Annan, U.S. Disagree On Cause Of Rising Violence In Gaza

By Haaretz and The Associated Press, 04/11/06

The United States and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan openly disagreed Friday on the cause of rising violence in Gaza.Annan's office said in a statement the escalation and rising death toll were caused by the Israel Defense Forces operation in northern Gaza.

At least 34 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and Gaza since Wednesday, including 19 fatalities Friday. Most of the casualties were in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, where the IDF launched an operation Wednesday aimed at preventing Qassam rocket strikes on southern Israel.

The State Department, however, said "the reason why all of this developed in the first place is because you have continuing attacks on Israel from Palestinian Authority areas."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack reiterated also the Bush administration's view that Israel had a right to defend itself.

The statement issued by Annan's spokesman urged Israel to exercise maximum restraint, do its utmost to protect civilians and to refrain from further escalation in an already grave situation.
"He also calls on Palestinian militants to stop firing rockets against Israeli civilian targets," the statement said.

McCormack went further, saying it was important the Palestinian Authority stop the rocket attacks and dismantle terrorist organizations and terrorist groups.

"That's a little more difficult when you have a terrorist organization is is actually at the head of the government, that holds the rein of government," he said, referring to the militant Hamas group.

"The UN has a point of view," McCormack said.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett also expressed concern Friday at the mounting death toll, calling on Israel to obey humanitarian law and for an end to Palestinian rocket strikes on Israel.

"We are concerned by increased violence in Gaza, in particular by reports of civilian deaths," said Beckett. "Israel has a right to defend itself but any action should be proportionate and in accordance with international humanitarian law.

"We call for an immediate end to the launching of rockets against Israeli civilian targets, and to all forms of violence," she said.