The US vetoed September 16 a resolution opposing Israel's plan to expel Yasser Arafat, leaving the United Nations (UN) Security Council facing new divisions. Eleven states, including France, China and Russia, voted for a draft resolution presented by the Arab group at the UN. The UK, Bulgaria and Germany abstained and the US voted against, which became an automatic veto. "We oppose the resolution because it failed to specify the threat by Hamas," US ambassador John Negroponte said after the vote. The US, which has regularly blocked resolutions criticising Israel, said the proposed resolution was "lopsided" against Israel and did not go far enough in condemning terrorism, especially by Palestinian militant groups. Israeli security cabinet voted last week to remove Yasser Arafat after two more Palestinian suicide bombings inside Israel.

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