Britain Demands Israeli Withdrawal Without Delay
Middle East: JAck Straw Demands Israeli Withdrawal Without Delay
9April 2002
British Foreign Secretary Jack
Straw said:
'Israel's response to the demands of the international community for an early withdrawal from the Palestinian areas is not good enough. The limited withdrawal Israel has announced falls short of the requirements of UN Security Council Resolutions 1402 and 1403.
'Like every other country, Israel has a right to security, but the Israeli government must respect international law, including international humanitarian law.
'President Arafat too should make every effort to achieve an immediate ceasefire. I have urged him repeatedly to clamp down on the extremists.'
Britain's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, said on Radio 4's Today programme this morning:
'I think everybody understands that the political and moral authority of the United Nations is not to be cast aside lightly or to be trodden on lightly.
For all the sympathy we have for
Israel's proper security, Israel must respect international
law, including international humanitarian law, or it does
the very character of a democratic Israeli society a great
deal of damage.'