Situation in the Mideast – Letter from Venezuela

Letter dated 18 July 2006 from the Permanent Representative

of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit the attached press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the terrible situation which currently exists in the Middle East, rejecting and condemning the disproportionate attacks which Israel has unleashed over the past several days against the Palestinian and Lebanese people and infrastructure.

I should be grateful if this letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the General Assembly under agenda items 14, Situation in the Middle East, and 15, Question of Palestine.

(Signed) Francisco Javier Arias Cardenas

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

Annex to the letter dated 18 July 2006 from the Permanent Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela addressed to the Secretary-General

Press Release

Venezuela condemns Israel’s attacks against Palestinian and Lebanese people

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects and condemns the disproportionate attacks that the State of Israel has unleashed for the past several days against both the Palestinian and Lebanese people and their infrastructure. The indiscriminate use of force has already resulted in many civilians killed and wounded, including innocent children and women.

There is no pretext that could justify such acts of aggression. The fact that the Palestinians have decided to vote for one of the choices presented during the last elections, which irritated Israel, is no reason for the harassment which has been unleashed, and has worsened into the present conflict.

Even less explicable is the destruction of major infrastructure in Lebanon, as well as the blockade to which it is being subjected, establishing a dangerous precedent in international affairs. Likewise, the harassment of Syria from the air puts the stability of the entire region at increasing risk, with the danger of more bloodshed and worse punishment for its inhabitants.

The veto by the Government of the United States of America to prevent consideration of this crisis in the United Nations Security Council is unacceptable. Its hegemony over this body severely undermines it as a forum for the peaceful settlement of conflicts. Therefore, our country continues its strong support for its democratization and is working to gain a seat on the Security Council.

Finally, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in solidarity with the countries suffering aggression and with its innocent victims, calls on the peoples and Governments of the world to put an end to this conflict and to endeavour to seek the path of negotiation that will lead in the end to the establishment of a Palestinian State, which is the inalienable right of the people who have peacefully occupied this land for centuries.