U.S. Vows to Veto UN Gaza Revised Resolution

On Tuesday Qatar circulated a revised draft of United Nations Security Council resolution demanding the unconditional release of a captured Israeli soldier as well as ‘s immediate withdrawal from Gaza.

The initial draft, put forward by the council’s sole Arab member, on behalf of Arab, Islamic and non-aligned states at the UN, condemned Israel’s arrest and detention of dozens of elected Palestinian officials and the "large-scale military assault" in Gaza. The draft resolution demanded that "immediately cease its aggression" against Palestinian civilians, pull its forces out of Gaza and release the detained Palestinian officials.

 
It called on the Palestinian Authority to "take immediate and sustained action to bring an end to violence, including the firing of rockets on Israeli territory." It also calls for emergency aid to the Palestinian people.

 
The latest version of the draft, first proposed in the 15-nation council last Thursday, added several provisions in hopes of winning broader support. Some council members criticized the initial version of the text as biased against . The new draft added language expressing "grave concern" about the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel and condemning "all acts of violence, terror and destruction" including the recent abduction and killing of an Israeli civilian in the West Bank. Junior council diplomats met on Tuesday afternoon to go over the text and suggest further changes.

 
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said it remained flawed and Washington still saw no need for council action. He told reporters, "We still think it is unsatisfactory."

 
Asked if Washington, ‘s closest ally, would exercise its veto if the measure were brought to a vote, he responded: "Our position remains the same, that we don’t see at this point any utility in council action at all."