Friday, July 28 2006 12:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: In its first statement since Israel attacked Lebanon on July 12, the UN Security Council has expressed 'shock and distress' at the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) killing of four United Nations' unarmed peacekeepers and asked Tel Aviv to conduct a 'full investigation.'

But under pressure from the United States, the Council members agreed to considerably weaken the original Chinese draft which would have condemned Israel, called for joint Israeli-UN inquiry and described the attack as 'apparent deliberate targeting,' a term that Secretary-General Kofi Annan had used.

Instead of calling for joint inquiry, the statement only asked Israel to take into account any material gathered by UN and publish its results as soon as possible.

"The Security Council is deeply shocked and distressed by the firing by the Israeli Defence Forces on a United Nations observer post in southern Lebanon on July 25," the statement passed unanimously by the 15-nation council said.

A statement, unlike a resolution, requires consensus of all members and the United States, which made it clear that it would not allow criticism of Israel, had threatened to withhold its consent unless the draft was watered down to meet its concern.

As a result, the statement could not be issued on Wednesday and only after several changes were made, Washington agreed to it yesterday.