UN To Israel: Get Out Of Ramallah

The United States joined other United Nations Security Council members Saturday in adopting a resolution that calls on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat's headquarters compound is under siege.

The 14-0 vote was held shortly before dawn and after 12 hours of marathon negotiations and some 30 speeches, with most nations assailing Israel's siege of Arafat's compound in Ramallah on Friday.

Deputy U.S. ambassador James Cunningham stood virtually alone in placing blame for the escalating crisis on Palestinian suicide bombers.

The vote came a day after Israel declared the Palestinian leader an enemy and, vowing to isolate him, launched an extensive military campaign in response to a series of attacks on Israeli civilians.

It was the second time in a month that the U.S., Israel's closest ally, backed a Mideast resolution, after years of abstaining and vetoing Council measures critical of Israel. On March 13, the U.S. voted with the council to approve a resolution calling for a Palestinian state.

The U.S. vote represented a change of position from comments Friday by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who expressed sympathy with Israel's decision to respond militarily after a series of attacks on Israeli civilians.

Israel rejected the resolution's calls for a pullout from Palestinian cities, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger. Israeli spokesman Arieh Mekel told Berger Israel is acting in self-defense. "What was our alternative, to sit back and wait for the next suicide bomber?" he asked.

Syria, a council member, boycotted the vote, leaving its seat empty in protest. But its ambassador then spoke to the council, calling the resolution "very weak and feeble" for not condemning Israeli attacks against Palestinians.

In a rare public disagreement with the U.S., Israel's U.N. ambassador, Yehuda Lancry, objected to the measure, saying it gave "a prize to the Palestinian terrorists" by not appealing strongly for an end to suicide bombing attacks and questioning Israel's right of defense.

Palestinian delegate Nasser al-Kidwa, however, praised the resolution but said he wished it had been stronger. He called it "an important step that could represent a positive contribution to stemming the deterioration."

The meeting concluded a tumultuous week in Middle East politics: Arab League nations endorsed a Saudi peace plan, a suicide bomber killed 22 Passover diners, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed that Israel would "isolate" Arafat, whom he dubbed an "enemy," with a massive military push.

In Ramallah Saturday, Israeli troops kept Arafat confined to his three-story office building. The troops cut power and water and took over the rest of his headquarters compound. A mobile phone remained Arafat's lone link to the world. He was in two windowless rooms, and food was said to be running low.

Early Saturday morning, Israeli tanks rumbled into the Palestinian town of Beit Jalla, which is adjacent to biblical Bethlehem, where Christians are observing Easter weekend. It is just south of Jerusalem.

The troops did not enter Bethlehem itself. Palestinian gunmen in Beit Jalla have frequently fired on a nearby Jewish neighborhood.

Sporadic gunfire continued through the night and into Saturday morning at the compound and elsewhere in Ramallah, which is about 10 miles north of Jerusalem.

The Israelis fired rockets into a Ramallah office building Saturday morning. They then used loudspeakers to call on Palestinian militants in the building to surrender. Eventually, 15 came out.

The Ramallah operation, which began Friday morning, was described by Israeli officials as the first stage of a much larger assault aimed at destroying the "terrorist infrastructure" that Israelis blame for the hundreds of deaths they have suffered in 18 months of relentless violence. More than 1,200 Palestinians also have died.

In the latest Palestinian attack, an 18-year-old woman blew herself up Friday at the entrance of a Jerusalem supermarket, killing herself and two Israelis. The Al-Aqsa Brigades, a militia close to Arafat's Fatah movement, said it had sent the bomber.

Israel said it had no plans to harm or arrest Arafat, but wanted to isolate him. He scoffed at the assurances of his safety.

Despite the violence, the White House said envoy Zinni would continue his mission trying to forge a cease-fire.

In other developments: