UN Security Council members urge restraint between Israel and Iran

United Nations Security Council members urged Israel and Iran on Monday to end their spiraling cycle of tit-for-tat attacks on one another, following Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Iran. “All sides must exercise restraint. No good can come of pouring more fuel on the flames of this escalating cycle of violence,” said British Ambassador Barbara Woodward. Iran’s foreign minister requested the Security Council meet in an emergency session following an early Saturday wave of airstrikes by Israel that struck missile factories in three Iranian provinces. Council members Algeria, China and Russia supported Tehran’s request. “Now West Jerusalem is trying to involve Iran in confrontation -- Iran, which is showing unprecedented restraint under the circumstances,” Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said, referring to Israel. Russia is a close ally of Iran.   “It is very difficult not to have the impression that West Jerusalem is intentionally raising tensions, despite the signals from Tehran that they are ready to refrain from further spiraling confrontation,” he added, referring to Israel. “It is our view that such aggressive actions on the part of Israel are aimed at further stoking the flames of war, are unacceptable and need to stop." Israel’s strikes came weeks after Iran fired about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel amid Israel’s wars with Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the Israeli strikes "should not be exaggerated nor downplayed," while stopping short of calling for retaliation. It was Israel's first open attack on its archenemy’s territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the attacks achieved Israel’s goals, including harming Iran’s defense capabilities and its ability to produce missiles. His envoy told the Security Council that Israel’s response was “measured and proportionate,” but warned of stiff consequences if provoked again. “To Iran’s leaders, take this as a warning: Israel has shown restraint. But from here on, you will see only strength,” Danny Danon said. “Any further aggression will be met with consequences that are swift and decisive.” Iran’s envoy accused Israel of violating international law and the U.N. Charter and said Washington’s support had emboldened it to attack its neighbors. “Regrettably, unwavering and unconditional support provided by the United States to Israel, coupled with its obstruction of the Security Council mandate as a permanent member, has emboldened Israel to persist in its crimes and aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, and now against Iran, gravely undermining regional peace and security,” said Amir Saeed Iravani. He urged the Security Council to respond with “firm and dissolute action” and condemn Israel’s actions. U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Washington does not want to see further escalation and she delivered messages to both parties. “Today, the United States’ message for Israel remains clear: We will always help secure its people and territory from Iran and its terrorist proxies and partners,” she said. “Our message for Iran remains clear, as well: Should it choose to undertake further aggressive acts against Israel or U.S. personnel in the region, there will be severe consequences. We will not hesitate to act in self-defense.” Egyptian proposal Israeli forces carried out fresh airstrikes Monday in southern Lebanon where health officials said at least five people were killed in the city of Tyre and 10 were killed in the eastern Baalbek governorate. Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Sunday proposed a two-day cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that would include the militant group freeing four hostages during the halt in fighting. Neither Israel nor Hamas offered any immediate response to el-Sissi’s plan, the first he has proposed during months of playing a role, along with the United States and Qatar, in trying to broker a halt to fighting. Israel said Monday that David Barnea, the head of the Mossad spy agency, had returned from talks in Doha with his U.S. CIA counterpart, William Burns, and the Qatari premier, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, where they discussed a new "framework" for a Gaza hostage release deal. "During the meeting, the parties discussed a new unified framework that combines previous proposals and also takes into account key issues and recent developments in the region,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. "In the coming days, discussions will continue between the mediators and Hamas to assess the feasibility of talks and to further efforts to promote a deal."  U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters Monday, “We need a cease-fire. This war should end.”  Hamas and Hezbollah are U.S.-designated terror groups. Separately, the Israeli parliament passed legislation Monday banning the main U.N. aid agency assisting the Palestinians, UNRWA. The law will go into effect in 90 days. UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement that the bill “sets a dangerous precedent.”   “It opposes the U.N. Charter and violates the state of Israel’s obligations under international law,” he wrote on social media platform X.  “This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine Refugees.” Israel has accused dozens of UNRWA staffers of being members of Hamas and some of participating in the October 7, 2023, terror attacks. UNRWA says it has taken action against about a dozen employees that Israel provided evidence about regarding their involvement with the terror group. However, in dozens of other cases, UNRWA has received either insufficient or no evidence from Israeli authorities. The latest conflict in the region began when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in their October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel says it believes Hamas is still holding 101 hostages, including 35 the military says are dead. Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, with Israel saying the death toll includes thousands of militants.       VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.