GHANA GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON THE GRAVE DETERIORATION IN THE ISRAELI/PALESTINAIN CONFLICT

The Government of Ghana has noted with deep concern the grave situation brought about by the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine which has claimed the lives of so many Israelis and Palestinians including women and children. Ghana particularly condemns what is increasingly becoming tit-for-tat violent attacks against defenceless Israeli and Palestinian civilians and expresses its sympathies to the families of those who have died on both sides of the conflict.

Recent events including the bombing and destruction of the Headquarters of the Palestinian leader, Chairman Yasser Arafat, in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force and the retaliatory moves by Palestinian factions clearly show that the parties are unwilling or unable, on their own, to stop violence against each other.

The Government of Ghana therefore calls for an urgent concerted effort by the International community to bring the situation to halt before it degenerates into a full scale war which could destabilise the relative peace the Middle East Region has been enjoying for sometime now. To this end, it is gratifying to note that the UN has recently adopted a resolution calling for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and the immediate cessation of all acts of violence as well as the resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The Ghana Government however wishes to reiterate its conviction that a just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could only be reached through a process of negotiation based on good faith.

Israel and Palestine are destined to live side by side as neighbours. It therefore behoves the two parties to create a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. This, they could do by meeting each other’s basic needs as well as implementing the provisions stipulated in all the UN resolutions including resolution 194 which states the rights of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland.

Accordingly, the Ghana Government wishes to lend its full support to the on-going efforts being made by the International community and the United Nations to break the impasse and bring the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

Editor’s Note The statement was released in Accra on Monday April 8, 2002.