By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- Calling an Arab-sponsored draft resolution "lopsided and unbalanced," U.S. Ambassador John Danforth October 5 vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for an end to Israeli military operations in northern Gaza.

The draft resolution, Danforth said, is "dangerously disingenuous because of its many material omissions. Because of the lack of balance, because of its many omissions, the resolution lacks credibility and deserves a 'no' vote."

The vote was 11 in favor with the United States voting against. Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom abstained. The draft demanded the immediate cessation of all military operations in the area of northern Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. It condemned the "broad military incursion and attacks by the Israeli occupying forces" in northern Gaza resulting in "extensive human causalities and destruction and exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation." The draft also reaffirmed support for the road map for Middle East peace.

Such a resolution "emboldens terrorists, encourages counterattacks, and contributes to the ultimate terrorist goal of derailing the peace process," said Danforth, who is the chief U.S. envoy to the United Nations. Instead, the Security Council should "apply pressure even handedly, on both sides, to return to the road to peace."

Danforth asked the 15-nation council to analyze "what the resolution says and then what it fails to say."

"The resolution 'condemns' Israel's military actions in Gaza; it criticizes 'incursions' into the Jabaliya refugee camp; it condemns Israeli acts of 'destruction,' and it laments 'extensive human casualties' among Palestinians. It 'demands' that Israel, as the 'occupying power,' withdraw its forces immediately. Tough words," Danforth said.

"The United States has no problem with tough words" but will support their use only "when they are accurate and there is balance," the ambassador said.

The draft resolution "did not mention even one of the 450 Qassam rocket attacks" launched against Israel over the past two years, nor mention that Qassam rockets have no military purpose and "are crude, imprecise devices of terror designed to kill civilians," he said.

"Civilian casualties are always tragic. The death of children is especially tragic. It is tragic when they are Israeli children; it is tragic when they are Israeli civilians. It is tragic when they are Palestinian children, and Palestinian civilians. But where the death of civilians is intentional, but where the death of civilians is the sole purpose of the attack, it is not only tragic, it is reprehensible," the ambassador said.

The resolution also failed to mention the "complete failure of the Palestinian Authority to meet its commitments to establish security among its people" or Israel's legitimate right to defend itself, the U.S. ambassador said.

Pointing to the fact that the resolution failed to condemn terrorism, Danforth said, "silence indicates consent. The silence here today is deafening."

"When the rest of the world gangs up on Israel with insidious silence about terrorism, it does not advance the cause of peace. It encourages both sides to dig in; it makes Israel feel isolated and backed into a corner, and it discourages dialogue," the ambassador said.

Both sides need to renounce violence, recommit to the roadmap and need to move quickly to establish a Palestinian state, Danforth said.