Israel Temporarily Ends Gaza Supply Blockade

UNITED NATIONS — Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, ordered the temporary renewal of deliveries into Gaza of medicine and small amounts of fuel for an electric power station, following a wave of world condemnations of Israel's "collective punishment" against the Palestinian Arab population and a dire warning by the U.N. welfare agency saying that if the Israeli blockade does not end, food deliveries to Gaza's needy would cease.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to convene today on the request of Arab ambassadors who said yesterday that they planned to present a proposal for a resolution to condemn Israel and order it to end its measures in Gaza.

The Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, which has been criticized for concentrating too much of its activities on Israel, also is planning a new emergency session on Gaza this week. European and other world leaders have denounced Israel as well.

Israeli officials note, meanwhile, that since Mr. Barak ordered the closure of all entry points into Gaza late last week, cutting off the supply of food, fuel, and other necessities, there was a marked reduction in the number of Kassam rockets launched from the strip against Israeli southern towns.

Jerusalem officials said they would not allow the situation to become a humanitarian crisis, but Mr. Barak told a conference in Herzliya yesterday that unless Israeli southern towns enjoy "quiet," Gaza will suffer from more "noise."

Past attempts to condemn Israel at the council have met with American resistance, and in addressing reporters yesterday, America's U.N. ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, stressed Israel's right of self-defense.

Another American diplomat told The New York Sun that anyone who thinks Israel should be blamed for the escalation surrounding Gaza is living in a "parallel universe."