U.S. Vetoes UN Resolution That Israel Not Oust Arafat (Update2)

Sept. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. vetoed a resolution in the United Nations Security Council demanding Israel refrain from expelling Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, saying the measure criticized Israel and didn't strongly condemn suicide bombings.

The resolution, introduced by Syria and backed by the Arab group of nations, received the support of 11 council members. Bulgaria, Germany and the U.K. abstained from the vote. It was the fourth veto cast by the U.S. in the past two years of a Middle East resolution considered critical of Israel.

``The resolution was flawed in that it failed to include a robust condemnation of acts of terrorism,'' U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte told the Security Council. ``While Mr. Arafat is part of the problem, we believe it is best solved through diplomatic isolation.''

Israel's security Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, last week declared Arafat a barrier to peace and said Israel ``will work to remove this obstacle in a manner, and at a time, of its choosing.''

The vote is likely to dim prospects for success of the peace plan developed by the U.S., UN, European Union and Russia, diplomats said. The UN's chief Middle East envoy told the Security Council yesterday that the so-called road map for peace was ``at a standstill.''

`Deep Freeze'

The resolution's failure ``will put the road map in the deep freeze,'' said Ambassador Hector Munoz of Chile, a council member.

Syrian Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad called the vote a ``sad day'' for the UN and said the result would increase Arab anger at the U.S. throughout the Middle East.

``There will not be a positive response,'' Mekdad said. ``We don't think the U.S. needs this anger after all these developments in the region.''

Palestinian Ambassador Nasser al-Kidwa said ``serious consequences'' would follow the vote, including a possible ``misunderstanding'' of the result by Israel.

The vote came as Arafat's security adviser Jibril Rajoub said the Palestinian leadership is prepared to declare an immediate cease-fire on condition Israel agrees to halt attacks and remove blockades of Palestinian areas, the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

Rajoub, in an interview with Israel Radio, said the cease- fire would be permanent and would pave the way for a resumption of peace talks. Israel would also have to cease construction of Jewish settlements and stop building the West Bank security fence, Rajoub said.

`Something Mutual'

``We are ready to sit and we are ready to declare a general cease-fire, but it must be something mutual,'' Ha'aretz cited Rajoub as saying. ``Without mutuality, nothing will be achieved.''

Ha'aretz cited unidentified Israeli government officials as saying a truce wasn't a substitute for dismantling terrorist organizations. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades last month called off a seven-week-old cease-fire designed to give international peace efforts a chance.

On the West Bank, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad was killed during an operation by the Israeli army near the West Bank town of Hebron, Agence France-Presse reported.

Dan Gillerman, Israel's ambassador to the UN, said his government would ``take whatever steps are necessary to support its people.''

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in an interview with Israel Radio, suggested yesterday that killing Arafat was an option.

Dimmed Chances

Other Security Council members criticized the U.S. veto, saying it dimmed chances for peace.

``We believe it was important to send a message to all concerned that any contemplated act of deportation would be illegal and inconsistent with the objectives of the Middle East peace process,'' said Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan, a council member.

French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere called the veto ``a very serious, counter-productive result from a political point of view.''