Britain Urges U.S. Push on Middle East Peace
British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged the United States on Sunday to take a "decisive lead" on reviving the Middle East peace process following the deadly conflict in Gaza.
Following President Barack Obama's re-election this month, "we do look to the United States to give a decisive lead in the coming months," Hague told BBC television, adding: "They have crucial leverage with Israel that no other country has."
"It is time for a huge effort on the Middle East peace process," he said.
European and Arab nations should also offer active support "to make sure that this last chance -- we're coming to a final chance maybe for a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- can be successfully resolved", he said.
Hague expressed hope that some good could come out of the eight days of violence in and around Gaza, which left 166 Palestinians and six Israelis dead, in the form of discussions about opening up the borders of the impoverished Palestinian territory.
"If it's now possible to move on to the opening up of the access in and out of Gaza and stopping the smuggling of weapons into Gaza then some good could actually come of that awful crisis and terrible casualties," he said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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