Global Policy Forum

By Dafna Linzer

Israel, which has seen hundreds of U.N. resolutions passed against its policies over the years, circulated its first resolution ever Monday, saying the outcome will show whether the organization is taking a balanced approach to the Mideast.

The Israeli resolution, a copy of which was given to The Associated Press, calls for the protection of Israeli children victimized by Palestinian terrorism. It closely mirrors a similar draft submitted by Egypt last week highlighting the plight of Palestinian children affected by more than three years of bloody conflict in the region.

Israeli diplomats said they'd be happy if the General Assembly decided to drop the two drafts or adopt them both. ``The test will be if they pass the Palestinian one but not ours,'' said deputy Israeli Ambassador Arye Meckel.

For years, Israel has refused to take seriously the hundreds of resolutions Arab states sponsor, all of which condemn Israel's actions against the Palestinians while making little, if any, mention of Palestinian attacks against Jews.

But Meckel said the pattern of dismissal only led to mounting anti-Israel resolutions. Twenty such resolutions passed in the General Assembly in 2002. The United States vetoed several that were brought to the Security Council, arguing that they were unbalanced and didn't condemn Palestinian groups taking credit for suicide bombings against Israelis. ``It's time to stop being passive,'' Meckel said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Meckel will send a letter later this week to 155 ambassadors at the United Nations asking for their support for Israel's first resolution. Israeli diplomats will also lobby world capitals.

Both the Israeli and the Palestinian resolutions are expected to come up for a vote in the U.N.'s human rights committee within the next two weeks, he said. If either one passes, it will go to the full General Assembly for a final vote in December.

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