The “Quartet” and Middle East Peace

At Trieste, Italy, the High-level representatives of the Russian Federation, the European Union, the United States and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, known as the “Quartet”, issued a common statement on Middle East Peace at the end of their meeting on 26 June. This Statement covers the calling on Israel and the Palestinians to implement their obligations under past peace agreements, called the “Road Map”. It affirms that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations, and will not be recognized by the international community. Israel was asked again to freeze all settlement activities, including natural growth. The outposts that Israel erected since March 2001 have to be dismantled. Israel’s provocative actions in East Jerusalem, including home demolition and evictions also have to stop. The “Quartet” asks the Palestinian Government to continue to improve law and order, to fight violent extremism, and to enhance its efforts to build the institutions of the future Palestinian State. Both the Israeli and the Palestinians have to stop incitement and violence against civilians. The “Quartet” supports dialogue among all States in the region and the Arab peace initiative. Expressing serious concern at the humanitarian and human rights situation of the civilian population in Gaza, the “Quartet” called for the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel, and medical treatment. Even if the “Quartet” recognized that Israel has “legitimate security concerns”, to safeguard it is going to be difficult. Not because of action by the Palestinians but because of Israeli’s own action in continuing of aggressive behavior towards civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank. Not only that, the fact that Israel is one of the eight states (US, Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Israel) that hold large amount of nuclear weapons in its arsenals, the Arab countries see that as a threat to them. Arab countries have “legitimate security concerns” as well. Agenda for peace in the Middle East has to include action by countries that are members of the “Quartet” to stop selling more arms to Israel and to apply economic sanction, when Israel does not comply with the UN Security Council Resolutions 242,338,1397,1515 and 1850, and the ruling of the World Court on the illegitimacy of all Israeli settlements in the occupied Arab territories.