United Nations: Israel came in for strong condemnation for its decision to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Palestinian territories from more than 40 member states of the United Nations, as the Security Council debated situation in the Middle East.

"To remove Arafat would be a major political mistake and adversely affect the peace process," they said.

Also, the vote on a resolution condemning Israel for plans to oust Arafat, drafted by Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al Kidwa and supported by Arabs, was postponed after the United States, closest ally of Israel, threatened to veto it, describing it as one-sided for its failure to condemn suicide attacks against Israel.

Israeli Security Cabinet approved the plan to remove Arafat last week after two more Palestinian suicide bombers carried out deadly attacks in Jerusalem.

The resolution asks Israel not to expel or deport Arafat and ensure no harm come to him. Diplomats said Syria, the only Arab member of the 15-member Council, made some changes in the text but that failed to satisfy the United States.

It was unclear whether Arabs would agree to amend the text further to win American support. Diplomats said the United States had not explicitly ruled out the possibility of abstaining if the resolution in the present form is put to vote.

Kidwa warned the Council that any action against Arafat would mean an end of the Palestinian authority and the peace process. He walked out of the Council as Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman began speaking.

Gillerman strongly attacked Arafat describing him as an obstacle to peace, and a "professional terrorist" and said his removal would lead to a swift end of the conflict in the region.

Arafat, he said, is inventor of modern terrorism and was at the "helm of those who have been supporting mega-terror attacks, in the style of the bombing of the twin towers (World Trade Centre in the United States) to bring region to the brink of catastrophe".

"Just trash," commented Kidwa on Gillerman's accusation. Outside the Council, the Israel Ambassador said if Israel had wanted to kill Arafat, "it could have done 3,000 times". American Ambassador John Negroponte told the Council that ding terrorism must be highest priority.

He condemned Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade and asserted that any resolution must condemn them to get US support.

UN's chief Middle East Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said the process had been brought to a standstill and that not enough had been done to pressure the Israelis and Palestinians to implement the so-called international "roadmap" proposed by the US, UN, EU and Russia.

PTI