Multinational force can help restore trust between Israelis and Palestinians, UN envoy says

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=3433&Cr=annan&Cr1=palestin

Multinational force can help restore trust between Israelis and
Palestinians, UN envoy says

19 April – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's proposal for a
multinational force in the Middle East would help restore trust between
the
Israelis and Palestinians that is essential for ensuring the security
goals of both
sides and restarting the political process, Mr. Annan's top envoy to the
region said
today.

"Providing a credible multinational force would help address that most
vital and
most vulnerable of the institutions of peace - trust," Terje
Roed-Larsen, the UN
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said in his
opening
remarks to a press conference in Jerusalem.

Mr. Roed-Larsen said he shared the Secretary-General's view that the
introduction of a multinational force would change both the "political
and
operational dynamics" in such a way that could underpin a ceasefire.

Such a move would also isolate and contain those on the Palestinian side
who
would use violence against Israeli civilians and a ceasefire, help
restore the
capacity of the Palestinian Authority security services to enforce their
ceasefire
orders, and enhance protection for both Israeli and Palestinian
civilians, the
Special Coordinator added.

Commenting on the humanitarian situation of the Palestinians,
particularly in the
Jenin refugee camp, which he visited yesterday with Peter Hansen, the
Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Mr. Roed-Larsen said what he had seen
was "truly appalling," but stressed that he was not accusing anyone of
massacres.

"For the moment, what I am focused on, both in Jenin and elsewhere, is
that
everything possible is done to save the lives of civilians and reduce
their
suffering," he said. "Civilians in the camp are in desperate need of
water, food,
shelter, medical supplies and treatment. An emergency rescue operation
is
needed to find and remove bodies from the rubble."

As for other parts of the West Bank, roughly 2 million people have been
under
tight closures, with more than 600,000 affected by the 24-hour curfew
imposed
over the past 19 days, Mr. Roed-Larsen noted. Of particular concern was
access
to food supplies, and the halt in garbage collection, which raised
serious concerns
about the outbreak of communicable diseases.

He called for a lifting of the curfews and safe and unimpeded access for
relief
workers, as well as political and financial support to the humanitarian
agencies
working in the area.

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