Statement by New Democrat Leader Jack Layton on the conflict in the Middle East

Urgently, New Democrats call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to join UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in publicly pressing for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

New Democrats are extremely concerned about the loss of innocent civilian lives in both Gaza and Israel. The use of force in Gaza must cease; so too must rocket attacks on Israel. We join with world leaders in describing the shelling of a United Nations Headquarters as indefensible.

Working with the international community, Canada has a role to play in helping to end the violence. Canada should express its readiness to facilitate negotiations and assist with the international monitoring of the ceasefire, including by providing Canadians troops as UN peacekeepers. The monitoring must be implemented in a way that prevents rocket attacks on Israel and the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.

Working with the UN and other international organizations, Canada must increase its humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. New Democrats call on the Prime Minister to join the UN Secretary-General in pressing for open border crossings so that sufficient shipments of food, fuel and other necessities can resume. International media organizations must be allowed into Gaza immediately.

New Democrats reaffirm our longstanding support for a two-state solution which ensures Israelis and Palestinians can live safely, side by side, in independent states with secure borders. An immediate ceasefire is the first, necessary step in the long and difficult path towards a lasting peace.