UNITED NATIONS, April 8: The UN Security Council on Sunday demanded Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian cities and an “immediate implementation” of its resolution seeking a ceasefire between the Israeli and the Palestinians.

“Israel’s continued military action against the Palestinians is unacceptable and a violation of international humanitarian law,” said a statement read out by Council President Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of Russia. It was agreed to by the 15-member council, which includes the United States, after an emergency meeting held at the request of the Arab nations.

In particular, there must be a ceasefire and Israel must withdraw its forces from Palestinian cities without delay,” the statement said.

“The continuation of violence by the power in control of the events on the ground is unacceptable,” Lavrov said.

The UN Security Council members agreed to hold their seventh meeting in 11 days on the Middle East crisis as US Secretary of State Colin Powell began his peace mission to the region at the request of President Bush.

The Council members held more than two hours of closed-door talks on the situation on Sunday, and afterward issued a statement expressing their deep concern that repeated calls for an Israeli withdrawal appeared to have fallen on deaf ears.

Syrian Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe, a member of UN Security Council, said Arab states had urgently called for Sunday’s meeting because “Israel did not start to withdraw,” in compliance with the earlier UN resolutions.

“Even Condoleezza Rice said Israel must withdraw today and not tomorrow,” said Wehbe, referring to Bush’s national security adviser.

Rice told ABC television on Sunday that Bush had made it clear during a a telephone conversation with Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that he expected the withdrawal to begin immediately.

Wehbe called the situation very grave, saying Israel’s aim is to kill all the Palestinians in Jenin and Nablus.

However, the Israeli Ambassador Yehuda Lancry told reporters the Council did not intend an Israeli withdrawal to be a unilateral step but one linked to Palestinian measures including the cessation of “terrorist acts.”

“Once we have certain assurances that the Palestinian side is determined to prevent suicide bombings, to arrest terrorists — at least as a declaration of will — we will be then persuaded, maybe, to respond with some similar steps, maybe a selective withdrawal also,” he said.