Middle East violence must end, Mitchell says as he releases report
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/22/2001

There must be an immediate and unconditional cessation of violence in the Middle East, former Senator George Mitchell said in a New York news conference May 21 and on a CNN interview shortly thereafter as he made public the report of a commission he headed.

"The principal message of our report, six months in the making, delivered to the president on May 1st and made public today," Mitchell said, is for the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority "to take swift and decisive action to end the violence, rebuild confidence, and resume negotiations."

Called the Mitchell Commission, the group was set up under former President Clinton last year to examine the causes of the newest Israeli-Palestinian violence and make recommendations to halt it.

Mitchell urged both parties to implement the commission's recommendations.

"First, end the violence. That must be the immediate aim. The cycle of violent action and violent reaction must be broken," he said. "We call upon the parties to implement an immediate and unconditional cessation of violence."

Part of that effort, Mitchell said, "must include an immediate resumption of security cooperation between the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, aimed at preventing violence and combating terrorism. Political leaders on both sides must act now to reduce tension and stop the violence."

Then, "rebuild confidence," he said. "The restoration of trust is essential."

Mitchell said his commission recommends several steps to this end.

The Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel, he said, "should resume their efforts to identify, condemn and discourage incitement in all its forms. The Palestinian Authority should make clear, through concrete action to Palestinians and Israelis alike, that terrorism is reprehensible and unacceptable and that the Palestinian Authority will make a 100 percent effort to prevent terrorist operations and to punish perpetrators. This effort should include immediate steps to apprehend and incarcerate terrorists operating within the Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction.

"The government of Israel should freeze all settlement activity, including the 'natural growth' of existing settlements. The government of Israel should ensure that the Israeli defense forces adopt and enforce policies and procedures encouraging non-lethal responses to unarmed demonstrators with a view to minimizing casualties and friction between the two communities."

Finally, Mitchell said, "the parties must find a way back to the negotiating table."

On CNN, Mitchell said that every U.S. administration since President Jimmy Carter "have opposed the policies and actions of the government of Israel with respect to settlements, and we cited specifically President Ronald Reagan's statement made 20 years ago that the most effective step to rebuild confidence would be an immediate freeze on settlements."

The most recent escalation in Middle East violence "adds urgency to our appeal for an end to violence," Mitchell said. "This escalation has been truly dramatic, dozens of people have been killed and scores injured over just the last few days. This escalation is extremely dangerous."

Mitchell noted, "both leaders said to us on our most recent visit that life for their people had become unbearable."

"The violence must end. Death and destruction will not solve the problems of the Middle East. Negotiation is the only path to peace, justice and security," he said.

In addition to Mitchell, the commission includes former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, European Union Foreign Policy Representative Javier Solana, former Senator Warren Rudman of New Hampshire and Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland.

Rudman, who participated in the New York news conference along with Mitchell, said that the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority "must put aside old beliefs and old canards, and must get ahead of their own constituencies and take substantial political risks.

"If they do not, and they're not willing to take those risks, to reach out to one another and follow the outline of these recommendations or similar recommendations, then I fear that we will see this deteriorate into a conflagration that could be far worse than anyone has imagined.

I sincerely hope that these recommendations are followed, for the good of the people, particularly the children, of these two competing groups."

Previous Stories:
  Shaath says Mitchell report should be base for negotiations   (5/16/2001)
  Mitchell committee's report, presented to Palestinians, Israelis   (5/5/2001)
  Report criticises Israeli settlements   (5/5/2001)

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