 |
Blair Calls for End of Bloodshed, Return to Negotiations
British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday called on Israel and the Palestinians to end the cycle of bloodshed and make efforts to renew the peace process.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon, Blair said it is important for all sides in the region to exercise restraint and to get back to the negotiation tables as soon as possible.
Blair said that everything must be done to "find the way back to a viable peace process to allow the Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side."
The British prime minister said that the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts is important not only for the people in the region but also for the stability and security of the whole world.
To ensure the security of Israel and to make sure the Palestinians establish an independent country should be the principle of any peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
For his part, Sharon said that his country is committed to peace, but when it comes to issues relating to the existence of his country and the security of his citizens, there is no room for compromise.
Sharon said that his country is ready to make "painful compromises," but there will be no negotiations when "terror" is still going on.
The Israeli prime minister defended his country's practice of "targeted killings" against Palestinians suspected of involvement in attacks on Israel.
Sharon again urged the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat to arrest those Palestinian activists who were involved in preparing and carrying out attacks on Israel, saying that such arrests could prevent "a chain of terror" that would stall the resumption of negotiations for a long time.
Blair said that he understands the pressure Sharon is facing and echoed that Arafat should make the arrests and act to "stop violence."
Blair, who arrived in Israel Thursday after visiting Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan in a bid to garner support for the anti-terrorism campaign and end Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, said that he was "struck" by the understandings these countries showed toward the campaign.
In This Section
|