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Showing posts with label U.N. Security Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.N. Security Council. Show all posts

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Resolution 2803 (2025) Adopted by the Security Council at its 10046th meeting, on 17 November 2025 & The full text of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza 29 September 2025

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES & QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]   

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-us-resolution-gaza-approved-un-security-council 

Ambassadors and representatives to the United Nations meet at the UN Security Council on 17 November 2025 to vote on US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza (Angela Weiss/AFP)
 

Resolution 2803 (2025)

Adopted by the Security Council at its 10046th meeting, on 17 November 2025

The Security Council,

Welcoming the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict of 29 September 2025 (“Comprehensive Plan”), and applauding the states that have signed, accepted, or endorsed it, and further welcoming the historic Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity of 13 October 2025 and the constructive role played by the United States of America, the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Türkiye, in having facilitated the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,

Determining that the situation in the Gaza Strip threatens the regional peace and the security of neighboring states and noting prior relevant Security Council resolutions relating to the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,

1. Endorses the Comprehensive Plan, acknowledges the parties have accepted it, and calls on all parties to implement it in its entirety, including maintenance of the ceasefire, in good faith and without delay;

2. Welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace (BoP) as a transitional administration with international legal personality that will set the framework, and coordinate funding, for the redevelopment of Gaza pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan, and in a manner consistent with relevant international legal principles, until such time as the Palestinian Authority (PA) has satisfactorily completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French Proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. After the PA reform program is faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence;

3. Underscores the importance of the full resumption of humanitarian aid in cooperation with the BoP into the Gaza Strip in a manner consistent with relevant international legal principles and through cooperating organizations, including the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Red Crescent, and ensuring such aid is used solely for peaceful uses and not diverted by armed groups;

4. Authorizes Member States participating in the BoP and the BoP to: (A) enter into such arrangements as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, including those addressing privileges and immunities of personnel of the force established in paragraph 7 below; and (B) establish operational entities with, as necessary, international legal personality and transactional authorities for the performance of its functions, including: (1) the implementation of a transitional governance administration, including the supervising and supporting of a Palestinian technocratic, apolitical committee of competent Palestinians from the Strip, as championed by the Arab League, which shall be responsible for day-to-day operations of Gaza’s civil service and administration; (2) the reconstruction of Gaza and of economic recovery programs; (3) the coordination and supporting of and delivery of public services and humanitarian assistance in Gaza; (4) any measures to facilitate the movement of persons in and out of Gaza, in a manner consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and (5) any such additional tasks as may be necessary to support and implement the Comprehensive Plan;

5. Understands that the operational entities referred to in paragraph 4 above will operate under the transitional authority and oversight of the BoP and are to be funded through voluntary contributions from donors and BoP funding vehicles and governments;

6. Calls upon the World Bank and other financial institutions to facilitate and provide financial resources to support the reconstruction and development of Gaza , including through the establishment of a dedicated trust fund for this purpose and governed by donors;

7. Authorizes Member States working with the BoP and the BoP to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza to deploy under unified command acceptable to the BoP, with forces contributed by participating States, in close consultation and cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel, and to use all necessary measures to carry out its mandate consistent with international law, including international humanitarian law. The ISF shall work with Israel and Egypt, without prejudice to their existing agreements, along with the newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, to help secure border areas; stabilize the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the process of demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, including the destruction and prevention of rebuilding of the military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups; protect civilians, including humanitarian operations; train and provide support to the vetted Palestinian police forces; coordinate with relevant States to secure humanitarian corridors; and undertake such additional tasks as may be necessary in support of the Comprehensive Plan. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw from the Gaza Strip based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat. The ISF shall, (A) assist the BoP in monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza, and enter into such arrangements as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan; and (B) operate under the strategic guidance of the BoP and will be funded through voluntary contributions from donors and BoP funding vehicles and governments;

8. Decides the BoP and international civil and security presences authorized by this resolution shall remain authorized until Dec. 31, 2027, subject to further action by the Council, and any further reauthorization of the ISF be in full cooperation and coordination with Egypt and Israel and other Member States continuing to work with the ISF;

9. Calls upon Member States and international organizations to work with the BoP to identify opportunities to contribute personnel, equipment, and financial resources to its operating entities and the ISF, to provide technical assistance to its operating entities and the ISF, and to give full recognition to its acts and documents;

10. Requests the BoP provide a written report on progress related to the above to the UN Security Council every six months;

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-us-resolution-gaza-approved-un-security-council 


AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES & QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]   

 

The full text of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-trumps-20-point-plan-end-war-gaza-0

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES & QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]   

  Published date: 29 September 2025

A camp for displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, on September 29, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

1. Gaza will be a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours.

2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. 

