Libya on Wednesday presented a draft resolution from the Arab League to a UN Security Council emergency meeting that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

The draft resolution “strongly condemns all military attacks and the excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Israel, the occupying power, which have led to the death and injury of scores of innocent Palestinian civilians, including women and children.” It calls for “an immediate ceasefire and for its full respect by both sides.” It also calls on Israel “to scrupulously abide by all of its obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly under the Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilians in time of war.” The 15-member council is now expected to convene a public debate on the draft resolution that includes representatives from Israel, Egypt, the Arab League and the Palestinian territories.The resolution makes no mention of the ongoing Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli territory that Israel said prompted its retaliatory offensive against Gaza.Note, especially, the last graph. Not unexpectedly, the United States, Israel’s chief ally and a permanent member of the Security Council, looked askance at the draft resolution.

“This resolution as currently circulated by Libya is not balanced and therefore, as currently drafted, it is not acceptable to the United States,” US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters.