For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 10, 2004
G8 Statement on Gaza Withdrawal
G8 Statement: Gaza Withdrawal and the Road Ahead to Middle East Peace
The G8 welcomes the prospect of Israeli withdrawal from all Gaza
settlements and from parts of the West Bank, following the Israeli
Cabinet decision to endorse Prime Minister Sharon's initiative. The G8
looks forward to the implementation of this decision in 2005, recalling
the Quartet statement of 4 May that it "welcomes and encourages such a
step, which should provide a rare moment of opportunity in the search
for peace in the Middle East." The G8 hopes that this disengagement
initiative will stimulate progress towards peace in the region, the
realization of Palestinian national aspirations and the achievement of
our common objective of two states, Israel and a viable, democratic,
sovereign and contiguous Palestine, living side by side in peace and
security.
The G8 views the Quartet Roadmap as the way forward towards a
comprehensive settlement and calls on all parties to abide by their
obligations under the Roadmap. The G8 countries will join with others
in the international community, led by the Quartet, to restore momentum
on the Roadmap, to enhance humanitarian and economic conditions among
the Palestinian people and to build democratic, transparent and
accountable Palestinian institutions. We will also work to help ensure
security and stability in Gaza and the areas of the West Bank from
which Israel withdraws. We call on both sides to end all acts of
violence.
In furtherance of these goals, the G8 calls upon the Quartet to
meet in the region before the end of this month, engage with Israeli
and Palestinian representatives and set out its plans for taking
forward in practical terms its declaration of May 4.
We support and commend all efforts, including those by Egypt, to
resolve critical security issues relating to Gaza, and urge that this
important work continue. We urge and support the rebuilding and
refocusing of Palestinian security services in accordance with the
Roadmap, so that they enforce the rule of law, mount effective
operations against all forms of terrorism, and report to an empowered
Interior Minister and Prime Minister.
We believe the important work of the Local Aid Coordinating
Committee to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West
Bank must continue. We suggest that preparations should begin now for
a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee with the aim of revitalizing
the Palestinian economy. We welcome and encourage international support
for the World Bank-established Trust Fund as an accountable and
transparent mechanism for receipt of international assistance. We also
welcome plans of the Palestinian Authority to hold municipal elections
beginning at the end of the summer, and believe that the Task Force on
Palestinian Reform should meet soon to assist in preparations to assure
that these and subsequent elections will be fair and transparent, and
serve as the building block of democratic reform.
The G8 welcomes the international conference on UNRWA in Geneva and
supports close coordination between all groups involved in
international assistance.
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