International calls on Israel to halt Gaza attack

The UN International Meeting, in Vienna, convened by the Palestinian Rights Committee, condemned the Israeli intensified military strikes, attacks and extra judicial assassinations against the Palestinian people.

During the close meeting, last night, the participants called on Israel to halt its invasion of Gaza, withdraw and stop escalating the current crisis.

A Final Document adopted by the participants, which included United Nations representatives, internationally renowned experts from the region, parliamentarians, and members of the academic community and civil society, expressed particular concern at the recent upsurge in violence and its destructive effect on the hopes for peace.

The meeting alarmed at the large number of Palestinian civilians killed in the last few weeks and believing that that escalation warranted an impartial international investigation, the participants supported a request to the Secretary-General to facilitate such an investigation.

The Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said that the imminent Israeli invasion of Gaza had cast a pall over the Meeting.

That aggression required a condemnation from all and a demand that Israel, the occupying Power, stop that aggression immediately and withdraw its troops to outside Gaza.

"The Palestinian leadership, including President Abbas and the Cabinet, had indicated from the beginning of the situation, that they called on those who were holding the Israeli soldier to treat him in accordance with the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and for his immediate release unharmed. As they were doing everything possible to accomplish those objectives, the Israeli aggression had no basis, whatsoever," the meeting said.