UNSC fails to take action to stem Gaza crisis

The UN Security Council failed to take any action to stem the escalating crisis in Gaza, with Arabs and Western powers advocating different courses despite intensive discussions.
    
The United States threw its weight behind the Egyptian-French ceasefire initiative though its diplomats said that there are some points on which they had reservations.
    
The initiative calls for immediate ceasefire, end to rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas and smuggling of weapons from Egypt to Gaza through underground tunnels, besides opening of all border crossings by Israel to allow unhindered supply of humanitarian aid.
    
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, who extended her stay here for further discussions with Arab foreign ministers, spoke to Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and foreign minister Tzipi Livini on telephone to press Tel Aviv to agree on the Egyptian initiative and also discussed the situation on the ground.
    
But the discussions, heated at times, could not close the gap between Arabs who want the 15-member Council to adopt a binding resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and asking Israeli to withdraw troops and the western powers which would like to settle on a non-binding and much weaker statement.
    
The statement being pushed by the US, Britain and France stresses the need for "immediate and durable" ceasefire and expresses "grave concern at deepening humanitarian crisis" in Gaza.
    
It backs the Egyptian-French initiative and calls for immediate and full humanitarian access.

Arab foreign ministers expressed frustration and disappointment over the Council's inaction as hundreds were being killed and wounded, a large number of them civilians, in the Israeli military action.
    
But there was also hint that they might agree to the statement if Israel accepts the Egyptian-French initiative.
    
Israel has accepted the Egyptian plan in "principle" but says more work needs to be done on it and Hamas reaction was also unclear as it has neither rejected nor accepted the initiative. Cairo has offered to host separate talks with Israelis and Hamas in an effort to end the offensive, now in 13th day.
    
It is also seeking to bring all Palestinian factions together so that Israeli-Palestinian dialogue could find a permanent solution.
    
Israel had launched the military action with the avowed aim of degrading the ability of Hamas to fire rockets into southern part of the country.
    
US diplomats, including Rice, were speaking to Arabs to talk them out of pressing the Libyan resolution, which they consider "one-sided" and anti-Israel and instead agree on an alternative statement.
    
It was unclear when the Council will hold a meeting to either vote on the resolution or just issue a presidential statement.
    
British foreign secretary David Miliband as also Rice saw hope in the three hour ceasefire on Wednesday which allowed people to buy essential commodities, take wounded to hospitals and bury the dead. The pause in violence needs to be repeated again and again, Rice remarked.

But Arabs as also UN officials asked if the pause can be for three hours, why not for 24 hours or even permanent.
    
After day-long back to back meetings, ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert of France, which holds the rotating presidency for this month, said there was no unanimity on either of the texts.
    
They have decided to continue their closed door consultations as they want a unanimous approach, he added.
    
The current Libyan draft resolution is not acceptable to the western powers as it does not mention Hamas or smuggling of weapons from Egypt into Gaza by Hamas which they consider to be a terrorist organisation.
    
The Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa has made it clear that the 22-member League does not want a statement but action through a resolution which will call for immediate ceasefire and has the backing of the world community through the Council.
    
But it was not clear whether Arabs would risk a certain US veto.