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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.N. Security Council Calls for Withdrawal of Israeli Troops

Aired March 30, 2002 - 09:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: With the situation in the Middle East deteriorating by the moment, Palestinians have turned to the United Nations for some help. And this morning, the Security Council responded with a call for the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

But as CNN's Richard Roth reports, at least one nation says the U.N. draft resolution does not go far enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): High drama in the wee hours here at the United Nations and inside the Security Council. It was a marathon session, four hours plus of speeches, and then a vote, a vote that was delayed by Syria, which preferred its own resolution.

In the end, the Security Council voted 14 to nothing, calling on Israel to withdraw its forces from Ramallah, where Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority is holed up, plus other cities.

There is a brief mention of suicide bombings, expressing grave concern for the terrorist acts inside Israel.

(on camera): The United States, which seemed to keep a hands-off policy regarding Israel's tactics earlier on Friday, this time sided with the Palestinians and other countries in calling on Israel to get out.

UNIDENTIFIED U.S. DIPLOMAT: I think this -- the resolution, which we were able to support, does a number of things that we hope will build on Resolution 1397, and also address the situation as it exists now on the ground.

ROTH: The Palestinians, who urged this emergency session, were pleased to get a council vote.

UNIDENTIFIED PALESTINIAN DIPLOMAT: We believe that the council's resolution, 1402, is an important step.

ROTH: However, Israel's ambassador, Yehuda Lancry, was not pleased with this resolution, feeling it's one-sided.

YEHUDA LANCRY, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR: We didn't expect precisely the outcome of this resolution. ROTH: What delayed things in the early hours was Syria, which preferred a stronger resolution that would have condemned Israel rather harshly. The Syrian ambassador boycotted the vote. There was an empty chair. Syria stayed in the hall, later taking its place to deliver some remarks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think the Syrian delegation, as any other delegation, you know, has the right to advocate their points of view. So I'm not going to make any further comments on their action.

ROTH: Will this Security Council resolution, though, achieve anything? Two weeks ago the Security Council called an end to all forms of violence, only to have a wave of suicide attacks and follow- up Israeli incursions.

Richard Roth, CNN, reporting at the United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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