The Palestinian Authority hailed Sunday the UN Security Council resolution condemning an excessive use of force by Israel during the bloody unrest that has shaken the Palestinian territories.
"It is international condemnation of the Israeli government," Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's top aide Nabil Abu Rdeineh told AFP. "The condemnation of the Israeli aggression is absolute since the United States did not dare to resort to its veto and were content to abstain."
The council adopted by 14 votes to nil a resolution on Saturday condemning the "excessive use of force" against Palestinians during the clashes with Israeli forces that erupted 11 days ago.
The resolution, adopted after two late-night sittings during which the text was gradually watered down under the threat of the US veto, condemned "acts of violence, especially the excessive use of force against Palestinians, resulting in injury and loss of human life."
At least 90 people, mainly Palestinians, have been killed in the clashes.
Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the UN vote was a victory for the Palestinian people.
"This resolution is the fruit of the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people in their battle to defend their holy sites, their land and their national rights," he said in a statement.
He called on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to learn a lesson from the resolution.
"The international community's conscience will no longer tolerate the repression and collective murder to which the Palestinian people have become victim," he said - GAZA CITY (AFP)
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