17 August 2001

Greens call for peace monitors in West Bank

Green Party Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Keith Lock today called on the Government to endorse a resolution before the United Nations Security Council for peace monitors to be sent to the West Bank.

"International monitors would do a lot to restrain the waring parties. The violence is escalating out of control, with suicide bombings and repeated Israeli air strikes causing many civilian casualties," said Mr Locke.

"The Israeli Government has to know that the world is watching when they use helicopter gun-ships or push into Palestinian towns with tanks and bulldozers," he said.

"The New Zealand Government must also do more on a diplomatic front.

"A few months ago the Government urged both sides in the Middle East conflict to implement immediately the key recommendations of the Mitchell Commission Report. It is time to do this again," Mr Locke said.

The Report asks for an immediate cease-fire, a freeze on Israeli settlement construction, resumption of joint security cooperation and negotiations to resolve the underlying causes of the conflict.

ENDS

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