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UN Condemns Israeli Use of Force Against Palestinians
The UN Security Council Saturday evening adopted a resolution condemning Israel's "excessive use of force" against Palestinians, though the United States abstained.
The vote came after intensive consultations over the wording of the draft. The final version has kept some major points unchanged against the US demand.
The resolution deplores the provocation carried out in Jerusalem on September 28 and the subsequent violence in other areas throughout the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, resulting in over 80 Palestinian deaths and many other casualties.
It calls on Israel to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention to protect civilians in time of war.
It calls for immediate cessation of violence and for all necessary steps to be taken to ensure that violence ceases, and new provocative actions are avoided.
It stresses the importance of establishing a mechanism for a speedy and objective inquiry into the tragic events of the last few days with the aim of preventing their repetition.
The council calls for the immediate resumption of negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis with the aim of achieving an early final settlement between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
It invites the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to continue following the situation and keeping the council informed.
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