITED NATIONS: US VETOES UNITED NATIONS PLEA TO ISRAEL NOT TO HARM PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT ARAFAT
  • Date: 16th September 2003
  • Summary: (W8) UNITED NATIONS (RECENT) (REUTERS) WIDE OF UNITED NATIONS
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: UNITED NATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Conflict,General,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVACLAZD1CW7J1GD468IJBKUWIK9
  • Story Text: U.S vetoes U.N plea to Israel not to harm Yasser Arafat - Palestinian diplomat warns of "serious consequences."
    The United States on Tuesday (September 16) vetoed a U.N. resolution demanding that Israel not harm or deport Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, saying the text failed to name Palestinian groups blamed for suicide bombings.
    Eleven Security Council members voted in favour of the draft while Britain, Germany and Bulgaria abstained after hours of consultations failed to lead to a compromise acceptable to both the United States and Syria, the resolution's sponsor.
    The measure, drafted by Palestinian U.N. envoy Nasser al-Kidwa with the support of Arab governments, "demands that Israel, the occupying power, desist from any act of deportation and cease any threat to the safety of the elected president of the Palestinian Authority."
    After voting against the resolution U.S ambassador John Negroponte explained Washington's position, "We will not support any resolution that evades the specific threat to Middle East peace process posed by Hamas and other such terrorist groups. The United States opposed the resolution because it failed to do just that" adding that, "The government of Israel is already aware of the views of Council members on the issue of Mr Arafat, moreover Secretary of State Powell stated that the United States does not support either the elimination of Mr Arafat or his forced exile. While Mr Arafat is part of the problem, we believe that this problem is best solved through diplomatic isolation and we have made this view clear."
    Palestinian diplomat, Nasser al-Kidwa said the Palestinians would not be put off by the failure of the resolution to pass. In his speech he attacked the U.S's close relationship with Israel.
    Al-Kidwa said, "It is regrettable that the position of the United States of America is not only a position that has been biased to Israel for some many years but has transformed into a position that accepts Israeli logic and Israeli positions in total."
    In defiance he added, "The Palestinian people will not accept any interference into who is going to be politically isolated or who is going to keep their positions. Mr President, serious consequences may follow this use of veto and the United States alone bears the responsibility for that."
    Accusing Arafat of fomenting violence, an allegation he denies, the Israeli security cabinet last week announced Israel would "remove" him as "an obstacle to peace,"
    although it did not say how or when.
    Israeli ambassador Dan Gillerman praised the United States for vetoing the resolution, saying, "The adoption of this resolution would have harmed efforts to bolster this peace process, the resolution would have come to the defence of a man who has devoted all his energies to scuttling the roadmap and continues to cause untold suffering to both Israelis and Palestinians through his support and toleration of terrorism. To advance the cause of peace we do not need more one-sided U.N resolutions."
    The Israeli declaration unleashed a flood of international indignation. During nearly eight hours of harsh debate in the 15-nation Security Council on Monday, more than 40 governments condemned the decision in principle to get rid of Arafat.
    Syrian U.N. envoy Fayssal Mekdad called the veto
    "regrettable" telling reporters after the meeting, "It is a sad day for the United Nations. We think that not allowing the United Nations to play a role in the maintaining of peace and security in different parts of the world including the Middle East is big mistake, we regret as I have mentioned in my statement that the United States used the veto to torpedo this resolution."
    The council decided late on Monday to hold a vote on the resolution at Syria's request, despite a veto threat from Washington. Hours of informal talks ensued, aimed at finding a compromise to avert a U.S. veto while retaining Syria's support. But in the end, no last-minute changes were proposed.
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