UN ceasefire call goes unheeded

Antaletriangle · 01-09-2009, 01:33 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7820027.stm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...PRq3gD95JJSDO0
http://voanews.com/english/2009-01-09-voa27.cfm
Israel is to keep up its offensive in the Gaza Strip despite a UN call for an immediate end to nearly two weeks of conflict involving Hamas militants.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the latest firing of rockets into Israel showed the resolution was "unworkable".

The Security Council resolution demanded a truce, access for aid workers and an end to arms smuggling.

Israel continued its bombardment during the night and on Friday morning, carrying out at least 50 air strikes.

However Israeli military operations have now again been paused for three hours to allow aid in.

We were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account the interests of our people

Ayman Taha
Hamas spokesman

Seventy-five lorries carrying food and medicine will be allowed into Gaza, Israel says.

Hamas has also dismissed the UN ceasefire call.

Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said: "Even though we are the main actors on the ground in Gaza, we were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account our vision and the interests of our people."

Since the current conflict began on 27 December, it is estimated that 770 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed.

'Murderous organisations'

Israel's security cabinet met on Friday morning, hours after the Security Council vote.

"The firing of rockets this morning only goes to show that the UN decision is unworkable and will not be adhered to by the murderous Palestinian organisations," Ehud Olmert said in a statement.

GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND

According to Israeli media reports, Hamas militants fired at least 20 rockets at southern Israel on Friday morning.

Officials in Mr Ehud's office were quoted as saying "the Israeli military will continue to protect Israeli civilians and carry out its missions".

Israeli planes launched fresh strikes on targets in Gaza overnight, and at least five members of one family were killed in one attack, witnesses said.

In a report which could not be verified independently, Hamas said a bomb had flattened a five-storey apartment block in northern Gaza.

Meanwhile, witnesses have told a UN agency that about 30 Palestinians died earlier this week as Israeli forces shelled a house in Gaza City into which Israeli soldiers had previously moved more than 100 people, half of them children.

Israel said the allegations into the shelling of the house in the Zeitoun district were being investigated.

Separately, the UN human rights body has demanded that human rights monitors be deployed in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank so that any violations of international law can be documented independently.

Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said some reported breaches of international law could constitute war crimes "for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked."

'Durable ceasefire'

Fourteen out of 15 Security Council members backed a resolution on the Gaza crisis, with the US abstaining.

Gaza survivors' accounts
Gaza offensive - in maps
In pictures: Conflict continues

The motion called for an "immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire" leading to the "full withdrawal" of Israeli forces from Gaza.

It also demanded "the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance", measures to prevent arms smuggling to Palestinian militants and the opening of border crossings into Gaza.

The US abstained, thinking it "important to see the outcomes of the Egyptian mediation efforts, in order to see what this resolution might have been supporting", US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained.

Israeli officials visited Cairo on Thursday to hear details of a plan put forward by Egypt and France.

A Hamas delegation was also expected in the Egyptian capital at some stage for parallel "technical" talks, Egyptian diplomats said.

Israel wants to stop rocket attacks on southern Israel and to stop Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza via Egypt, while Hamas says any ceasefire deal must include an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza.

The Security Council's near-unanimous vote represents an important diplomatic punctuation mark in this crisis, correspondents say.

But the US abstention weakened the impact of the vote because Washington's support would have placed more pressure on Israel to halt its offensive, they add.

01-09-2009, 01:33 PM	#1
Antaletriangle Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.K. Posts: 3,380	UN ceasefire call goes unheeded http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7820027.stm http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...PRq3gD95JJSDO0 http://voanews.com/english/2009-01-09-voa27.cfm Israel is to keep up its offensive in the Gaza Strip despite a UN call for an immediate end to nearly two weeks of conflict involving Hamas militants. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the latest firing of rockets into Israel showed the resolution was "unworkable". The Security Council resolution demanded a truce, access for aid workers and an end to arms smuggling. Israel continued its bombardment during the night and on Friday morning, carrying out at least 50 air strikes. However Israeli military operations have now again been paused for three hours to allow aid in. We were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account the interests of our people Ayman Taha Hamas spokesman Seventy-five lorries carrying food and medicine will be allowed into Gaza, Israel says. Hamas has also dismissed the UN ceasefire call. Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said: "Even though we are the main actors on the ground in Gaza, we were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account our vision and the interests of our people." Since the current conflict began on 27 December, it is estimated that 770 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed. 'Murderous organisations' Israel's security cabinet met on Friday morning, hours after the Security Council vote. "The firing of rockets this morning only goes to show that the UN decision is unworkable and will not be adhered to by the murderous Palestinian organisations," Ehud Olmert said in a statement. GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND According to Israeli media reports, Hamas militants fired at least 20 rockets at southern Israel on Friday morning. Officials in Mr Ehud's office were quoted as saying "the Israeli military will continue to protect Israeli civilians and carry out its missions". Israeli planes launched fresh strikes on targets in Gaza overnight, and at least five members of one family were killed in one attack, witnesses said. In a report which could not be verified independently, Hamas said a bomb had flattened a five-storey apartment block in northern Gaza. Meanwhile, witnesses have told a UN agency that about 30 Palestinians died earlier this week as Israeli forces shelled a house in Gaza City into which Israeli soldiers had previously moved more than 100 people, half of them children. Israel said the allegations into the shelling of the house in the Zeitoun district were being investigated. Separately, the UN human rights body has demanded that human rights monitors be deployed in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank so that any violations of international law can be documented independently. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said some reported breaches of international law could constitute war crimes "for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked." 'Durable ceasefire' Fourteen out of 15 Security Council members backed a resolution on the Gaza crisis, with the US abstaining. Gaza survivors' accounts Gaza offensive - in maps In pictures: Conflict continues The motion called for an "immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire" leading to the "full withdrawal" of Israeli forces from Gaza. It also demanded "the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance", measures to prevent arms smuggling to Palestinian militants and the opening of border crossings into Gaza. The US abstained, thinking it "important to see the outcomes of the Egyptian mediation efforts, in order to see what this resolution might have been supporting", US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained. Israeli officials visited Cairo on Thursday to hear details of a plan put forward by Egypt and France. A Hamas delegation was also expected in the Egyptian capital at some stage for parallel "technical" talks, Egyptian diplomats said. Israel wants to stop rocket attacks on southern Israel and to stop Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza via Egypt, while Hamas says any ceasefire deal must include an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza. The Security Council's near-unanimous vote represents an important diplomatic punctuation mark in this crisis, correspondents say. But the US abstention weakened the impact of the vote because Washington's support would have placed more pressure on Israel to halt its offensive, they add. Last edited by Antaletriangle; 01-09-2009 at 01:36 PM.