U.N. Leader Has 'Grave Concern' over Reported Israeli Attack
U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon is gravely concerned about reports of an Israeli air strike on Syria but cannot independently verify what happened, a spokesman said Thursday.
On top of a protest to the United Nations, Syria has also complained to the U.N. Security Council about the raid, diplomats said.
"The secretary general calls on all concerned to prevent tensions or their escalation in the region," said deputy U.N. spokesman Eduardo del Buey.
Syria, threatening retaliation, says the raid targeted a military research center while other reports have claimed it hit an arms convoy. Israel has not commented.
"The secretary general notes with grave concern reports of Israeli air strikes in Syria," the spokesman while stressing that the United Nations has no details of the incident nor could it "independently verify what has occurred."
Syria made its formal complaint to the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force, which monitors a ceasefire zone between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights.
"UNDOF did not observe any planes flying over the area of separation and therefore was not able to confirm the incident. UNDOF also reported bad weather conditions," del Buey said.
The U.N. mission in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, had also been unable to confirm any Israeli air strike, del Buey said earlier. But the Lebanon force "can certainly confirm that there were a high number of Israeli overflights that UNIFIL recorded on Tuesday."
Ban called on all sides to "strictly abide by international law, in particular in respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries in the region."
Syria said it has protested to the United Nations over the incident. The U.N. secretariat, however, has not confirmed the protest.
The U.N. Security Council is "monitoring" the heightened tensions, however, Masood Khan, Pakistan's UN ambassador and president of the council for January, told reporters.
"Things are developing very rapidly, this incident has taken place. We have received a communication from the permanent representative of Syria," Khan said.
He gave no details of the Syrian letter, but said there was no request for a special meeting of the 15-country council. "They would give due consideration to this development," Khan added.
11 years
sincerely this is a very bad image portrayed by the UN concerning Israeli's attack on Syria. On several occasions Israel has been above the law and nothing has been done to them in terms of DISCIPLINE. UN is becoming a toothless dog when it comes to issues concerning Israel and US hence loosing respect. What are you teaching the young generation? why do you think US and ISRAEL should have more powers than others?
RESPECT should have been the only way out in this matter. what makes you think that if IRAN obtain nuclear plants will be very dangerous when Israel and US and many other countries have them and they're not dangerous. please, this should be played in a mature way than torturing each other.
we love a peaceful world not blood, we're loosing beloved ones because of your immaturity manors.
Syria is more likely to transfer weapons to Hezbollah because of this. It is clearly illogical, one has to wonder about the real reasons behind the strike. Ban is a pathetic stooge, but I mean that in a good way.