Meanwhile Thursday, the US vetoed a Security Council resolution demanding Israel end its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

• US Ambassador John Bolton: “The United States worked hard with other delegations to achieve a more balanced text. One which acknowledged that Israeli military actions were in direct response to repeated rocket attacks into southern Israel from Gaza and the June 25th abduction of Israeli defense force corporal Gilad Shalit by Hamas. Regrettably we were not able to reach agreement.”

Diplomats criticized the Bush administration because the resolution’s sponsors had also included language calling for the release of the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and an end to rocket attacks on Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinians said the international community is abandoning them.

• Palestinian Observer to the United Nations Riyad Mansour: “We are highly disappointed and frustrated at the council’s continued inability to act while innocent Palestinian civilians continue to be brutally killed by the Israeli occupying forces.”

The US has now cast eight of the last nine vetoes at the United Nations Security Council. Seven of those were on resolutions dealing with the Israel-Palestinian conflict.