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Thu Apr 4, 7:47 PM ET
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council on Thursday unanimously endorsed the Mideast mission of Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) and demanded an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities "without delay."
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Bush announced Thursday he was sending Powell to the Mideast next week. He urged Israel to halt its military incursions and start pulling its troops and tanks out of West Bank cities it entered in the past week in a search for Palestinian extremists.
The intesified U.S. mediation effort was announced while Security Council members were discussing an Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah where Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) is surrounded by Israeli tanks.
Frustrated over Israel's disregard of a council demand on Saturday to pull back its forces, Palestinian supporters demanded a new resolution including the word immediate — which wasn't in Saturday's call for Israel's military withdrawal.
The United States objected to the word "immediate" because it has been pressing for a cease-fire to come ahead of an Israeli troop withdrawal, a position supported by Israel.
After Bush announced his new initiative, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte proposed new language for the Arab-backed draft resolution demanding that Israel pull out its tanks and troops "without delay" and welcoming Powell's Mideast mission. Arab and non-aligned nations agreed to those words.
The resolution calls on "both parties to move immediately to a meaningful cease-fire; calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah; and calls upon the parties to cooperate fully with (U.S.) Special Envoy (Anthony) Zinni" to work to get a cease-fire and start negotiations for a political settlement.
It also expressed "grave concern" over the recent Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel and the attack on Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah.
The resolution adopted Thursday night demands the implementation of Saturday's resolution "without delay."