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At UN, Competing Gaza Drafts Result in Surprise Passage, Israel Dodges PGA d'Escoto, Where is Obama?

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, December 28, 12:23 to 2:55 am -- The UN Security Council's closed-door consultations on Gaza were suspended after an hour, as the U.S. was said to oppose Libya's request for a formal meeting and to prefer a non-binding press statement. A Russian draft emerged from the Council, complete with handwritten amendments by the Arab League.

   The first paragraph "urged Israel to halt without delay its military operations," to which the Arab League penned in, "as well as destruction of property." The second paragraph "called for immediate cessation of rocket attacks on the Israeli territory from Gaza." The final two paragraphs dealt with "humanitarian access" and "political solutions."

  A non-Western Council diplomat emerged to offer this summary: all but the U.S. agreed to the Russian proposal. The U.S. counter-proposal identified Hamas by name, which Libya called unacceptable, saying that if the Israeli operations don't stop, they will return to the Council on Sunday this time with a draft resolution. But that wouldn't pass either.

  Meanwhile, the spokesman for Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, the President of the General Assembly, said he is coming back early from his leave in Nicaragua. Ban Ki-moon was said to be monitoring the Council meeting, preparing to arrive if in fact a formal meeting took place.

  During a lull, the Permanent Observer of Palestine came out to the Council stakeout microphone. Inner City Press asked him if these events make it more or less likely that Hamas and Fatah surmount their rift. Amb. Mansour called this a distraction. But is it?

  The dynamic of Saturday's session seems to be that the U.S., to avoid a public meeting, might agree to some statement. But probably not one that calls for an Israeli halt. What would Obama say? What does Obama say? For now, from Hawaii, he is "monitoring" the air strikes, click here for that.

Update of 12:47 a.m. -- China's Deputy Permanent Representative Liu stops and tells the Press, they're still talking, probably at least another hour to do, there's still a chance, he won't put a percentage on it.

Update of 12:59 a.m. -- a Western diplomat emerges to say there is agreement on restoring ceasefire and humanitarian access, but nothin else. A non-Western diplomat emerges to say that the U.S. is contesting everything, "like with Lebanon in 2006," just delaying while attacks continue.

Update of 1:14 a.m. -- Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, leaving the Council in three days, emerged from the Council to predict no agreement will be reached. The U.S., he says, it making an issue even out of opening the borders. We are all against the rockets, he said. But you don't respond with F-16s. That's disproportionate. He predicted a formal meeting yet later tonight. We all want to say what we would have said, he adds. Woulda shoulda coulda -- just another surreal night at the UN Security Council. But would Ban Ki-moon come at 2 or 3 a.m.?

Update of 1:51 p.m. -- a surprise or a late-night mirage, a Western diplomat emerges to say "we're getting close to a press statement," including encouraging a ceasefire and humanitarian access. A representative of Palestine appears to concur. Israel's Ambassador has entered the Council, the U.S.'s Khalilzad is seen pacing around insider. It is nearing 2 a.m..

Update of 2:02 a.m. -- a three paragraph draft has emerged, diplomatically expressing concern about the escalation of the situation in Gaza, and referring to opening border crossings. South Africa's Kumalo says, "they are having to wake up in Washington."

  The three-paragrapher tellingly begins: "The Members of the Security Council expressed serious concern at the escalation of the situation in Gaza and called for an immediate halt to all violence...."

Update of 2:55 a.m. -- the three paragraph press statement, called by Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin a "modest non-document," was agreed to, and read out by Croatia's Neven Jurica. U.S. Ambassador Khalilzad then came and emphasized, in response to every question, the "sequence" -- rockets and then reaction, he said again and again. Riyad Mansour spoke mostly in Arabic. France's Jean-Pierre Lacroix was asked no questions at all.  Inner City Press asked Israel's Ambassador to respond to the President of the General Assembly's statement about "collective punishment... disproportionate military response... [on] groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university."  She responded that only Hamas was to blame.  And then she was gone.

Palestinian Observer Mansour confers, distractions not shown

  Here, still, is what Ban Ki-moon's office says -- As previously reported, Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev on December 23 met with Ban Ki-moon. Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe, at that day's noon briefing, what the meeting had been about.  That the expiration of the cease fire in Gaza would have been discussed seemed obvious. The question was intended to glean whether any statement as to timing had been made by the Israeli Ambassador. "We'll get you a readout," Ms. Okabe said. Video here.

   Later on December 23, Ban's Spokesperson's Office sent Inner City Press the following:

From: unspokesperson-donotreply [at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 12/23/2008 3:31:10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Your question at noon

Regarding the Secretary-General's meeting with the Israeli Permanent Representative today, it was purely a courtesy call.

   "Purely a courtesy call"? That is the phrase used when diplomats who are leaving the UN visit the 38th floor for a final photo opportunity with the Secretary-General. We'll see.

Click here from Inner City Press' December 12 debate on UN double standards

Click here for Inner City Press Nov. 7 debate on the war in Congo

Watch this site, and this Oct. 2 debate, on UN, bailout, MDGs

and this October 17 debate, on Security Council and Obama and the UN.

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Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.  Video Analysis here

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