John Kerry: Crisis diplomacy insufficient in Middle East

[ProSense]

Crisis diplomacy insufficient in Middle East

By John Kerry
Thursday, August 10, 2006

Watching the news from the Middle East these days is an exercise in heartbreak. As Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah and missiles rain on northern Israel, our hearts go out to people suffering all across the region.

The death of every child - Lebanese in Qana or Israeli in Haifa - is tragic. A just and lasting peace can only be achieved by addressing the underlying problems.

Israel has every right to defend itself against terrorism, and the Israelis can count on the United States. We must put Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Syria on notice that wiping Israel off the map and killing civilians are not the legitimate ends and means of foreign policy.

At the same time, the Lebanese must know that Americans also care about protecting civilians and preserving their fragile democracy. We must make clear that we remain committed to creating the base for lasting peace.


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I once visited an Israeli town near the Lebanese border, Kiryat Shemona and went into shelters where terrified Israeli kids go when the rockets start falling. Now that Israel has withdrawn to an internationally-recognized border with Lebanon, why is Hezbollah still firing rockets?

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We can’t rely only on crisis diplomacy. There’s no better way to ensure another crisis another day. We need sustained, preventative diplomacy to address underlying problems before they explode.

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