3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.

4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.

5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads. 

8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025, agreement.  

9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.

10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.

11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.

12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. 

13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.

14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.

15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.

 16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the [Israeli military] will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the [Israeli military], ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the [Israeli military] will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.

17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the [Israeli military] to the ISF.

18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.

19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.

20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

  

The full text of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-trumps-20-point-plan-end-war-gaza-0

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES & QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]   

Friday, September 26, 2025

"No single country should have a veto in UN. A Security Council member should also lose its voting rights for a fixed period if it violates the UN Charter." Finnish President Alexander Stubb calls for reforms to UN in his speech

Finnish President Alexander Stubb calls reforms to UN in his speech: "No single country should have a veto in UN. A Security Council member should also lose its voting rights for a fixed period if it violates the UN Charter."

Friday, September 19, 2025

Dear America- The weapons industry and a global war machine- AND INJUSTICE- burgeon with American tax payer funds.

United Nations Security Council in 2014     
 

United Nations: Last night, a draft resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional & permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an immediate release of all hostages was NOT adopted in the Security Council, due to a [ONE] veto... by the United States.

Dear America,

Has our democracy already shifted into a debilitating epoch of pervasive commercial /government propaganda on all airwaves, streaming services, and cell phones as well as in our Congress, the White House, and other such halls of power so that uber-wealthy wannabes can become even more wealthy by impoverishing and silencing others?

Political violence is the harassment and/or murder of an 'other'...  Fact is every 'other' is actually part of a wonderfully diverse and interesting human family. Good and bad are a constant interplay within each individual, and in every society.  The rule of fair and just laws coupled with full respect for universal human rights helps keep bad in check.

There is nothing glorious or good about terrorism of any type, despite the popularity of movies and video games that use violence as a happy ending.  Violence is not a solution, or a happy ending- it is a problem- a huge problem.

The weapons industry and a global war machine burgeon with American tax payer funds.  Meanwhile there is an extensive de-funding of American schools; libraries; National Parks; Museums; the Arts; public TV and radio; science and research; healthcare; The United Nations and global diplomacy; etc...

News as entertainment has created quite a monster, including the bread & circuses echo chamber click bait designed to sell whatever AI deems most profitable to generate.  

FYI are you aware that Israel spends vast sums on propaganda ads. 

And are you aware that as Norman Solomon says: "Jews and Israel are not the same. Equating them is a propaganda technique. The claim is central to rationales for arming Israel even as leading human rights groups decry genocide in Gaza."

Sincerely,

Anne Selden Annab

NOTES https://anniesnewletters.blogspot.com/search/label/Notes

STOP THE SIEGE- stop funding crazy cruel Israeli schemes & the forced displacement, imprisonment, starvation, torture, and killing of human beings in Gaza and Palestine

“There is not a single day without bombings and deaths in the south, even in the so-called humanitarian zones that the army declared. So, would I just be running from death to death? What difference would that make?”

UK preparing to recognise Palestinian state as early as Friday- Move comes after Israel fails to meet UK conditions that would have postponed step

"Swathes of Gaza City, once a busy commercial and cultural hub, have been reduced to uninhabitable ruins. Until weeks ago, more than a million people were living there, many already displaced numerous times." More than 250,000 displaced from Gaza City in past month, UN figures show. Tens of thousands more forced to flee makeshift homes and shelters daily in face of new Israeli offensive

"End the impunity before atrocities become the new norm." Philippe Lazzarini

Israel spends vast sums on propaganda ads: "For at least a year, an Israeli YouTube account has been running ad campaigns that discredit UN agencies and challenge the findings of internationally recognized watchdogs."

