US must drop bias to help resolve crisis

The news from Gaza of innocent Palestinian civilians, including many women and children, being killed by Israeli fire is heartbreaking.

The shelling on Wednesday of a United Nations school serving as a shelter caused the deaths of some 20 people and injured more than 100. An initial UN assessment concluded that Israel was responsible for shelling the facility where 3,300 people were seeking refuge. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called the attack "outrageous and unjustifiable" and demanded "accountability and justice".

The United States has for the first time "condemned" the attacks on innocent Palestinian civilians in the neutral UN shelter. But it still did not name Israel. In the past days, top US officials and government spokespersons have expressed "regret", and said they are "concerned" or "seriously concerned" over the deaths of innocent Palestinians.