The UN General Assembly called for an end to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip on Friday, overwhelmingly passing a resolution in an emergency special session.
After a day-long debate by the 192-strong body, the resolution passed by a vote of 156 in favor, 7 opposed, with 6 abstentions.
The US, Israel and Australia voted against the document, along with four Pacific island nations. All European Union members supported the resolution after last-minute changes were made to soften the tone of the text.
Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN, Daniel Carmon, said his country was disappointed by the condemnation when, he insisted, it was merely trying to defend itself.
He said Israel wants peace and dialogue, but that it will fight back when attacked.
 "What we do not respect are those who fight us. We are in a very fundamental and basic right of self-defense, fighting back and we will continue fighting back terrorism. The problem is not what we have seen here and the problem is not what is written here in this resolution, the problem is the situation on the ground."
Washington expressed its disapproval of the text, criticizing what it said were one-sided and unbalanced resolutions attacking Israel.
The Palestinian UN observer, Riyad Mansour, said earlier that Israel had committed war crimes against Palestinian civilians in its nearly five-month offensive. He noted the 82 Palestinians killed during a six-day Israeli assault on the town of Beit Hanoun this month.
Israel has expressed regret for the loss of civilian life in Beit Hanoun, and blamed the deaths on a "technical failure" in the fire control system of an artillery battery.
|
Director: Liu Chi