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UNCLAS STATE 124016 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC PREL LE IS SY
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: MIDDLE EAST BRIEFING, NOVEMBER 25 
 
REF: A. IO/UNP:EGOLDRICH 
     ¶B. NEA/IPA:PKNOPF 
     ¶C. USUN-W:HHENDERSON 
     ¶D. NEA/ELA:CLAWSON 
     ¶E. D:JKELLEY 
     ¶F. P:AREINEMEYER 
     ¶G. S/P:AJAIN/JBURNS 
     ¶H. L:EKIINGI 
     ¶I. NSC: 
     ¶J. S/ES: 
     ¶K. S/S-O: 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action message.  USUN is authorized to draw 
from points in para 2 below during the Middle East Briefing 
scheduled for November 25. 
 
¶2. (U) Talking points. 
 
-- I would like to thank Under Secretary-General Pascoe for 
his briefing on the situation in the Middle East.  There are 
two major points that share equal importance for the 
Council,s consideration today. 
 
-- First, we should take note of the positive and forward- 
looking nature of the November 9 briefing by the Palestinian 
and Israeli negotiators for the Quartet in Sharm el Sheikh. 
The parties are to be commended for their clear affirmation 
of their commitment to the process launched at Annapolis and 
to ongoing, bilateral negotiations that address all the core 
issues.  The framework for negotiating a final resolution of 
the conflict is before us: determined, professional talks 
between the parties; consistent yet constructive 
international engagement; and a vigorous effort to improve 
conditions on the ground.  The distance to peace has narrowed 
even if an agreement has not yet been reached. 
 
-- Israel and the Palestinians have expressed common 
aspirations.  They have underscored their commitment to 
reaching a comprehensive agreement on all issues, without 
exception, as agreed at Annapolis.  They have pledged to 
continue their bilateral and, confidential negotiations until 
this goal is achieved, even during times of political 
transition.  They have attested the negotiating structure is 
effective and productive and they intend to keep it in place. 
 
-- Based on this, the parties requested the continued support 
of the international community, including respect for the 
mutually-agreed principles of their bilateral dialogue and 
for the confidential nature of the negotiations, and that 
third parties should not intervene in the negotiations absent 
the joint request of both parties.  Taking into account the 
substantial nature of the negotiations and the potential for 
further progress, we remain committed to the irreversibility 
of the negotiations. 
 
-- We urge our international partners, particularly those in 
the region, to demonstrate their commitment to peace by 
providing political and economic assistance to the legitimate 
Palestinian government, which has taken significant steps to 
reform its security services and increase accountability and 
transparency within its governing institutions. 
 
-- As a member of the Quartet, the UN also has an important 
role to play.  It must take an even-handed approach, 
encouraging both parties to take the necessary steps to make 
progress.  The UN cannot be seen to favor one side over the 
other. 
 
-- Secondly, and of similar importance for Council members, 
is our mutual concern for the welfare of the innocent people 
of Gaza and in the towns and cities of southern Israel.  As 
the largest single-state contributor of aid to the 
Palestinian people, the United States is committed to seeing 
humanitarian aid get through. 
 
-- The U.S. calls for an immediate halt in rocket attacks 
against civilian communities in Israel, and attacks against 
commercial crossings that are preventing the import of 
crucial humanitarian supplies and basic commodities, without 
which the people of Gaza will continue to suffer. 
 
-- We urge an end to violence and for the Government of 
Israel to allow fuel, humanitarian shipments, and 
humanitarian aid workers entry into Gaza as expeditiously as 
possible. 
 
-- Egyptian efforts to promote calm in Gaza and southern 
Israel are laudable, and we continue to urge both sides to 
adhere to their commitments in this regard.  At the same 
time, it is critical the international community upholds the 
Quartet principles -- renunciation of violence, recognition 
of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements between the 
parties.  Respect for PLO commitments are also critical in 
this regard. 
 
-- The Council should not lose sight of the root cause for 
the current situation.  While the vast majority of the people 
of Gaza simply want to get on with their lives, Hamas and 
other groups continue to instigate violence by their 
surreptitious construction of tunnels from Gaza into Israeli 
territory of the type used before to kidnap and kill Israeli 
soldiers, their indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israel, and 
their attacks on established humanitarian aid crossing 
points.  It should not come as a surprise that this increase 
in disruptive terrorist violence comes at a time when the 
peace negotiators have reaffirmed their commitment in the 
face of adversity.  This is a pattern the Council has seen 
time and again as terrorists seek to instigate a crisis to 
derail efforts for peace. 
 
-- I wish to touch briefly on two other matters.  First, we 
have seen in recent days two extraordinary gestures by 
Israeli and Palestinian leaders that should not go 
un-remarked.  During the recent General Assembly session on a 
&Culture of Peace8 Israeli President Peres made a special 
point to reach out directly to Saudi King Abdullah, signaling 
Israeli openness to elements of the Arab Peace initiative of 
¶2002.  Then last week, the Palestinian Authority  took out 
advertisements in the Israeli press calling directly on the 
Israeli people to embrace that same Arab Peace Initiative. 
These steps are consistent with an expansion of diplomatic 
efforts toward  comprehensive peace in the region.  We 
applaud and encourage creative, determined efforts of this 
nature, which have succeeded in building peace in the past 
and can do so again. 
 
-- Finally, just a short word on Lebanon, which we normally 
discuss in the context of these briefings but will take up 
this afternoon in a full discussion of the Secretary 
General,s report on UN Security Council resolution 1701. 
For now, let me say only that we strongly support the 
report,s clear expression of the importance of Hizballah 
disarmament, as the Secretary General also recently 
highlighted in his report on UNSCR 1559. 
 
End talking points. 
RICE