'Thwarting arms smuggling is key.' Rice
צילום: רויטרס
American envoy at UN: Stop politicizing Gaza war
In her first Security Council address, ambassador Rice says, 'Some allegations made against Israel are deliberately designed to inflame,' adding that US was 'deeply concerned about the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent weeks'
WASHINGTON – The new American ambassador to the UN called on all members of the international community "to refrain from politicizing" Israel's recent offensive in Gaza and its aftermath.
In her first address to the Security Council on Thursday, Susan Rice said "There have also been numerous allegations made against Israel, some of which are deliberately designed to inflame."
According to the envoy, Hamas violated international humanitarian law "through its rocket attacks against Israeli civilians in southern Israel and the use of civilian facilities to provide protection for its terrorist attacks."
Rice also said Israel must investigate allegations that its army violated international law during the three-week conflict.
She added that the US was "deeply concerned about the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent weeks and the tragic suffering of Palestinian civilians, who require urgent humanitarian and reconstruction assistance."
Prior to the session Rice met with Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev and recounted her tour of Sderot last July as part of then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's delegation. The American envoy told Shalev that she was well aware of the threat to the residents of south Israel, and conveyed the new administration's concerns over Hamas' attempts to rearm.
Rice said thwarting the smuggling of arms into Gaza was vital to maintaining the ceasefire.
Shalev, for her part, stressed the need to conduct the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations without any outside intervention on the UN's part, and also discussed the need to halt Iran's nuclear program.
The Israeli envoy added that Israel would not negotiate with Hamas, which seeks the Jewish state's annihilation. Shalev also asked for the US' assistance in advancing the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
