BuaNews (Tshwane)
Bathandwa Mbola
29 December 2008
Pretoria — South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has condemned the escalation of violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians, saying it is counterproductive to efforts aimed at bringing about lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
"Violence and counter-violence will not advance the cause of both the Israelis and the Palestinians and thus neither strength nor efforts must be spared by the Palestinians and the Israelis in an effort to find an amicable solution to their problem" said President Motlanthe
This follows Israeli attacks on Saturday, which resulted in the death of more than 300 and wounded more than 1000 people, as well as the recent rocket attacks launched by Hamas.
President Motlanthe called for an end to the hostilities between the two parties.
He urged the international community to do make every effort to bring about a two - State solution with an independent Palestinian state co-existing side by side with an Israel State, existing within secure borders as a lasting solution to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The United Nations Security Council on Sunday also called on the two countries to end the violence immediately in a statement issued following an emergency closed-door talks.
The Council called on the parties to stop immediately all military activities, and stressed the need for the restoration of calm "which will open the way for finding a political solution to the problems existing in the context of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a similar call in a statement in which he voiced his deep alarm at the "heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the continuation of violence in southern Israel".
He also voiced his sadness at Palestinian casualties, among them eight trainees and one staff member of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and one Israeli casualty.
As the attacks continue, aid groups have sounded the alarm regarding the impending humanitarian situation. On Sunday they described a deteriorating medical situation in the strip and urged the opening of Gaza's borders to allow supplies to flow to hospitals.
There are growing shortages of vital medicines and equipment, the aid workers said. The Council also called for an opening of border crossings, to ensure that the 1.5 million Palestinians living there can get the food, fuel, medicine and other critical supplies that they need.
Some supplies did get into Gaza at the weekend, for the first time in almost ten days.
Israeli citizens living along the Gaza border are said to have prepared for retaliation from Palestinian fighters and fleeing their homes.
In an effort to bring a swift end to the violence, Mr Ban is making contact with regional and international leaders, including the other members of the diplomatic Quartet - the European Union, Russia and the United States - which backs the Road Map plan for a two-State solution to the conflict with Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
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