The United Nations Security Council adjourned its emergency session late Wednesday night without coming to a vote on an Arab League resolution condemning Israel.
The draft resolution calls for an immediate halt to violence in Gaza, protection for Arab civilians and the opening of the Gaza crossings.
No specific mention is made of the incessant missile and mortar attacks on Israeli civilians by Gaza terrorists. The text condemns, however, "the excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Israel."
The United States immediately rejected the content of the resolution, which was circulated by Libya on behalf of the 22-member Arab League, as "unbalanced" and "one-sided."
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the outset of the session that he was "profoundly troubled" that the Security Council's call for an end to the violence had been ignored and called for Israel and Hamas to observe an immediate ceasefire.
In a clear move to show impartiality, Ban condemned "the indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas terrorists and the disproportionality of the continuing Israeli military operation." He demanded that both "step back from the brink."
U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said bluntly that Washington had not seen "any evidence" that the Hamas terrorist organization which rules Gaza showed any inclination to cease its own fire. He noted that the rocket attacks on the western Negev led to Israel's military operation in the first place.
"We face a very dangerous crossroads in the Middle East as a direct consequence of this Israeli aggression… threatening the life and prosperity of 1.5 million Palestinians and also threatening to undermine the peace efforts," claimed the Palestinian Authority's United Nations observer, Riyad Mansour.
He added that the Arab sector would work "day and night" to push for a resolution to "condemn the crimes committed by Israel and stop the military aggression, and provide protection for the Palestinians and lift the siege."