Western powers and Arab states have reached an agreement in principle on a draft Security Council resolution that would call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the Arab League UN envoy said today.
"In principle there is an agreement," Ambassador Yahya Mahmassani told reporters after a day of negotiations.
Arab countries have insisted that the UN Security Council must issue a binding resolution that would force Israel to end its military campaign in the Gaza Strip immediately.
Israel has opposed the idea of the Security Council passing anything on the Gaza crisis, whether it is a resolution or a non-binding statement.
The US delegation had also been opposed to a resolution but diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had dropped their objections and were prepared to back a text that would require what US officials repeatedly describe as a "durable" ceasefire.
As diplomats discussed the possibility of a resolution, violence continued on the ground. Israel pressed its offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, a UN aid agency said it was suspending operations there and a rocket salvo from Lebanon slightly wounded two people in northern Israel.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met with Arab diplomats at the United Nations to discuss the draft text.
Ms Rice told reporters there was no immediate agreement and gave no details about preparations for a draft resolution. She said only that the British had presented the Arabs with something that could form the basis of a "consensus text."
Arab delegations are studying the British-drafted text, which will likely undergo revisions, diplomats said. It was unclear when the 15 council members might have a final draft ready to put to a vote.
Reuters