U.N. Condemns ‘Excessive’ Force in Middle East; U.S. Abstains

With the United States abstaining, the Security Council approved a resolution Saturday condemning the “excessive use of force” that has left about 80 Palestinians dead.

In the bitterly fought-over resolution demanded by the Palestinians, the council called for an immediate resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and backed “a speedy and objective inquiry” into the fighting.

The council also said it deplores the “provocation” at Jerusalem’s holiest shrine Sept. 28 and the violence that followed, a clear reference to the visit to the site by right-wing Israeli politician Ariel Sharon.

U.S. negotiators and supporters of the Palestinians reached agreement on the text after three days of marathon negotiations and the personal intervention of President Clinton.

Clinton personally asked for a delay in the vote early Saturday after a final draft resolution was offered that the United States said it had little choice but to veto.

Saying the United States still has “extreme distaste” for the resolution, U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said the decision to abstain was taken at the highest levels of the U.S. government because the Clinton administration believes that it will be better able to serve U.S. national interests and deal with the “great dangers that exist in the region today.”