G-8 Statement Regarding the Situation in the Middle East
(July 16, 2006)
Today, we the G-8 Leaders express our deepening
concern about the situation in the Middle East, in
particular the rising civilian casualties on all sides
and the damage to infrastructure. We are united in
our determination to pursue efforts to restore peace.
We offer our full support for the UN Secretary General's
mission presently in the region. The root cause of
the problems in the region is the absence of a comprehensive
Middle East peace.
The immediate crisis results from efforts by extremist
forces to destabilize the region and to frustrate the
aspirations of the Palestinian, Israeli and Lebanese
people for democracy and peace. In Gaza, elements of
Hamas launched rocket attacks against Israeli territory
and abducted an Israeli soldier. In Lebanon, Hizbollah,
in violation of the Blue Line, attacked Israel from
Lebanese territory and killed and captured Israeli
soldiers, reversing the positive trends that began
with the Syrian withdrawal in 2005, and undermining
the democratically elected government of Prime Minister
Fuad Siniora.
These extremist elements and those that support them
cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos
and provoke a wider conflict. The extremists must immediately
halt their attacks.
It is also critical that Israel, while exercising
the right to defend itself, be mindful of the strategic
and humanitarian consequences of its actions. We call
upon Israel to exercise utmost restraint, seeking to
avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage
to civilian infrastructure and to refrain from acts
that would destabilize the Lebanese government.
The most urgent priority is to create conditions for
a cessation of violence that will be sustainable and
lay the foundation for a more permanent solution. This,
in our judgment, requires:
- The return of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and
Lebanon unharmed;
- An end to the shelling of Israeli territory;
- An end to Israeli military operations and the early
withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza;
- The release of the arrested Palestinian ministers
and parliamentarians.
The framework for resolving these disputes is already
established by international consensus.
In Lebanon, UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and
1680 address the underlying conditions that gave rise
to this crisis. We urge the UN Security Council to
develop a plan for the full implementation of these
resolutions.
We extend to the Government of Lebanon our full support
in asserting its sovereign authority over all its territory
in fulfillment of UNSCR 1559. This includes the deployment
of Lebanese Armed Forces to all parts of the country,
in particular the South, and the disarming of militias.
We would welcome an examination by the UN Security
Council of the possibility of an international security/monitoring
presence.
We also support the initiation of a political dialogue
between Lebanese and Israeli officials on all issues
of concern to both parties. In addition, we will support
the economic and humanitarian needs of the Lebanese
people, including the convening at the right time of
a donors conference.
In Gaza, the disengagement of Israel provided an opportunity
to move a further step toward a two state solution
under the Road Map. All Palestinian parties should
accept the existence of Israel, reject violence, and
accept all previous agreements and obligations, including
the Roadmap. For its part, Israel needs to refrain
from unilateral acts that could prejudice a final settlement
and agree to negotiate in good faith.
Our goal is an immediate end to the current violence,
a resumption of security cooperation and of a political
engagement both among Palestinians and with Israel.
This requires:
- An end to terrorist attacks against Israel;
- A resumption of the efforts of President Abbas
to ensure that the Palestinian government complies
with the Quartet principles;
- Immediate expansion of the temporary international
mechanism for donors established under the direction
of the Quartet;
- Israeli compliance with the Agreement on Movement
and Access of November 2005 and action on other steps
to ease the humanitarian plight of the people of
Gaza and the West Bank;
- Resumption of security cooperation between Palestinians
and Israelis;
- Action to ensure that the Palestinian security
forces comply with Palestinian law and with the Roadmap,
so that they are unified and effective in providing
security for the Palestinian people;
- Resumption of dialogue between Palestinian and
Israeli political officials.
These proposals are our contribution to the international
effort underway to restore calm to the Middle East
and provide a basis for progress towards a sustainable
peace, in accordance with the relevant UN Security
Council Resolutions. The Quartet will continue to play
a central role. The G-8 welcomes the positive efforts
of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan as well as other
responsible regional actors to return the region to
peace. We look forward to the report of the Secretary
General's mission to the Security Council later this
week which we believe could provide a framework for
achieving our common objectives.
Sources: The White House |