Gen Assembly witnesses brief clash bw Prez, Israel diplomat

UN General Assembly president Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, who opened an emergency session of the 192-member body to discuss the "illegal Israeli actions" in Gaza, briefly clashed with an Israeli diplomat, who questioned the validity of calling the meeting.

Israeli diplomat Ilan Fluss cited an article in the UN charter which says that the General Assembly "shall not make any recommendation" about a situation when the Council is seized of it unless it is asked to do so. In this case, she said, the Council had not done so.

But d'Escoto, a known pro-Palestinian, angrily rejected the protest, saying the Assembly is the most representative body and had a duty to make its voice heard. Besides, the Council resolution calling for urgent ceasefire has been "totally ignored" by Israel and Hamas, he noted.

In a point of order, Fluss sought clarification on the validity of convening the special session, which was taking place as the Security Council was actively addressing the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Responding, the General Assembly president said he had been falsely accused of trying to silence Israel.

"That was an absolute and total lie," he said, adding, "Now, it was ironic that Israel is trying to silence the General Assembly.

Shortly before the joint press conference of secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and the Israeli foreign minister, the UN headquarters in Gaza was bombed.

"The UNSC resolution was being ignored in practice, and verbally disdained by Israeli prime minister," d'Escoto said.

After brief clash, Israel withdrew it protest.

Nothing forbade the General Assembly from putting its full weight behind a resolution, which, whether weak or not, is being totally ignored, d'Escoto said.

After a brief clash, Israel withdrew its protest and the Assembly heard speeches on the expected lines with Arabs sharply attacking Israeli action and others trying to strike a balance stressing the need for Israel to stop its military action and Hamas to end firing rockets into Southern Israel.

Despite the rhetoric, the Assembly is unlikely to have any influence on the developments on the ground.

Opening the session, D'Escoto said the crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically the Gaza Strip, has raged for far too long, too many people have died, and too many UN workers have been killed and injured, while too many UN buildings have been damaged and destroyed.

"The violations of international law inherent in the Gaza assault are well-documented: collective punishment, disproportionate military force, attacks on civilian targets, including homes, mosques, universities and schools."

The blockade of Gaza - a "violation in which the UN is directly complicit" - has been going on for 19 months and is directly responsible for the widespread humanitarian crisis in Gaza, even before the current Israeli assault had begun.

That blockade violated article 33 of the Geneva Convention, which prohibited collective punishment, he said, adding that the blockade had been endorsed by powerful parties grouped in the International Quartet on middle east, placing the United Nations in a dubious role and in violation of its obligations under the Charter and international law.

He said it was his duty to remind member states of their duties and responsibilities under the UN law.