The following statement was issued by the Middle East Quartet (United Nations, Russian Federation, United States, and European Union):
The Quartet condemns the attacks in southern Israel on 18 August, 2011 and all acts of terrorism in the strongest terms. These are cowardly acts of premeditated terrorism. The Quartet hopes those involved in the planning and conduct of these gruesome attacks will quickly be brought to justice.
The Quartet remains concerned about the unsustainable situation in Gaza as well as the risk of escalation, and calls for restraint from all sides. The Quartet also expresses its concern about the security situation in the Sinai Peninsula. Recent commitments by the Egyptian government to address the security situation in the Sinai are important, and the Quartet encourages the Egyptian government to find a lasting resolution to the issue of Sinai security.
The Quartet extends its deepest condolences to the victims, their families and loved ones.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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6 Responses
“…and calls for restraint from all sides.” – restraint?! Who are they kidding? I would love to see the “restraint” they display were just one rocket to hit their soil!
B”H, the Israelis didn’t listen to these cowards, they’re already striking back.
america kills thousands of pakiatanis ten years after nine 9/11. they expect us to “show restraint”. chutzpa!pure arrogance by our anti-semitic state department
Restraint on all sides; Why who started it. Israel needs to show restraint but nobody forces hamas to show restrain
Bomb them and only then will hamas show restraint
This is standard quartet language. It really says nothing.
The way the Quartet, of course, communicates its lack of seriousness in condemning actual terrorism is its commitment to ascribing some of the blame to the victims: “…and all acts of terrorism in the strongest terms.” That, of course, is a nod to the terrorists that Israeli counter-terrorism responses are themselves “terrorism”, and a part of what the Quartet is even-handedly condemning.
By asking that the terrorists be “brought to justice”, the Quartet creates a framework for their impunity. After all, now it’s a police matter for southern Israeli constables to arrest and try cells that are not based inside of their jurisdiction. The Quartet implicitly opposes Israel’s only real avenue to bring justice to the terrorist network and relative safety to innocent Israelis, which is by means of a military operation against the terrorists’ urban bases in Gaza.
Make no mistake: when the Quartet expresses concern over “the risk of escalation, and calls for restraint from all sides”, its only concern is that Israel should not take the obviously appropriate curative steps to enhance the safety of its citizens.