UNITED NATIONS, Sept 15: The top UN envoy for the Middle East warned on Monday that more bloodshed was inevitable unless the roadmap for peace between Israel and the Palestinians was pushed forward more quickly.

The best way to make progress was for Israel to abandon its settlements on Palestinian lands, said Terje Roed-Larsen, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process.

This would win the Palestinian Authority the popular support it needs to effectively counter the militant groups targeting Israel, he told the UN Security Council.

The UN envoy also questioned an Israeli decision in principle to “remove” Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, calling him “the legitimate leader of the Palestinians”.

“He embodies Palestinian identity and national aspirations. He is now far from irrelevant,” Mr Roed-Larsen said.

But Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman defended the policy, telling the council Yasser Arafat was a liar and a “professional terrorist” who had played “a wholly destructive role at every step of the way” in the peace process.

“The decision of the Israeli cabinet last Thursday merely states the obvious — that Mr Arafat is an obstacle to peace,” Mr Gillerman said, prompting Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al Kidwa to walk out of the chamber.

The exchange kicked off a day-long council debate on the Middle East, scheduled after the Israeli security cabinet last week called Mr Arafat an obstacle to peace and vowed to get rid of him “in a manner that will be determined separately”.

STRONGER STEPS: After emergency consultations on Friday, the council’s 15 nations issued a statement warning Israel that carrying out the policy “would be unhelpful and should not be implemented”.