U.N. Votes to Probe Israeli Offensive in Refugee Camp
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Friday night for a fact-finding mission on the devastation in the Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin, which was raided by Israeli troops and tanks during the last three weeks.
Bowing to international pressure, the United States drafted the resolution after Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said his country would support a team chosen by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Israel, in search of Palestinian suicide bombers, has denied that hundreds of people were killed in Jenin, and Annan told council members Peres had mentioned 48 Palestinian deaths, diplomats reported.
The team will gather information on recent events in Jenin, the scene of some of the heaviest fighting since Israel’s offensive into the West Bank began about three weeks ago.
The document expresses concern at the “dire humanitarian situation” of Palestinian civilians, in particular a report from Jenin “of an unknown number of deaths and destruction.”
“It is important to have the facts with regard to what has happened in Jenin,” U.S. Ambassador John D. Negroponte said.
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