UNITED NATIONS: A senior UN official Monday expressed outrage over the Israeli bombing of Gaza City causing extensive damage to UN offices, including those of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), as well as a World Bank office.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen said he was deeply concerned at the use of heavy weaponry in close proximity to UN offices where staff worked at the time of the Israeli air strikes Sunday.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters on Monday the world body, in seeking to prevent future such attacks, “can do nothing except use the power of moral suasion.” Eckhard said Israel has been reminded that under international law, the Israeli government is responsible for providing safety and security to international civil servants.

Roed-Larsen added, “Israel’s security will not be met by hitting civilian targets or by destroying the Palestinians’ ability to police and maintain order.” Hansen, who protested the Israeli bombing in “the strongest possible terms,” said two UN staffers were injured in the air strikes, which shattered all of the specially reinforced windows in the building.

The growing international criticism of Israel included a protest from the US State Department. A department spokesman said: “We have been very clear about the need for Palestinian action against violence and terror. At the same time, we do not believe that demolitions of Palestinian property and homes can contribute to the restoration of calm and an end to violence.”

Israeli tactics against Palestinians also have drawn protest from the country’s own army reservists. Last month, more than 100 reservists signed a petition refusing to serve in the West Bank and Gaza and protesting Israeli policies which, they said, involved “dominating, expelling, starving and humiliating an entire people.”

“The price of occupation is the loss of the Israel Defence Forces’ semblance of humanity and the corruption of all of Israeli society,” the document stated. The petition has reflected and reinforced heated debate within Israel over the legality and morality of using brute force and heavy firepower to fight stone-throwing Palestinians and suicide bombers.

The 15-member EU has expressed anger over the destruction of Palestinian property and infrastructure, especially where it has been funded with EU aid. Total costs have been estimated at over 15 million dollars. The EU is the largest single aid donor to Palestinians, having provided some $2.9 billion since 1994.

Worst hit by Israeli mortar attacks has been the Gaza airport, rendered inoperable so that Arafat cannot fly out of the occupied territories. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said last week, “Arafat is the leader of the Palestinian people. By being isolated and virtually being under house arrest makes it difficult for him to lead.” “He’s being asked to stop the violence. He’s being asked to lead and yet, as leader, he and his institutions are under so much pressure that I really do not see how that is going to help,” Annan added. “When the leader who is supposed to act is weakened to the point of impotence, “we have a real problem on our hands,” he declared.

Israeli forces also have blown up the headquarters of the Palestine Broadcasting Corporation, destroying some three million dollars worth of communications equipment donated by Germany, France, Denmark and other EU nations.

The damage also includes destruction of the Inter-Continental Hotel in Bethlehem, partly financed by the European Investment Bank. Eckhard said on Monday that Annan “reiterates his belief that no solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be found through violence and retaliation.” —Dawn/InterPress Service.