Arab nations have called on the UN Security Council to pass a resolution expressing grave concern over a deadly Israeli raid on Gaza City and demanding Israel's withdrawal from Palestinian towns.
A draft text circulated by Arab envoys would call for "the complete cessation of all acts of violence, including military actions, destruction and acts of terror" in the Middle East.
It would demand that Israel pull back its troops to the positions they held prior to September 2000 - before the start of a Palestinian uprising in which at least 1,467 Palestinians and 559 Israelis have since died.
The Security Council was due to begin a public debate on the Middle East crisis on this evening. The session was requested by Arab nations after Monday's Israeli air raid on Gaza City that killed 15 Palestinians and wounded at least 145 more.
Arab envoys, in a letter, said the meeting should "consider the continued Israeli military aggression against the Palestinian people" and the "extremely grave and deteriorating (humanitarian) situation" in Palestinian areas. The letter was signed by Saudi Ambassador Mr Fawzi bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi, current chairman of the Arab group of countries at the United Nations.