By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 19 -- After the UN Security Council broke up its Friday meeting without agreeing on any statements, Inner City Press asked the Permanent Observer of Palestine Riyad Mansour if the killings in southern Israel constituted a terrorist attack."
Mansour replied, "If there are clashes involving military forces on both sides... it would be difficult to have anyone make any description... without knowing all the facts." Video here, from Minute 5:35.
Inner City Press earlier on Friday reported exclusively, on this argument that since there was a bus containing Israeli soldiers, it was not a terrorist attack, and that a separate statement on Gaza was being proposed. At the stakeout, Inner City Press asked Mansour if Palestine could have lived, or could still live, with two statements.
"Two separate statements to be adopted together," he said, "today, was not accepted."
Inner City Press asked if he thought the Security Council might have to reconvene this weekend.
"It depends if they want to exploit this incident to look for an escapegoat for social pressures inside Israel, and what we'll be doing in September," Mansour replied, "if there are extremists on part of the Israelis, and maybe other extremists, to divert from issues they are facing, it might be convenient to intensify the fighting... in Gaza." Video here, from Minute 10:57.
While US Deputy Permanent Representative Rosemary DiCarlo at least came out to issue a short statement that it was unfortunate a standard anti-terror statement could not be agreed to, Lebanon's delegation did not come out to speak. Later Inner City Press was told Lebanon's position is that it offered to "meet the US half way," and have two statements. Lebanon should speak more. Watch this site.
