UPDATED: ISRAEL TO ASK U.N. TO DO RIGHT THING

Israel will request that the United Nations Security Council condemn the terrorist bombing that killed five people in Tel Aviv this weekend and demand that the Palestinian Authority dismantle the terrorist groups operating in its territories as a prerequisite to further negotiations on autonomy. It should be depressing to see how the UN gets out of supporting Israel. Maybe they'll try for something even-handed like condemning the "militants" and the "victims" because as we all know, there's moral equivalence between the two. Does Israel really have any choice other than to defend itself? The UN can't even deploy words in Israel's defense.

Israel will ask the U.N. Security Council today to condemn a weekend suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and press Palestinians to act against militants, marking a rare diplomatic offensive in the international forum by the Jewish state, officials said.

In Israel yesterday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he had stepped up military measures against terrorists in response to the attack at a seaside nightclub that killed four, and would condition future peace talks with the Palestinians on concrete steps to fight terrorism. ...

The U.N. foray is a departure for Israel, which is more accustomed to being isolated on Middle East security issues. It hopes to get a declaration condemning the attack in an "unequivocal" manner, while pressing Mr. Abbas to take "tangible" steps, said
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev. "Usually, we're used to playing defense at the U.N.," said Mr. Regev, who added that a successful outcome would mark a shift in Israel's fortunes at the world body.

WELL, HERE'S HOW IT TURNED OUT. THE U.N. SAID THE ATTACK WAS REALLY AGAINST PALESTINIAN AND JEWISH PEACE HOPES (GUYS, ONLY JEWS DIED) AND ALGERIA DELETED REFERENCES TO THE CULPRIT, ISLAMIC JIHAD:

UN Condemns Tel Aviv Bombing: The UN Security Council Monday condemned the suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last Friday which killed 5 Israelis and wounded more than 50, saying such attacks undermined "the hopes and aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian people." Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group, said it was responsible for the attack. The original statement, initiated by the U.S., mentioned Islamic Jihad's claim but Algeria, the council's only Arab member, insisted it be removed, diplomats said. (Reuters)