New York, 21 May 2007
Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Gaza
The Secretary-General hopes that the ceasefire reached among Palestinian factions in Gaza holds, and he thanks Egypt for its vital work in brokering this agreement. He calls on the Palestinian Authority to take the necessary steps to restore law and order, and for all factions to abide by the ceasefire.At the same time, the Secretary-General is deeply concerned that Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets at Israel, targeting civilians. These attacks are completely unacceptable, and violate international law.
The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned by the mounting number of civilian casualties from Israeli military operations, especially the targeted attack on the home of a Hamas legislator in Gaza, which killed six members of one family. While recognizing Israel's right to defend itself, he calls on Israel to abide by international law and to ensure that its actions do not target civilians or put them at undue risk.
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New York, 21 May 2007
Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on Lebanon
The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about the fighting in the last two days between Fatah al-Islam gunmen and the Lebanese army. The actions of Fatah al-Islam are an attack on Lebanon's stability and sovereignty. The Secretary-General welcomes the united stand taken by Palestinian factions in Lebanon denouncing these attacks on the Lebanese army. He calls on all sides to do their utmost to protect innocent civilians.The Secretary-General also strongly condemns yesterday's terrorist bombing in Beirut. He urges the Lebanese to unite in the face of threats to their stability and security.
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