Foreign Secretary comments on security situation in the occupied territories – UK FCO press release/Non-UN document

BECKETT COMMENTS ON SECURITY SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (13/06/06)

After meetings with Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett commented again on the security situation in Gaza and the West Bank. She said:

'I am greatly concerned by the increasing violence in the Middle East. All violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories acts as an obstacle to peace. Internal violence in the Occupied Territories and actions by the Israeli military have left civilians dead and injured. Just today in Gaza, civilians, including children, have been killed by Israeli military action against a vehicle carrying rockets. Such casualties are completely unacceptable.

'We call on the Israeli Government to ensure that any military actions are proportional and ensure that civilians, particularly children, are not harmed. And we call for an end to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on Israeli targets. We support President Abbas' efforts to restore order, using legally constituted security forces.

'In our meetings with Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni, the Prime Minister and I have made it clear that we want to see a negotiated settlement; the current cycle of violence is making this harder to achieve and is costing innocent lives.'