United Nations: The United States has vetoed an Arab resolution condemning Israel for targeted killing of spiritual leader of Hamas Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, describing it as one sided.

The resolution last evening (Mar 25, 2004) got 11 votes with three abstentions in the 15-member Council but the negative vote by the US killed the resolution.

This was the 28th veto by the United States on the resolutions concerning the Middle East.

Britain, Germany and Romania abstained on the resolution which was moved by Algeria and Libya.

Explaining the vote, the three said they had abstained as the resolution was "unbalanced" as it did not condemn the terrorist attacks against Israel, a position taken by Washington.

In an effort to win support of the United States, the movers had introduced a par condemning all terrorist attacks against any civilians as well as all acts of violence and destruction. But it did not meet the demand of the United States that it names Palestinian terrorist groups, which send suicide bombers to Israel.

Yassin was killed by a targeted Israeli missile attack in Gaza strip on Monday last. Critics said that the veto sends a wrong signal to the world community and it would not be conducive to peace in the Middle East.