How the UN works: Libya thwarts Security Council censure of Shlomi missile strike

So much for "international legitimacy."

 

 Last update - 09:47 10/01/2008       
Libya thwarts Security Council censure of Shlomi missile strike
By Shlomo Shamir and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents and Reuters

 

Libya, which last week took over the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council after decades as a pariah of the West, is hindering diplomatic efforts spearheaded by Israel to issue a resolution condemning Tuesday's Katyusha strike on the Galilee, Haaretz has learned.

 

Two Katyusha rockets struck the western Galilee town of Shlomi, causing no injuries early Tuesday morning. One of the rockets lightly damaged a house, and the second hit a street in the town.

 

The main bone of contention centers around an Israeli demand that the resolution include language that characterizes the rocket strike as a violation of UN Security Council 1701, which officially ended the Second Lebanon War.
 
The Libyan ambassador who assumed the council presidency, Giadalla Ettalhi, let it be known that his government rejects any reference to 1701, citing the UN position that there is no definitive proof that the rocket fire emanated from Lebanon.

 

Though Jerusalem has indicated a willingness to compromise on references to Lebanon in the document, it continues to insist that Resolution 1701 be cited in any censure.

 

For its part, Tripoli seeks to include language condemning the Israel Air Force flights over southern Lebanon in any resolution, a position which Israel rejects.

 

As president, Libya's ambassador to the UN is obliged to maintain contacts with all of the world body's member states, including Israel - with which it currently has no diplomatic relations. Diplomatic sources, however, doubted on Tuesday whether Libya would act so with reference to Israel.

 

The North African country was elected in October, as were Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia and Vietnam, to sit on the council in 2008-09 after the United States, which foiled two earlier bids by Tripoli, decided not to block it this time.

 

By an alphabetical accident, Libya becomes president of the 15-nation body from its very first day as a member, succeeding Italy. Each country is president for a month, the rotation going in English alphabetical order of names.

 

Libya and Burkina Faso had been unopposed after being endorsed by the African regional grouping for two African seats that fell vacant on Dec. 31.

 

The Security Council is the powerhouse of the United Nations, with the ability to send peacekeeping troops around the world and impose sanctions on specific countries.

 

Unlike the five permanent members - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - the nonpermanent members have no individual veto. But an alliance of seven of them can stop a resolution even if the big powers want it.

 

Libya has only recently rehabilitated itself in Western eyes from an accused sponsor of terrorism that organized the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Scotland, which killed 270 people.

 

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