Johannesburg, Jan 9, SPA -- South African President Kgalema Motlanthe onFriday criticized the United Nations Security Council over the crisisin the Middle East and said the world body was in need of "urgentreform" to ensure that it becomes more representative, reported dpa. "The problem is that if a country has powerful friends on theSecurity Council, they can sometimes act with impunity," Motlanthetold the weekly Mail and Guardian newspaper. "All you have to do is listen to the minister of foreign affairsor defence of Israel to know that you are dealing with people whobelieve they can cock a snook with impunity," he added. The original UN mandate was "meant to give equal treatment andprotection to even the smallest and weakest countries," he said. Motlanthe called Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip "sheersavagery." "The killing of women and children and innocent people leaves alldecent human beings with a deep sense of revulsion," he said.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/624213