The United States Thursday reiterated its sorrow over the deaths of Palestinian civilians in Israeli artillery fire in Gaza. But the State Department ruled U.S. support for what it said is a one-sided draft resolution condemning Israel presented by Arab states in the U.N. Security Council. The Bush administration has gone to great lengths to stress its concern about the Gaza violence and casualties, especially the Israeli artillery fire in Beit Hanoun Wednesday that killed 18 members of a Palestinian family.However officials here are making clear that the United States will not support what they describe as a one-sided draft resolution in the U.N. Security Council condemning Israel. They say the only real way to escape the cycle of violence is a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian dialogue that stalled with the election of a Hamas-led Palestinian government last January.
Only hours after the incident in Gaza Wednesday, President Bush said in a written statement he was deeply saddened by the deaths and injuries and extended U.S. condolences. Mr. Bush also urged a speedy Israeli investigation of what he called a tragic incident and appropriate steps to avoid any repetition, and he urged all parties to act with care and restraint. Briefing reporters, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice followed-up the statement with a condolence telephone call to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and a call to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose government has apologized for what it said was errant artillery fire.