Global Policy Forum

By Evelyn Leopold

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday unanimously adopted a statement deploring Israel's deadly attack on the southern Lebanese village of Qana but rejected U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's call for an immediate truce. The policy statement, read at a public meeting, expressed "extreme shock and distress" at the air strike by the Israeli army that killed at least 60 people and asked Annan to report within a week "on the circumstances of this tragic incident."

It stressed "the urgency of securing a lasting, permanent and sustainable cease-fire" and affirmed the council's determination to work "without any further delay" to adopt a resolution "for a lasting settlement of the crisis."

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said he opposed calling for a truce, as requested by Annan in an impassioned plea to an emergency council meeting he called after the strike on Qana, the deadliest single attack of Israel's 19-day-old war against Hizbollah militants. "We don't think that simply returning to business as usual is a way to bring about a lasting solution," Bolton said. "Rather than jump to conclusions about ceases-fires and other matters, we felt it was important to let that play out and to do what was important today, which was address the tragic loss of civilian life," Bolton told reporters.

Council statements need the consent of all 15 members. The council did not mention a U.S. announcement that Israel would stop aerial bombing for 48 hours, presumably because Israel had not confirmed it.

Lebanon's Foreign Ministry official, Nouhad Mahmoud: told reporters, "We were looking for stronger action, stronger language, but we believe that the statement contained language which commits the council for further action."

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said even though the text could have been stronger "the end result is quite satisfactory."

Earlier Annan, at a public meeting, urged the Security Council to condemn the attack and call for an immediate end to the violence. Without his intervention, the council probably would not have met on a Sunday. "I am deeply dismayed that my earlier calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities were not heeded," Annan said. "I repeat this call once again from this chamber and I appeal to the council to do likewise."

Annan said he wanted a cessation of hostilities -- a limited truce to save lives while a cease-fire with detailed conditions is worked out.

Failure to Act Firmly

Israel's U.N. Ambassador Dan Gillerman said Qana was "a hub for Hizbollah" and said his country had "beseeched" residents to leave prior to Sunday's attack. "I am beseeching you not to play into their (Hizbollah's) hands, not to provide them with what they are seeking while sacrificing their own people as human shields and as victims," Gillerman said.

"Every dead Lebanese child is a horrible mistake and a tragedy. For them (Hizbollah) every dead Israeli child is a victory and a cause for celebration."

But Annan said no one disputed Israel's right to defend itself "but its manner of doing so is causing death and suffering." He condemned Hizbollah's shelling of northern Israel and its "unprovoked" kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers which started the crisis. But he said people had noticed the council's failure "to act firmly and quickly during this crisis."

"For the sake of the people of the region and of this organization, I urge you to act, and to act now," Annan said.

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