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12/08/2004
Israelis and Palestinians both 'undermining' peace efforts
Both Israelis and Palestinians are undermining prospects for peace, with the former failing to end settlement expansion and carrying out collective punishment, the latter failing to end violence and combat terror, according to the UN.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast said his gloomy summary that there had been no tangible progress towards resuming the peace process was now "depressingly familiar".
But for each side to cite the actions of the other does not in any way excuse it from fulfilling its own obligations, he added.
"There can be no preconditions to the observance of humanitarian law and international agreements," Mr Prendergast said.
He went on to call on Israel to end "illegal extrajudicial killings and house demolitions" and to freeze settlement building. For the Palestinian Authority, it must end all attacks, including a recent rash of rocket assaults, and reform its security services, the under-secretary-general said.
Mr Prendergast stressed that the Road Map sponsored by the UN, EU, Russian Federation and US represented the best way "to move out of the current hopeless situation". However, both sides had "failed to meet their minimum obligations" under the plan, which calls for a series of parallel and reciprocal steps leading to two states living side-by-side in peace by 2005.
"The Palestinian Authority, despite promises made by its President, has made no progress on its core obligation to take immediate action on the ground to end violence and combat terror," he said.
"The Israeli Government, despite its commitment, has made no progress on its core obligation immediately to dismantle settlement outposts erected since March 2001 and to move towards a complete freeze of settlement activities."
In the past month, 54 Palestinians have been killed, with 400 Palestinians and 23 Israelis injured, according to the UN . Since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000, it is thought that 3,553 Palestinians and 949 Israelis have been killed.
(gmcg)
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast said his gloomy summary that there had been no tangible progress towards resuming the peace process was now "depressingly familiar".
But for each side to cite the actions of the other does not in any way excuse it from fulfilling its own obligations, he added.
"There can be no preconditions to the observance of humanitarian law and international agreements," Mr Prendergast said.
He went on to call on Israel to end "illegal extrajudicial killings and house demolitions" and to freeze settlement building. For the Palestinian Authority, it must end all attacks, including a recent rash of rocket assaults, and reform its security services, the under-secretary-general said.
Mr Prendergast stressed that the Road Map sponsored by the UN, EU, Russian Federation and US represented the best way "to move out of the current hopeless situation". However, both sides had "failed to meet their minimum obligations" under the plan, which calls for a series of parallel and reciprocal steps leading to two states living side-by-side in peace by 2005.
"The Palestinian Authority, despite promises made by its President, has made no progress on its core obligation to take immediate action on the ground to end violence and combat terror," he said.
"The Israeli Government, despite its commitment, has made no progress on its core obligation immediately to dismantle settlement outposts erected since March 2001 and to move towards a complete freeze of settlement activities."
In the past month, 54 Palestinians have been killed, with 400 Palestinians and 23 Israelis injured, according to the UN . Since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000, it is thought that 3,553 Palestinians and 949 Israelis have been killed.
(gmcg)
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