"Now, more proof that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. How can western governments still refuse to act? The UN commission of inquiry’s report makes it almost impossible for Israel – and its allies – to maintain the narrative that criticism of it is part of an antisemitic plot"

Pope Leo XIV "I express my profound closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and to survive in unacceptable conditions, forced once again from their own lands..."

"The Nakba – Arabic for “catastrophe” – happened because the politicians of this country enabled it. They enabled it with the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which supported the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine...." Britain must help establish a Palestinian state It has a historical responsibility to do so- By William Dalrymple in The New Statesman

"Jews and Israel are not the same. Equating them is a propaganda technique. The claim is central to rationales for arming Israel even as leading human rights groups decry genocide in Gaza."

Genocide by remote control: Israel's explosive robots devastate Gaza. Israeli forces deploy explosive robots at 'unprecedented pace', obliterating homes and displacing families

Israeli air strikes, quadcopters and booby-trapped vehicles target Palestinians in Gaza City. Israel says Gaza City ground offensive has begun as UN commission rules Israel is committing genocide in the enclave

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry found that Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. In its report it concluded: “It is clear there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”

The $2.7 trillion question - what is the true cost of security? | A new report by the United Nations Secretary-General explores how rebalancing military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future can furnish the security we need.

“The world is spending far more on waging war than on building peace.” The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Sept. 2025: The true cost of peace [& the CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE of] Rebalancing world military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future

Agree to disagree… and let people live their lives: Teach your children that it's okay to disagree with someone, but it is never okay to harm someone else.

Dear America- Political violence, racist violence, religious violence, war violence, drug violence, domestic violence, etc.: Violence is a problem- not the answer.

letters https://anniesnewletters.blogspot.com/search/label/letters

"Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world..."   https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

Friday, September 12, 2025

"Apply international law and the UN Charter, which form the basis of your legitimacy. Use these tools to enforce the acceptance of the exchange deal that Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have worked on. Use them to stop the aggression on Gaza, to end the starvation, to enforce the entry of humanitarian aid," Jordan’s FM Ayman Safadi at UN Security Council Sept. 2025: "Safadi described the ‘Israeli’ government as "a rogue government, stained with the blood of innocents, driven by extremism and hatred, that neither cares for international law nor is deterred by human values.""

 AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]

http://en.royanews.tv/news/63060

"Safadi described the ‘Israeli’ government as "a rogue government, stained with the blood of innocents, driven by extremism and hatred, that neither cares for international law nor is deterred by human values."" 

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at the United Nations. (File photo)

“Israeli government is a rogue, driven by hatred,” says Jordan’s FM at UN Security Council

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi delivered a scathing rebuke of ‘Israel’ during an emergency session of the UN Security Council convened to discuss the recent ‘Israeli’ attack on Qatar.

Safadi described the ‘Israeli’ government as "a rogue government, stained with the blood of innocents, driven by extremism and hatred, that neither cares for international law nor is deterred by human values."

He accused ‘Israel’ of seeing itself as "above the law" and relying on "oppression to enforce a racist ideology and achieve expansionist goals that threaten peace and security in the region and the world."

A Catastrophic Toll and Broad Aggression

Safadi detailed the human cost of the conflict, stating that over the last 23 months, ‘Israel’ has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza, along with 540 humanitarian aid workers and 247 journalists. He accused ‘Israel’ of using starvation as a weapon, which he said has led to the deaths of 411 Palestinians, including 142 children, in Gaza.

The minister also said ‘Israel’ is destabilizing Lebanon and occupying more Syrian land, while also creating "strife aimed at plunging Syria into chaos and conflict."

He described the attack on Qatar's capital, Doha, as a "blatant violation of international law" and a "cowardly attack" on a state that has worked tirelessly with Egypt and the United States to reach a ceasefire deal.

Safadi accused the ‘Israeli’ government and its extremists of "lying in all their claims to justify their treachery against Qatar."

A Call for Action and Accountability

Safadi called on the Security Council to act immediately, stating it is time for the international community to "curb its arrogance and protect the entire region from its catastrophic actions."

He urged the council to use the tools at its disposal to enforce international law and the UN Charter.

"Apply international law and the UN Charter, which form the basis of your legitimacy. Use these tools to enforce the acceptance of the exchange deal that Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have worked on. Use them to stop the aggression on Gaza, to end the starvation, to enforce the entry of humanitarian aid," he said.

