UNITED NATIONS, Oct 6: The United States vetoed an Arab draft resolution in the UN Security Council on Tuesday that would have demanded Israel halt all military operations in northern Gaza and withdraw from the area. The Israeli operation has cost 80 Palestinian lives.

The resolution received 11 votes in favour, with Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom abstaining. Voting in favour of the resolution were Russia, France, China, Spain, Angola, Chile, Pakistan, Algeria, Benin, Brazil and the Philippines.

The veto was the 80th by the United States in 59 years. Some 29 vetoes concerned the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The last was on March 25 against Israel's assassination of Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin.

Speaking prior to the Council's vote, Ambassador John C. Danforth of the United States called the proposed text "lopsided and unbalanced" for containing many "material omissions" and said it deserved a no vote.

Algerian Ambassador Abdalla Baali, the council's only Arab member, said the 15-nation body appeared to be effective only when it chastised Arab nations. He recalled the recent resolution telling Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon.

"We regret that such a balanced and credible text that was merely calling upon Israel to end its military operation which causes so many human losses and so much damage has not gained unanimous endorsement by the council," Mr Baali said.

Palestinian UN observer Nasser al-Kidwa said some Council members spoke only of Israeli deaths when in fact the Israeli army was trying to kill all Palestinian people and destroying their lives and future.

He said Israel had an official army committing war crimes and acts of state terrorism. Britain's UN ambassador Emyr Jones Parry also said the resolution was "unbalanced." But he agreed with most Council members that the Israeli response was disproportionate.

"The current action undertaken by the Israeli defence forces is causing a large number of civilian deaths and injuries in Gaza," Mr Parry said. French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said he supported the resolution because the Council needed to respond rapidly to the steadily deteriorating situation in Gaza.

Israel launched the offensive after a Palestinian rocket strike killed two children in the southern town of Sderot last Wednesday. Some 2,000 troops as well as tanks and attack helicopters were used.

Britain, Germany and Russia attempted to get a last minute compromise by adding some amendments but the effort failed. Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, blamed "the evil Palestinian leadership" for the crisis.

"Were it not for their tragic leadership and their choice of terror rather than a settlement when one was offered, the Palestinian people would long ago have had their own state."