Middle East Situation: An Update
Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Remarks at Monthly Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East
New York City
August 22, 2006
USUN PRESS RELEASE #210
Mr. President,
It has been 11 days since the passage of Resolution 1701. We believe this Resolution is an important step forward, and
when fully implemented, will help lay the foundation for a lasting peace in the region. The United States is now
actively engaged with others to turn this opportunity into a reality.
The United States takes seriously the imperative of fully implementing Resolution 1701, starting with its call to take
immediate steps to extend financial and humanitarian assistance to the people of Lebanon. The United States has pledged
$50 million in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, over half of which has already been distributed. As President Bush
announced yesterday, we will increase this humanitarian and reconstruction aid to more that $230 million in the weeks
ahead. The President has also announced his intention to work with Congress to extend the availability of loan
guarantees to help rebuild Israeli infrastructure damaged by Hezbollah's rockets.
In addition to alleviating the humanitarian problems unfolding in Southern Lebanon, it is imperative that we move as
quickly as possible to secure the peace by enhancing UNIFIL, and providing robust rules of engagement. We urge potential
troop contributing countries to expedite their internal decision-making processes as we strive to reach our goal of an
expanded 15,000-member international force. Delay in this case does not serve the interests of anyone except those who
oppose a sovereign, free and democratic Lebanon, one which is no longer used as a base to launch terrorist attacks
against Israel, killing its innocent civilians.
As we plan for this deployment, we should be encouraged that, broadly speaking, one of the important goals of Resolution
1701 has been achieved -- a cessation of hostilities. We are concerned, of course, by reports of sporadic violence, but
we stress that Resolution 1701 guarantees Israel's right to defend itself and its forces. Israel has said that this past
weekend's operation in the Bekaa valley was targeted against arms shipments to Hezbollah from Iran and Syria. Such arms
shipments are, of course, legally prohibited by the arms embargo established by Resolution 1701 unless specifically
authorized by the Government of Lebanon. All states must comply with their obligations observe this embargo, which, if
not strictly observed, will significantly enhance the risk of further hostilities. This burden of abiding by the arms
embargo, and the world's attention, falls especially on Syria and Iran.
Resolution 1701 is not just about a cessation of hostilities. Resolution 1701 correctly emphasizes not only the need for
an end of violence, but "the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis, including
the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers." It is impossible, indeed dangerous, to divorce the two
issues. If the international community applies only a temporary band-aid solution to the problem and allows Hezbollah to
regroup and re-arm, then the suffering of the people of Lebanon and Israel may very well intensify in the near future.
But we must keep in mind that responsibility for this conflict rests squarely on the shoulders Hezbollah. As President
Bush stated unequivocally last week: "It was an unprovoked attack by Hezbollah on Israel that started this conflict.
Hezbollah terrorists targeted Israeli civilians with daily rocket attacks. Hezbollah terrorists used Lebanese civilians
as human shields, sacrificing the innocent in an effort to protect themselves from Israeli response."
If we are to achieve the goal of a lasting peace in the region, then we must put an end to Hezbollah operating as a
state within a state. To do so, of course, requires us to address the backing of Hezbollah by Damascus and Tehran. Their
continued support to Hezbollah in the form of financing, training and supply of armaments does not just perpetuate this
crisis -- it sustains it. Cutting off these supply lines, as mandated in 1701, is a matter that can no longer be
ignored. The United States calls upon Iran and Syria to comply immediately with Resolution 1701.
The United States remains deeply concerned with the attitude of Syria and Iran in this crisis -- states whose leaders
have both respectively called for the destruction of Israel in recent days. We recognize, as President Bush stated last
week, that: "The conflict in Lebanon is part of a broader struggle between freedom and terror that is unfolding across
the region." We believe that full implementation of Resolution 1701 will lay the foundation to achieve a lasting peace
and realize the goals outlined originally in Resolution 1559 -- a sovereign and democratically elected government in
Lebanon, free from coercion by all outside governments.
The United States also remains deeply concerned by the ongoing crisis between Israel and the Palestinians, instigated by
the June 25 attack by Hamas inside Israel in which two Israeli soldiers were killed, and Corporal Gilad Shalit was
kidnapped. The United States is keenly aware of the humanitarian impact of the current crisis, which has been caused by
the refusal of the Hamas-led PA government to govern responsibly. Instead, the Hamas government has made a strategic
decision to reject peace and continue to embrace terrorism. In order to ease the hardships faced by the Palestinian
people due to the intransigent policies of the Hamas-led PA government, we have increased humanitarian assistance to
over $270 million, including more than $50 million in response to UNRWA's Emergency Appeal for the West Bank and Gaza.
We have also substantially increased our support for democracy and civil society promotion, and private sector
development.
In the days ahead, we look forward to the continued implementation of Resolution 1701. But we cannot stress enough the
urgent need to move quickly to implement fully the obligations imposed on us in accordance with Resolution 1701. The
price of failure in this case is to condemn the people of Lebanon and Israel to further violence and tragedy.
Released on August 22, 2006
ENDS