UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan, in his harshest criticism to date of Israel, called on its defense forces today to urgently rein in its attacks on Palestinian civilians, saying they were fueling Palestinian hatred and despair.
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Mr Kofi Annan
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In an emotional plea to both Israeli and Palestinian leaders, delivered at a public meeting of the UN Security Council, Mr Annan said the Middle East death toll had soared to appalling levels and urged both sides to lead your peoples away from disaster.
But he reserved his strongest criticism for Israel, urging it to end its illegal occupation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war and to urgently stop the bombing of civilian areas, the assassinations, the unnecessary use of lethal force, the demolitions and the daily humiliation of ordinary Palestinians.
"Such actions gravely erode Israel's standing in the international community and further fuel the fires of hatred, despair and extremism among Palestinians," Mr Annan said.
He said he was particularly disturbed by the rise in Palestinian suicide attacks deliberately targeting civilians, which he termed morally repugnant, and called on the Palestinians to stop all acts of terror.