The United States has responded favourably to a draft UN Security Council resolution that would call for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, US officials have said.
The text, if approved, would represent a change of position from yesterday’s comments by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who expressed sympathy with Israel's decision to respond militarily after a series of terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians.
But negotiations continued with Syria, a council member, advocating a stronger text, focusing on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories captured in the 1967 war.
The draft, proposed by Council President Ole Peter Kolby of Norway, was being negotiated after an emergency public debate called by Arab nations in response to Israeli troops and tanks besieging Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
If adopted, the resolution would be the second one this month supported by the United States, Israel's closest ally.
Before March, Washington for more than a year had blocked all council action on the Middle East. But on March 12th, US envoys had startled the council by introducing a resolution they themselves had drafted, demanding an immediate cease-fire.
The Norwegian measure demands Israelis and Palestinians move immediately to a "meaningful cease-fire" and "calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah."
It expresses "grave concern" at the recent suicide bombings in Israel and the "military operation" against Arafat's headquarters.
The draft asks both sides to cooperate fully with the Bush administration's Middle East envoy, retired Marine Gen. Mr Anthony Zinni with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement.
During a five hour public meeting late last night, council members assailed Israel's assault on the Palestinian Authority with US representative Mr James Cunningham virtually alone in placing blame for the escalating crisis on Palestinian suicide bombers.