Arabs asks UN to act tough on Israel over Gaza strikes

Amid the worldwide protests against Israel's attacks on Gaza Strip that claimed over 350 lives, Arab states have asked the UN to bring the Jewish state into compliance and cease military activities in the region.

Amid the worldwide protests against Israel's attacks on Gaza Strip that claimed over 350 lives, Arab states have asked the UN to bring the Jewish state into compliance and cease military activities in the region.

HT Image

Ambassadors from Egypt and Palestinian Authority met the UN chief Ban Ki-moon shortly after he had addressed a press conference asking both Hamas and Israel to declare immediate ceasefire and criticised Tel Aviv for using "excessive force."

The two met Ban, as Arabs increased pressure on the Security Council to ensure that its call for ceasefire is heeded by Israel even as Tel Aviv said it planned to destroy the ability of Hamas to fire rockets into its territory and threat of a ground attack loomed.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian permanent observer to the United Nations, told reporters that Israel must be made to comply with the unanimous call of the 15-member council for an immediate end to the violence and bloodshed in Gaza.

"It's the responsibility of the council to act in a practical way to bring the Israeli compliance" with the unanimous council call for a cease-fire, Mansour said.

"What we want is to bring Israel into compliance with the wish of the Security Council," he said, adding that it has been more than 48 hours since the council made the appeal, but Israel did not comply with it.

Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev had said in a letter to the Security Council on Saturday that the airstrikes were aimed at "the terrorists and their infrastructure" in Gaza and were not intended against the civilian population. But
reports from the Gaza said several dozens of civilians were killed. The UN reported yesterday that at least 62 women and children have been killed.