SG/SM/8102
18 January 2002

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS "MURDEROUS ATTACK"
IN ISRAEL, REITERATES CALL FOR RETURN TO DIALOGUE

NEW YORK, 18 January (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is greatly concerned by the continuing deterioration in relations between Israelis and Palestinians. He condemns in the strongest possible terms yesterday’s murderous attack in the Israeli city of Hadera, in which six Israeli citizens were killed, as he has condemned all indiscriminate killings of civilians. The Secretary-General calls on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate and effective action against those responsible.

At the same time, the Secretary-General remains convinced that peace cannot be achieved through force and that the only way out of the downward spiral of violence, retaliation and counter-violence is through a balanced series of steps that lead back to the negotiating table and restore hope of a peaceful settlement. To this end, he calls on both parties to comply fully with the demands made by the "Quartet" in their joint statement of 25 October, the objective of which is to achieve a durable ceasefire and a meaningful dialogue leading to implementation of the Mitchell recommendations and just and lasting peace, based on United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.

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