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Annan Hints Palestinians Shouldn't Be Given Right of Return to Israel

[Ha'aretz] Shlomo Shamir - In his final address to the Security Council, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan hinted Tuesday that Palestinian refugees should not be granted the right to return to the State of Israel. Annan said, "The two-state solution - Israel and Palestine - must respect the rights of the Palestinian refugees, but only within the context of preserving the character of states in the region." Annan also chastised supporters of the Palestinians at the UN for measures critical of Israel. "Some may feel satisfaction at repeatedly passing General Assembly resolutions or holding conferences that condemn Israel's behavior, but one should also ask whether such steps bring any tangible relief or benefit to the Palestinians." Annan asked if this had strengthened the belief "that this great organization is too one-sided to be allowed a significant role in the Middle East peace process." "Even worse, some of the rhetoric used in connection with the issue implies a refusal to concede the very legitimacy of Israel's existence, let alone the validity of its security concerns," Annan said. "What was done to Jews and others by the Nazis remains an undeniable tragedy, unique in human history."
2006-12-13 01:00:00
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