Gaza, January 4, 2009 (Ramattan) – The UN Security Council has failed to reach an agreement on a statement demanding the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The council held an emergency meeting late on Saturday night after Israel started a ground invasion.
The gathering followed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon´s condemnation of the Israeli attacks.
He called for an "immediate" ceasefire of the hostilities which have claimed the lives of at least 460 Palestinians.
However, French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, who presides over the Security Council, said no formal agreement had been reached.
Libya submitted a draft statement that expressed "serious concern" about the ground invasion and called for an immediate ceasefire.
But the document was rejected, as it made no mention of the ongoing rocket attacks against Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls Gaza.
As Israel´s closest ally, the United States regularly vetoes resolutions it sees as too critical of the Jewish state.
On Friday, President Bush made clear he would not condemn an Israeli ground offensive.
à think it it would be much easier in The UN Security Council if it was about condemning the Gazian people for being killed by the Ãsraeli´s army using the american´s weapons !
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