Olmert: Rice Embarassed by Abstention on Gaza Resolution

In fact, Olmert indicated that not only did a call to Bush make the difference, as Rice herself brought help draft the resolution, she was left red-faced and embarrassed.

Here's what Olmert said:

"Early Friday morning [Israel time], [we knew that] the secretary of state was considering bringing the cease-fire resolution to a UNSC vote and we didn't want her to vote for it. Suddenly, within ten minutes it became clear that, the vote was going ahead.

"I [called the White House and] said, 'Get President Bush on the phone.' They tried, and told me he was in the middle of a lecture in Philadelphia. I said, 'I'm not interested, I need to speak to him now.' He got down from the podium, went out and took the phone call. I told him that the US cannot possibly vote in favor of this resolution. He immediately called the secretary of state and told her not to vote for it. She was left quite embarrassed."

The good thing is that Condoleeza Rice will have few opportunities for further embarrassment. Fourteen of the UN Security Council's 15 members voted in favor of the resolution, which was later rejected by both Israel and Hamas.