Fed: Ceasefire draft not enough to bring peace: Howard

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2006
Fed: Ceasefire draft not enough to bring peace: Howard

CANBERRA, Aug 6 AAP - A draft UN Security Council resolution aiming to bring about
a ceasefire with Israel will not bring lasting peace in the Middle East, Prime Minister
John Howard says.

The draft calls for "a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the
immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel
of all offensive military operations."

But Mr Howard said Australia also wants the root cause of the problem addressed.

"And the root cause of the problem is still - in the whole of the Middle East - is
still the settlement of the Palestinian issue," he added.

There would be no lasting peace until the entire Arab world and other countries involved,
including Iran, were prepared to accept Israel's right to exist and defend itself, and
give a genuine commitment to a homeland for the Palestinian people, Mr Howard said.

He said while he would welcome an end to the bloodshed it would achieve nothing if
the resolution merely laid the groundwork for another outbreak of hostilities in the future.

"I mean nobody wants to see women, children, soldiers on either side being killed as
is happening with increasing ferocity," he said.

Mr Howard said a large stabilisation force and a commitment to disarm Hizbollah were
required, but the long term answer was to ensure the delivery of the two state solution.

"I'm trying to be realistic," he said.

"I want the fighting to stop, I don't want to see people killed on either side."

Lebanon has rejected the draft as it stands and wants the text to be amended, a government
source said today.

It also calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a long-term
solution, which would hinge on strict respect by all parties for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Israel and Lebanon.

Israel launched its offensive after the Lebanese Shi'ite Hizbollah militia captured
two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in an attack on July 12.

Hizbollah's cross-border raid, an attempt to force Israel to swap its own Hizbollah
detainees, immediately sparked Israel's offensive, which has claimed almost a 1,000 lives,
mainly civilians.

Hizbollah has responded by raining rockets on northern Israel, killing more than 30 people.

Meanwhile, Mr Howard also urged any Australians who remained in southern Lebanon to leave now.

"Some people have put it off and they are making the evacuation task even more difficult,"

he said.

"I think it is a bit unreasonable to say I'll hang around a little bit to see how it
goes and suddenly expect a ship to arrive courtesy of the Australian government to bring
them out when the fighting gets even tougher."

AAP jb/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: MIDEAST HOWARD

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