Israel expresses 'dismay' with UN

Israel has traditionally seen Mr Annan as even-handed

Israel's ambassador to the UN has made a rare public criticism of the world body's Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

Ambassador Dan Gillerman said he was "disappointed and dismayed" that Mr Annan had failed to deplore explicitly a suicide bombing on Thursday.

Mr Annan's "moral clarity... in expressly condemning brutal acts of terrorism like yesterday's attack is especially important," he said.

Mr Annan spoke out against "those who resort to... violence and terror".

He did not specifically mention the Jerusalem suicide bombing in which at least 10 people were killed and about 50 injured.

I have always condemned without reservation suicide bombings that take innocent lives Kofi Annan

He also did not mention Wednesday's Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip in which eight Palestinians - including five Islamic Jihad gunmen - were killed.

But shortly before Mr Gillerman's comments in New York, Mr Annan said in Brussels: "I have always condemned without reservation suicide bombings that take innocent lives."

Deadlock

The Security Council did not issue a statement on the round of violence due to a deadlock over wording.

Members were unable to agree on whether to denounce just the suicide bombing or the Israeli raid on Gaza as well.

Israel has regarded Mr Annan as more personally even-handed than the UN as a whole, which has a large Muslim and Arab bloc.

Its criticism of him on Friday illustrates the close scrutiny the secretary general comes under from all sides whenever he discusses the Middle East, the BBC's Susannah Price at the UN says.