Security Council calls for two-state solution

Israel's UN ambassador, Gabriela Shalev, objected to the meeting, saying Israel doesn't believe the involvement of the Security Council contributes to the political process in the Middle East and calling the timing "inappropriate" because of Netanyahu's upcoming visit and the government's ongoing policy review.

"This process should be bilateral and left to the parties themselves," Shalev said in a statement.

But Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia, which holds the council presidency this month and organized yesterday's meeting, stressed the importance of a rapid resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and of international involvement in the process, a view echoed by Rice and council members.

The council reiterated its call for "renewed and urgent efforts by the parties and the international community" to reach a Mideast peace agreement "based on the vision of a region where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, will live side by side in peace," according to its statement.

Lavrov said the council wanted to ensure that the two-state solution was "clearly reaffirmed" and "that the resumption of talks should not go back to square one," he said.

While Israel's previous government, led by Prime Minster Ehud Olmert, was committed to the goal of Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peaceful independent states, Netanyahu has expressed misgivings about an independent Palestinian state.

In the six weeks since he became prime minister, Netanyahu has pointed to Hamas's takeover of Gaza as a precedent and warned that turning over land to the Palestinians can bring violent extremists to power and endanger Israel.

While the Security Council took a strong tone with Israel, it also had a message for the Palestinians.

It urged Palestinian factions to take "tangible steps" toward reconciliation, such as renouncing violence, respecting past commitments, and recognizing Israel - the last of which Hamas refuses to do.