France and the United States are preparing a new version of the draft UN resolution on the Middle East crisis after a former draft was rejected by Lebanon, according to France's UN envoy.

After meeting an Arab League delegation on the Middle East crisis at the UN headquarters, France's UN envoy Jean-Marc de La Sabliere revealed that the new text would take into consideration concerns of all parties and hoped the new version would be approved by the end of this week.

The draft resolution will be improved and it is important to hold discussions with the Arab League and the Lebanese, the UN envoy said, adding the text had to be approved by Israel as well.

The draft resolution, presented to the 15-member Security Council by the United States and France last Saturday, calls for "a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."

The draft was opposed by Lebanon and Arab nations, which said it failed to call for a withdrawal of some 10,000 Israeli troops from Lebanon's territory.

France and the United States said on Monday that they might consider making changes to their draft UN resolution, which Russia also voiced firm opposition due to fear for an escalation of the conflict and more violence.

Source: Xinhua