United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, July 22, 2014. AP
UNITED NATIONS 鈥� The UN secretary-general said Tuesday it is his 鈥渉ope and belief鈥� that his emergency mission to the Middle East will lead to an end to the fighting between Hamas and Israel 鈥渋n the very near future.鈥�
Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council by video conference from the West Bank city of Ramallah that he could not publicly reveal details 鈥渁t this highly sensitive moment.鈥� As he started to address the council a siren could be heard in the background.
The UN chief has also visited Qatar, Kuwait, Cairo and Jerusalem and said he will go on to Jordan and Saudi Arabia on what he called a mission 鈥渙f solidarity and peace鈥� to quickly end an escalating two-week war between Israelis and Hamas militants who control the Gaza Strip. Their third conflict in just over five years has already claimed the lives of at least 609 Palestinians, the vast majority civilians, and 29 Israelis 鈥� 27 soldiers and two civilians.
In the last three days Ban has met with the head of the Arab League and Arab, Palestinian and Israeli leaders as well as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Norway鈥檚 foreign minister. He also spoke to French President Francois听Hollande.
鈥淪uffice it to say, it is my hope and belief that these talks will lead to results and an end to the fighting in the very near future,鈥� Ban said.
He cautioned, however, that 鈥渙f course there are many obstacles and complexities.鈥�
Ban said 鈥渢he most promising prospect of a cease-fire鈥� is an Egyptian initiative to return to the cessation of fighting in November 2012 that has been endorsed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Arab League 鈥� but not Hamas.
Riyad听Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, told several reporters after more than 60 countries addressed the council that he hopes the secretary-general succeeds in ending the violence.
He said the Palestinian leadership was meeting late Tuesday to evaluate Abbas鈥� meetings with Ban and other leaders.
Mansour said he believes the Palestinians, who recently formed a unity government between Hamas and Abbas鈥� Fatah movement, 鈥渁re very close鈥� to a unified position. That will enable Abbas to speak for all Palestinians, he said.
鈥淔rom our side, I think that we will be very close to having our effort (succeed) in bringing this aggression to an end,鈥� Mansour said.
Ban stressed that a cease-fire without addressing the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only delay the problem for yet another time.
鈥淭he cycle will continue 鈥� except the bitterness and hatred will become that much more entrenched each time it comes around,鈥� Ban said. 鈥淨uite simply, if a people are left with despair and occupation, the problem won鈥檛 disappear, it will only grow.鈥�
Mansour echoed that there must be no return to the 鈥渟tatus quo鈥� and said the blockade of Gaza must be lifted.
US Ambassador Samantha Power told the council that 鈥渁n immediate cease-fire could not be more urgent or more important鈥� and stressed that the United States 鈥渨ill not rest鈥� until the fighting ends and the underlying issues are resolved leading to a two-state solution.
Egypt鈥檚 UN Ambassador听Mootaz听Khalil urged acceptance of the Egyptian initiative and condemned Israel鈥檚 disproportionate use of force, saying: 鈥淭he Torah mandates an eye for an eye. It never dreamed a hundred eyes for only one.鈥�
鈥淲e hope our common efforts will result in an immediate cease-fire followed by negotiations to address the root causes of this ever-repeating, never-ending conflict, first and foremost ending the illegal blockade鈥� of Gaza crossings controlled by Israel, he said.
Mansour demanded to know what the Security Council is doing 鈥渢o stop this bloodletting, to stop Israel鈥檚 atrocities鈥� and uphold its responsibility to protect civilians.
He urged the council, which is often divided on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to adopt a resolution demanding an end to the fighting.
鈥淲ithout decisive action, the council鈥檚 resolutions and statements ring hollow as defenseless civilians find no relief from the murderous Israeli war machine,鈥� he said.
The proposed resolution, backed by the Palestinians and their Arab and international supporters, was circulated to the 15 council members later Tuesday by Jordan, the Palestinians said.
The draft, obtained by The Associated Press, calls for 鈥渁n immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, including the withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces from the Gaza Strip.鈥�
It urges support for the Egyptian cease-fire initiative and calls for 鈥渢he sustained reopening鈥� of crossing points into Gaza based on a 2005 agreement. It condemns violence against civilians and calls for 鈥渁ll necessary measures鈥� to protect civilians including the 鈥渋mmediate cessation of military reprisals, collective punishment and excessive use of force against the Palestinian civilian population.鈥�
The resolution faces an uphill struggle winning approval from the United States, Israel鈥檚 closest ally and a veto-wielding council member, especially because it makes no mention of Hamas or its rocketing of Israel.
Russia鈥檚 UN Ambassador听Vitaly听Churkin听said a senior Foreign Ministry official is in the region and plans to hold talks with the Israelis, Palestinians and UN He said Russia is ready to consider an Arab-supported resolution.
Mansour read the names of 44 Palestinian children killed in the fighting, aged 8 months to 15 years old, and showed council members grim photos of victims and grieving survivors. The UN office of humanitarian affairs estimates that at least 75 percent of the Palestinian deaths were civilians, including dozens of children.
Israel鈥檚 Deputy Ambassador David听Roet听warned that the struggle Israel is facing today from Hamas 鈥渋s a preview of the struggle that the rest of the civilized world will likely face tomorrow鈥� from the global spread of 鈥渞adical Islamist terrorism.鈥�
Roet听attacked the formation of the unity government in early June.
鈥淧resident Abbas has a choice to make,鈥澨齊oet听said. 鈥淗e can continue to remain silent and stand in support of Hamas, or he can assume the mantle of leadership by dissolving the unity government. The choice is his 鈥� be part of the problem or part of the solution.鈥