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Annan Urges Restraint as Mideast Violence Goes
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday called for restraint by all sides involved in Middle East violence.
The West Bank violence Thursday "was chilling," said Annan who is on a peace mission to mediate the dispute between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Israeli helicopter gunships attacked targets in Gaza City and the West Bank town of Ramallah in retaliation of the killing of two Israeli soldiers by a Palestinian crowd earlier in the day in Ramallah.
The violence comes on top of two weeks of tragedy which killed over 100 people and injured more than 1000, mostly Palestinians.
"We are at risk of seeing a dangerous situation escalate to a crisis that could destabilize an entire region," Annan said in Beirut.
"I appeal to all -- leaders and citizens alike -- to stop and think about what they are doing today and what kind of tomorrow they want for their children. Violence breeds violence. I urge you to opt for restraint," he said.
Annan has cut short his stay in Lebanon to return to Israel and to Gaza for consultation with both sides.
The U.N. chief left New York for the Middle East on Sunday. Shuttling between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, he has been trying to check the violence in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and to convince both sides to resume peace talks.
Clashes began on September 28 after Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's visit to a disputed Jerusalem shrine revered by both Jews and Muslims.
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