UN hopes Israel, Palestinians avoid violence in light of ‘positive developments’

The chief United Nations spokesperson today voiced the hope that Israel and the Palestinians would exercise restraint in the light of some recent positive developments and avoid violence such as yesterday’s Israeli military incursion into the main Palestinian West Bank town of Ramallah.

In response to a question at the daily briefing, spokesperson Michele Montas referred specifically to last month’s meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel’s decision to release some Palestinian taxes and Mr. Olmert’s meeting yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“We would hope that all parties would act with restraint to encourage these small steps back towards dialogue and away from violence, such as the Israeli military incursion into Ramallah yesterday,” she said.

Last year, Israel stopped the transfer of Palestinian value added taxes (VAT) following the election victory of Hamas, which is committed to Israel’s destruction.