Safadi said the council must "protect what remains of the credibility of international law and international humanitarian law, to restore faith that human values and international law were created to be applied without discrimination or selectivity."

He stated that ‘Israel’ is killing all opportunities for peace by expanding illegal settlements, protecting what he called "settler terrorists," and besieging the Palestinian people.

Safadi noted that just hours before the session, the ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted about authorizing a new illegal settlement and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

A Shared Vision for Peace

Safadi affirmed that Jordan and Qatar share a vision for a safe and stable Middle East. "Our security and Qatar's security are one. And Qatar's stability and the region's stability are one," he said.

He stated that the Arab Peace Initiative has been waiting for a positive ‘Israeli’ response since 2002. He also pushed back on the ‘Israeli’ government's claim that they are surrounded by enemies, asserting that all Arab states are committed to a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.

"We want a just peace," Safadi said. "But the reality is that there is no Israeli partner now to work on achieving it."

Safadi concluded by saying ‘Israel’ has made Gaza "a land of death" and is engaging in a "genocidal war."

He ended his speech with a plea: "Injustice has gone too far. End it. End it before it's too late."

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Jordan FM’s unusual assurance of security:"We're here members of a Muslim Arab committee mandated by 57 Arab and Muslim countries and I can tell you here very unequivocally all of us are willing to right now to guarantee the security of Israel in the context of Israel ending the occupation and allowing for the emergence of a Palestinian State independent state "

 

I think it can get much much more dangerous particularly if the Israeli government is allowed to continue with its escalatory measures against Palestinians in the West Bank and against the holy sites.

You have a deadlock in Gaza because the Israeli Prime Minister aborted The Exchange deal.  You have an escalation in Lebanon because ... he only understands ... the language of War. He hasn't listened to the International Community. 

He didn't listen to his allies so he launched War in Lebanon and now this government is trying to escalate on the West Bank. If that happens that is when the threat of regional war will become the more real because the symbolism and the importance of the holy sites... unless this government faces consequences then the whole region is falling into the abyss and the future of the whole region including the future of Israel will be compromised add one sentence the Israeli
Prime Minister came here today and said that Israel is surrounded by those who want to destroy it... 

We're here members of a Muslim Arab committee mandated by 57 Arab and Muslim countries and I can tell you here very unequivocally all of us are willing to right now to guarantee the security of Israel in the context of Israel ending the occupation and allowing for the emergence of a Palestinian State independent state

we continue to push for a ceasefire

Saturday, October 18, 2014

U.N. Security Council urges stronger campaign against [Da'esh] Islamic State

The U.N. Security Council chamber, a gift from Norway, was designed by Norwegian artist Arnstein Arneberg. A large mural by Per Krohg (Norway), symbolizing the promise of future peace and individual freedom, covers most of the east wall.
[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-security-council-urges-stronger-campaign-against-011023522.html

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Friday pushed for a bombing campaign in Iraq against Islamic State militants and associated extremist groups to be strengthened and expanded. 

A U.S.-led military coalition has been bombing Islamic State fighters who hold a large swathe of territory in both Iraq and Syria, two countries involved in complex multi-sided civil wars in which nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday told military leaders from more than 20 countries working with the coalition that he was deeply concerned about the Islamic State's advances at the Syrian town of Kobani and in western Iraq.

"The members of the Security Council urged the international community, in accordance with international law, to further strengthen and expand support for the government of Iraq, including Iraqi Security Forces, in the fight against (Islamic State) and associated armed groups," it said in a statement.

Iraqi pilots who have joined Islamic State in Syria are training members of the group to fly in three captured fighter jets, a monitoring group said on Friday, saying it was the first time the militant group had taken to the air.

The 15-member Security Council "stressed that (Islamic State) must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out."

The United States has been trying to persuade Turkey to take an active role in the campaign against Islamic State. 

Ankara this week agreed to help equip and train some Syrian armed groups fighting the militants, as well as the Syrian government. U.S. and Turkish officials say talks are under way on allowing the use of Turkish facilities for countries engaged in the campaign against Islamic State.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Ken Wills)

***

UN Security Council urges stronger campaign against ISIS

 

Palestinians want UN Security Council to vote on Israel pullout