The Prime Minister has spoken of his concern at the ongoing violence in Gaza and called for a renewed action on achieving a Israel-Palestine settlement in 2009.
In a Downing Street statement, the PM said that only “peaceful means” could secure a lasting solution to the dispute between Israel and Palestine. He called upon Gazan militants to end their rocket attacks and asked Israel to “meet its humanitarian obligations”.
The PM said:
“I am deeply concerned by continuing missile strikes from Gaza on Israel and by Israel’s response. As the Quartet stated on 15 December, peaceful means are the only way of reaching a lasting solution to the situation in Gaza.
“I call on Gazan militants to cease all rocket attacks on Israel immediately. These attacks are designed to cause random destruction and to undermine the prospects of peace talks led by President Abbas. I understand the Israeli government’s sense of obligation to its population. Israel needs to meet its humanitarian obligations, act in a way to further the long-term vision of a two-state solution, and do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties.”
Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the increase in rocket attacks by militants and also the high number of Palestinian casualties “should be of concern to the whole international community”.
Mr Miliband said the UK “fully supported” the UN and EU positions, outlined in respective statements yesterday, calling for an immediate halt to all violence. He also stressed the need for Israel to allow delivery of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid into the Gaza strip.
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