Palestinians protest against Israeli
closure of Gaza Strip in Gaza City, Jan. 21, 2008. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security
Council discussed Tuesday a draft presidential statement that would call for an
end to Israel's closure of crossings into the Gaza Strip, but failed to reach an
agreement.
The 15-member council held consultations in an
emergency session throughout the day amid calls by Arab countries for moves to
help end the lockdown of Gaza which has effectively blocked humanitarian
assistance to the 1.5 million population in Gaza.
Briefing the council, Under-Secretary-General for
Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe expressed continued UN concern about what he
termed the "extremely fragile" humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip while
strongly urging Israel to allow "regular and unimpeded" delivery of fuel and
basic necessities to the area.
The top political chief also warned Israel against
what he called "collective penalties" for the Palestinian people.
"Israel must reconsider and ease its policy of
pressuring the civilian population of Gaza for the unacceptable actions of
militants," Pascoe said. "Collective penalties are prohibited under
international law."
Palestinians light candles during a
protest against severe fuel cuts, which led to power cuts, in Gaza Jan.
21, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Diplomats took the floor in a formal open meeting to
voice their concern over the humanitarian consequences caused by Israel's
lockdown of the territory before huddling behind closed door to discuss a draft
presidential statement prepared by Libya, the council's president for this
month.
The nonbinding text, which has the support of Arab
countries, expresses concern over the situation in Gaza and calls on Israel to
end its restrictions and ensure access for humanitarian aid to the Palestinian
people.
It also urges Israel "to abide by its obligation
under international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and
immediately to cease all its illegal measures and practices against the
Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip."
Palestinian UN observer Ryad Mansour said the
situation in the Gaza Strip was distressing and grave, as Israel had intensified
its "collective punishment" of the Palestinian civilian population, obstructing
the entry into Gaza of even basic food stuffs and other essential humanitarian
supplies.
"The current situation is absolutely untenable,
humanly unbearable and morally unacceptable," Mansour said, urging the council
to take "urgent, practical and specific measures" to end the crisis in the Gaza
Strip.
Israel's UN delegate Gilad Cohen said the current
crisis was caused by "many wrong choices" made by Palestinian militants who had
fired more than 2,000 rockets and mortars at Israel in 2007.
Israel and its Western allies, including the United
States and France, opposed the passage of the document, which would require the
approval of all council members.
U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters that
the current draft was "unacceptable" because "it does not talk about the rocket
attacks" on Israeli civilians.
Western diplomats doubted any adoption of the text in
its current form, saying it would have to be amended to include more balanced
language.
The council is expected to continue their
consultations over the text Wednesday afternoon.
JERUSALEM, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister
Ehud Barak decided on Monday evening to slightly ease the siege on Gaza and to
allow medical supplies and a minimal amount of diesel fuel for the power plant
in Gaza, local media reported. Full story
RAMALLAH, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that he was ready to run Gaza Strip crossings if
Israel ends its siege on the coastal enclave, well-informed Palestinian sources
said.
The sources, which spoke on the condition of anonymity
said in a statement sent to reporters that President Abbas was ready to run Gaza
Strip crossings "in the frame of his request from Israel to end the siege
imposed on the enclave." Full story
BRUSSELS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The European Union voiced
concerns here on Monday over the cutting of fuel supplies to Gaza by Israel.
"I condemn the rocket fire into Israel and we fully
understand Israel's need to defend its citizens. I have called for an immediate
ceasefire," EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood
Policy Bentita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement. Full story
Palestinians shout slogans in front of
the Rafah crossing calling on Egypt to open their border with the Gaza
Strip Jan. 21, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
GAZA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Palestinians,
including lawmakers, clerics, scholars and even medical patients, on Monday
joined in an open-ended sit-in at the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and
Egypt to protest Israel's blockade on Gaza.
The demonstrators called upon Egypt to open the crossing
to allow humanitarian aid into the poor, narrow and densely-populated enclave,
which is home to nearly 1.5 million Palestinians. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.N. Security
Council will hold a closed meeting later Monday to help end a worsening
humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, a U.N. spokesperson said.
The 15-member council has scheduled the consultations at
3:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) in response to a call from the Arab League (AL) for an
emergency session of the world body, Michele Montas said. Full story
GAZA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The main power station that
supplies Gaza City and other Gaza Strip areas completely stopped on Saturday
night supplying electricity to the population due to fuel shortage, officials
said.
Israel on Thursday decided to tightened a closure that has
been imposed on the Gaza Strip since mid June, when Islamic Hamas movement took
control of the Gaza Strip. All crossings leading to the Gaza Strip had been
closed down. Full story
