Message of Pax Christi International
to the United Nations
Calling for a New Peace Process in
Middle East
The war between
Israel and the Hezbollah started on
12th July 2006 and has persisted for
more than one month. The UN Security
Council adopted a resolution on 11th
August 2006 calling for an end to
the hostilities. Finally a ceasefire
has been reached.
The sorrow and
sense of despair have endured, homes
are destroyed, thousands are injured
and made refugees, hundreds have
been killed: women, children and
elderly; while essential
infrastructure services has been
targeted and destroyed, costing
billions of dollars to rebuild. All
that highlights the immoral logic of
this war and the use of military
force in this conflict. It is high
time that serious action for peace
is taken in the Middle East.
Poor and Weak
First Victims
1. As in most other wars, this war
has been fought on the backs of the
weak who cannot afford to “evacuate
themselves” from the battle areas.
The poor, the old, the sick and the
handicapped had to stay in shelters.
They suffered the most. Pax Christi
International identifies itself with
these victims and all those who
experience grave physical,
psychological and material
ill-effects due to this war. The
human, social, economic and
psychological costs of this war are
extremely high for all, especially
for the poor and the weakest.
Suffering knows no boundaries. Pax
Christi International once again
calls the humanitarian aid to be
conveyed to all, in particular the
evacuees.
2. A cessation of hostilities is an
immediate, interim solution, until
peace is restored. The south of
Lebanon should first be de-mined
before refugees can return.
Civilians returning home should be
made aware of this. Unexploded
ordnance (UXO) threatens civilian
life and limb. Urgent efforts must
be made to secure, mark and monitor
contaminated areas, and to
facilitate plans to clear them as
soon as possible.
High Level
Inquiry Commission
3. Human rights and human dignity
are the first casualties of war. The
most basic human right is the right
to life. Under no circumstances can
anyone be arbitrarily deprived of
his or her life. All parties have
been condemned for targeting
civilians. At all times, in military
operations, one should distinguish
between civilians and combatants.
This also applies to guerrilla
operations. The UN has the
responsibility to address the full
range of abuses being committed by
both Israel and Hezbollah and put
lives and human rights before
politics.
4. An independent and impartial body
like the International Humanitarian
Fact-Finding Commission, HFFC,
should do an investigation on war
crimes. The inquiry should primarily
be concerned with the plight of the
victims. It should address all
violations by all parties. This
high-level commission should also
examine the types of weapons used
and their conformity with
international law. According to
reports, artillery shells including
cluster submunitions have been used
by Israel. Pax Christi International
is part of the Cluster Munitions
Coalition campaigning for the
elimination of cluster munitions.
Even in the scenario that civilians
were not present when the weapons
were used, some sub munitions that
do not detonate on impact can later
injure or kill civilians. There
should be no further delivery of
short-range antipersonnel rockets to
the armed actors who have been
involved in the conflict.
Implement All
UN Resolutions
5. Pax Christi International calls
on the UN to make a long term and
active commitment to peace in the
Middle East. It is high time that
the UN implements its resolutions
pertaining to the Middle East
conflict. The peace movement is
calling all members of the UN
Security Council to seek a long
lasting political solution to the
conflict that is based on justice
and respect for human rights.
6. For many years, even prior to
1967, international meetings and
conferences have taken place and
resolutions decided upon. However,
nothing fundamental has changed on
the ground. Action for peace in the
Middle East NOW is needed!
Some decision makers have made
decisions to not communicate with
other parties in the conflict. Pax
Christi International supports all
those who choose dialogue,
mediation, non-violent action,
negotiations and peace building
efforts.
Set up a New
Peace Process
7. Pax Christi International
emphasises the idea of convening an
International Conference for
Security and Cooperation, as real
peace must be built, not one that is
manifested only in the absence of
war. Such a Conference offers an
opportunity to begin a new and
holistic peace process in the region
and should develop more regional
understanding together with a
regional concept for human rights,
prosperity, well being and security.
8. All parties to the various
conflicts should participate in a
process of dialogues that takes into
account the rights of all states and
peoples involved, including Hamas
and Hezbollah, as well as the
Palestinian refugees in the diaspora.
The UN should urgently open this
long road towards human security,
conflict-resolution, justice and
reconciliation throughout the whole
region. The creation of a nuclear
weapon free zone in the Middle East
should be part of the process. The
UN, as well as the European Union
and other intergovernmental bodies,
should play an active role in such a
process of dialogue and mediation.
End
Occupation of Palestine
9. The Palestinian problem is one of
the major sources of the ongoing
conflict in the Middle East.
Consequently any solutions or
efforts to build peace in this
region would be only partial and
short term should the issue of the
ongoing occupation of Palestine
remaining unsolved. Issues such as
borders, water, refugees and the
status of Jerusalem should be on the
agenda as well.
10. Once more, the region rings with
cries of hatred, anger, violence and
bloodshed. No solutions can be found
as a consequence. Lasting peace will
only come when one looks the other
in the eye and translates hatred
into words that begin a difficult
conversation. Where is the voice of
reason or the eye that sees beyond
the immediate? Where is the ear that
is prepared to listen? Churches,
religious leaders and civil society
should be encouraged to deliver
inputs to a new peace process,
before, during and after it. They
can reach the heart of the peoples.
11. Pax Christi International has a
Special Consultative Status with the
United Nations. Along with its 95
member organisations active
worldwide, it will continue to pray
for peace and raise awareness about
the root causes of the Arab/Israel
conflict; the violations of human
rights that this conflict continues
to generate and the need for a just
and lasting solution to this long
drawn conflict that guarantees the
rights of the Lebanese, Israeli and
Palestinian peoples. The movement
will collaborate with its member
organisations in the region to take
steps towards building a real peace.
Brussels, 18 August 2006
ME.82.E.06
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