U.N. Security Council meets on Gaza violence

UNITED NATIONS – The UN Security Council met behind closed doors Tuesday, November 13, to discuss the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip but there was no agreement on how to address the crisis, diplomats said.

Kuwait, which represents Arab countries at the council, and Bolivia requested the meeting following the worst flare-up in Gaza since the 2014 war between Hamas and Israel.

Addressing reporters after the 50-minute meeting, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said the council was “paralyzed” and had “failed to shoulder its responsibility” to take action to end the violence.

“There is one country that is not allowing discussion at the council,” Mansour told reporters, in a reference to the United States, which has taken a pro-Israeli stance under President Donald Trump.

There was no statement from the council on the crisis. Such statements are agreed by consensus by all 15 council members.

Kuwait’s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the majority of council members were of the view that the top UN body “should do something” and some suggested a visit to the region, but no decision was taken.

Palestinian militant groups including Hamas, which rules Gaza, issued a joint statement earlier announcing an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel.

The groups said they would abide by the truce as long as Israel did the same, but there was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon earlier said “we will not accept a call for both sides to exercise restraint” and laid the blame for the violence squarely on the Palestinians.

Seven Palestinians were killed in Gaza as Israeli strikes targeted militants and flattened buildings in the worst escalation of violence since the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.

The latest round of violence began on Sunday, November 11, with a botched Israeli special forces operation inside the Gaza Strip that turned deadly and prompted Hamas to vow revenge.

Palestinian militants responded with rocket and mortar fire. An anti-tank missile hit a bus that Hamas says was being used by Israeli soldiers. A soldier was severely wounded in the attack.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought 3 wars since 2008, and protests and clashes along the Gaza border since March 30 have repeatedly raised fears of a fourth. – Rappler.com