U.S. pushing Security Council to condemn Qassam rocket fire for first time

[oberliner]

NEW YORK - The United States is pushing the United Nations Security Council to adopt a presidential statement on the Gaza crisis which would for the first time include a condemnation of the ongoing Qassam rocket fire at southern Israel.

The draft statement, which would open with a condemnation of the rocket fire and other terrorist activities against Israel, is currently being discussed by Security Council member states.

Sources at the UN headquarters in New York said the U.S. proposed the draft after a third day of discussions Thursday failed to produce agreement on a presidential statement about the situation in Gaza.

The draft statement also does not condemn Israel for imposing a blockade on the Strip, but rather calls on Jerusalem to take measures to ease the suffering of Gaza civilians.

A Western diplomat told Haaretz that, if approved, the statement would be the Security Council's first direct and explicit condemnation of the rocket fire.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/948228.html