UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council demanded on Tuesday that Israel stop its siege of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s compound, with the United States abstaining rather than using its veto power to kill the resolution.

The measure, approved by the other 14 council members, also called on the Palestinian Authority to ensure those responsible for terrorist acts were brought to justice.

The United States has vetoed similar resolutions in the past, but diplomats said Washington decided against doing so in order not to alienate Arab opinion during its campaign for U.N. support against Iraq.

Calling the resolution flawed, James Cunningham, the U.S. representative, said, "It failed to explicitly condemn the terrorist groups and those who provide them with political cover, support and safe haven in perpetuating conflict in the Middle East."

The text was a compromise negotiated by Britain and France, which sponsored it along with Bulgaria, Ireland and Norway.

It "demands that Israel immediately cease measures in and around Ramallah, including the destruction of Palestinian civilian and security infrastructure."

It also demands the "expeditious withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces" from Palestinian cities toward positions held prior to September 2000, the date of a Palestinian uprising that has cost more than 2,000 lives.

Israeli forces wrecked Arafat’s headquarters complex in Ramallah in the West Bank last Thursday after two suicide bombings killed seven people in Israel in the past week and shattered a six-week lull in such attacks.

On Monday, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte introduced his own resolution to counter one proposed by Palestinians.