UNITED NATIONS, March 26: The United States on Thursday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution denouncing Israel's 'targeted assassination' of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , the spiritual leader and founder of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in Gaza City earlier this week.

Eleven countries - China, Pakistan, Russia, France, The Philippines, Angola, Chile, Spain, Algeria, Benin and Brazil - voted in favour of the resolution, while Britain, Germany and Rumania abstained. Only the United States voted against the measure which killed the resolution.

Speaking before the vote, Ambassador John D. Negroponte of the United States explained that his country opposed the resolution because it was "silent about the terrorist atrocities committed by Hamas, did not reflect the realities of the conflict in the Middle East and because it will not further the goals of peace and security in the region".

Mr Negroponte said the United States was "deeply troubled" by the killing of Sheikh Yassin. "Israel's action has escalated tensions in Gaza and the region, and could set back our efforts to resume progress towards peace," he said. Russia, which voted for the resolution, expressed regret over the US decision.

"We regret the failure to reach consensus at the UN Security Council in connection with a dangerous outbreak of violence in the Middle East," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said in a statement.

Following the vote, Algerian Ambassador Abdallah Baali said the result was as if the Security Council concluded that it had no say in the terrible tragedy unfolding in that part of the world. "By not condemning the extrajudicial killing of Sheikh Yassin, the Security Council is not sending the right message to the world which has unanimously condemned this crime," he said.

"But it is certainly sending the wrong message to Israel, whose representative boasted two days ago in this very chamber about the crime and vowed to continue the unlawful policy of extra judicial killings," he said.

If adopted, the text would have condemned "the most recent extra judicial execution committed by Israel, the occupying power, that killed Sheikh Ahmed Yassin along with six other Palestinians outside a mosque on Monday in Gaza City, and called for a complete end to such killings".

The draft expressed the council's grave concern over the continued deterioration of the situation in the occupied territory, including Al Quds, as a result of the escalation of violence and attacks, and condemned all terrorist attacks against any civilians as well as all acts of violence and destruction.

The draft also called on all sides to immediately undertake an unconditional cessation of acts of violence, including all acts of terrorism, provocation, incitement and destruction.

In a related provision, the council would have called for an end to all illegal measures and practices and for respect for and adherence to international humanitarian law.

Both parties would have been called on to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap and to work with the Quartet to implement it, in order to achieve the vision of the two states living side-by-side in peace and security.

The Algerian delegation said it might take the resolution to the full 191-nation General Assembly. The assembly overwhelmingly sides with the Palestinians in such issues, but lacks the prestige of the Security Council.