In a UN Security Council statement, the council urges a ceasefire between Israel & Hamas

 

British Foreign Secretary William Hague also called on both parties for a cease fire, but reiterated that Israel has the right to exercise self-defense.

By i24news

 

The UN Security Council on Saturday called for a cease-fire between Palestinians and Israelis.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague speaks during a press conference in Baghdad on June 26, 2014 ( Ali al-Saadi (AFP/File) )

British Foreign Secretary William Hague speaks during a press conference in Baghdad on June 26, 2014 – Photo: Ali al-Saadi -AFP/File

“The Security Council members called for de-escalation of the situation, restoration of calm, and reinstitution of the November 2012 ceasefire,” the Security Council said in a statement.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Saturday also called for a cease-fire but added that “Israel has the right to defend itself” against rockets from Gaza.

He spoke with both Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, and Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman by phone on Saturday.

He said that the British government is deeply “concerned about the number of civilian casualties and the need for all sides to avoid further civilian injuries and the loss of innocent life ”

“I told Minister Lieberman that continuing rocket attacks from Gaza are completely unacceptable,” he said.

“Israel has a right to defend itself against such attacks, but the whole world wanted to see de-escalation.”

Hague also spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. “I offered my condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Gaza,” he said.

On Friday Egypt’s foreign ministry condemned what it said was Israel’s excess use of military force and the collective punishment policy it is adopting against the Palestinians.

“Egypt rejects Israel’s irresponsible escalation in the occupied Palestinian lands amid its excess and unjustifiable use of military force and the subsequent bloodshed of innocent civilians,” a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

Egypt urged swift intervention by the world powers to put a stop to the bloodshed. It vowed the Palestinian issue will continue to top its foreign agenda, emphasizing its “full backing” to the Palestinian people.

US secretary of State John Kerry on Friday spoke to his Egyptian counterpart and reached out to Qatar in a bid to get both states to use their influence to quell the fighting, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said Israel’s military operation against Hamas in Gaza might compromise efforts to achieve a two-state solution, he told US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington.

 

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