United Nations: The United Nations General Assembly with an overwhelming majority passed a resolution asking Israel to end threats to "remove" Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and ensure that no harm comes to him.

The 191-member Assembly voted 133 to four with 15 abstentions on an Arab-drafted resolution on September 19 demanding that Israel rescind its policy to "remove" Arafat from Palestinian territories.

While the United States and Israel were joined by Micronesia and Marshall Island in opposing the resolution, 15 countries including Australia, Canada, Kenya and Colombia abstained.

All 15 members of the European Union voted for the resolution after Arabs agreed at the last moment to incorporate amendments suggested by them. The amendments condemn Palestinian suicide bombings as also targeted killings of Palestinian militants by Israel.

American UN Ambassador John Negroponte opposed the resolution as it did not specifically condemn Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which are blamed for carrying out suicide attacks against Israel.

PTI