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ARAB NATIONS DEMANDED the UN Security Council condemn Israel’s deadly attacks on Gaza at an emergency meeting last night, but the United States strongly defended Israel’s military strikes.
Egypt and other Arab states called for the emergency meeting after Israel staged more than 20 air strikes on the besieged Palestinian territory, killing Hamas military commander Ahmed Jaabari.
The 15-nation council did not condemn either side after the 90 minute meeting. Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s UN envoy and Security Council president, said: “All the statements that I heard resonated with one message – that the violence has to stop, there has to be de-escalation.”
Arab nations wanted the council “to condemn that barbaric attack” by Israel and “send a strong message to call for a cessation of hostilities,” said Sudan’s UN envoy Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, chairman of the Arab bloc at the UN.
The United States strongly defended the actions of its key Middle East ally however.
A rocket launched by Palestinian militants towards Israel makes its way from the northern Gaza Strip (Image: Ariel Schalit/AP)
Highlighting Israel’s claim that at least 768 rockets have been fired from Gaza this year, US ambassador Susan Rice told the council: “Israel, like any nation, has the right to defend itself against such vicious attacks.
“There is no justification for the violence that Hamas and other terrorist organizations are employing against the people of Israel. We call on those responsible to stop these cowardly acts immediately.”
Rice, a frontrunner to become the next US secretary of state, said the rocket attacks were harming efforts to end the Middle East conflict and create a Palestinian state.
“Hamas claims to have the best interests of the Palestinian people at heart, yet it continues to engage in violence that does nothing but set back the Palestinian cause.
“Attacking Israel on a near daily basis does nothing to help Palestinians in Gaza nor to move the Palestinian people any closer to achieving self determination and independence,” Rice said.
Britain’s UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant also condemned rocket attacks into Israel but called on Israel “to act in a way that de-escalates tensions.”
Only the Palestinian and Israeli ambassadors were allowed to address the meeting on top of the council envoys.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour told the council that a child of 11 months, two other children and a pregnant 19-year-old woman were among those dead from the attacks.
Reports this morning said medical officials put numbers of deaths at 11 with over 100 wounded in the attacks.
“Death, destruction, trauma and terror are being rained upon our people before the eyes of the world,” Mansour said.
“The international community must act to bring an end to Israel’s illegal policies and practices against the Palestinian people,” he added.
Explosion and smoke rise following an Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip (Image: Ariel Schalit/AP)
Mansour said the attacks were linked to the Palestinian application for observer status at the United Nations, which is due to be voted on by the UN General Assembly on November 29.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the military operation could be expanded and the country’s UN ambassador Ron Prosor said: “The goal of Israel’s operation is clearly defined — to remove a strategic threat to Israeli citizens.”
He told the council that Israel will not play “Russian roulette with the lives of our citizens.”
“Hamas has turned Gaza into a haven and a breeding ground for global terrorist organizations,” Prosor declared.
The Palestinian envoy said that if the council could not halt Israel’s attacks, the Palestinian Authority would come back and demand a formal condemnation of Israel.
He said this could include proposing a resolution, which the United States would almost certainly veto. The US administration uses its powers as a permanent member of the UN council to block any resolution condemning Israel.
- Additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy.
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if the banks are insisting on hoarding it take it back and give it to me, i’ll spend it all!!
Taoiseach the Irish Bank are still not lending , not interested in SME or individuals , even though you have set up various devices . Our Government and the Irish People are being ignored the banks are hoarding cash and this is their unofficial policy !
Or they could give every EU citizen €1,000
Austrian Central bank governor, ” ECB has a problem with addicted banks”.
http://investmentwatchblog.com/nowotny-says-ecb-has-problem-of-addicted-banks/
The massive liquidity injections by Western Central banks (including todays ECB injection) are resulting in privations for the worlds poorest. Huge flows of cash from western nations are finding their way to emerging markets with inflationary effects. This is forcing up the price of basic commodities for the worlds poorest.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/29/how-world-paid-hidden-cost-america-quantitative-easing?cat=business&type=article
They are amoral Sean.
New cash?…my arse! Another €530 billion of computer generated money that we, the citizens of Europe will pay back in cash. Only then does that computer money become cash, and the gangsters at the top are wiping their arses with €50 notes!
if they’re hoping the banks will pass it on..they have a very questionable hold on reality.
All i need is 0.00008% of that and I’m sorted!! Back in the black.
So the Central Bank is HOPING that the extra money will be passed on?!?! Pull the other one. This press release is trying to make it seem like the ECB care about money being passed on,in loans. They don’t! They only care about what they can squeeze out of the countries they are supposed to be helping.
It’s a bit like the Irish government, HOPING that interest rate cuts will be passed on to customers!
have your say