The Hindu : U.S. vetoes resolution 'protecting' Arafat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 18, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

U.S. vetoes resolution 'protecting' Arafat

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON SEPT. 17 . The U.S. has vetoed a Security Council resolution that sought to protect the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, from an Israeli threat to `remove' him. The veto on Tuesday after a heated debate in the Council chambers angered Arab diplomats and delegates.

But Washington said that while it was against the elimination of Mr. Arafat or forcing him into exile, it opposed the resolution as it failed to explicitly condemn Palestinian terror outfits like the Hamas, the Islamic Jihad or the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

"It is a black day for the United Nations and international law," said the Chief Palestinian peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat. "I hope Israel will not interpret the resolution as a licence to kill President Arafat," he said.

Eleven of the 15 members in the Council voted for it while Britain, Bulgaria and Germany abstained. A resolution needs nine votes with no veto to be carried. The resolution had called for, among other things, Israel, as the occupying power, to desist from any act of deportation and cease threats to the safety of the elected President of the Palestinian Authority.

It also called for the "complete cessations of all acts of violence" and for increased efforts to implement the road map for lasting peace.

In the hours of debate prior to the formal vote, more than 40 member-States condemned the Israeli thinking on `eliminating' Mr. Arafat. After the vote, the U.S. tried to playdown its role by arguing that this did not mean Washington went along with the notion that Mr. Arafat should be forced into exile or be harmed. "The United States does not support either the elimination of Mr. Arafat or his forced exile. While Mr. Arafat is part of the problem, we believe that this problem is best solved through diplomatic isolation and we have made this view clear," the U.S. envoy to the U.N., John Negroponte, said. "This resolution did not take a clear stand against the actions of these terrorist groups or call for decisive action against them," he maintained, in a reference to Hamas and other groups.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

India, Turkey set up JWG on terrorism

U.S. vetoes resolution 'protecting' Arafat

'Nothing can shake us'

U.N. Observer Group calls for J&K 'ceasefire'

Top Jaish man killed

Bomb hoax in Mumbai

U.P. poll officer removed

Court stays decision on Coke bottles

Monica Ali Shortlisted