CAABU Director interviewed on BBC on Middle East

CAABU Director calls for genuine peace process in the Middle East based on international law

In an interview with the BBC on 7 March 2008, the Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, Chris Doyle, called for a genuine peace process between Israel and the Palestinians to end the violence in the Middle East. He emphasised that both sides had to realise that there was no military solution to this conflict and that Israel could not bomb and blockade its way to victory anymore than Palestinians could fight off Israeli occupation. "Israel’s policy in the Gaza Strip simply is not working.”

Getting back to talks between Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas would not be enough, and as yet they had failed to deliver. He pressed that there needed to be serious changes to the dreadful situation on the ground, including an end to the violence through a ceasefire and an end to settlement building and expansion, as part of bringing an end to the Israeli occupation.

In answering questions about the shooting of Israeli Jews in Jerusalem on 6 March, he emphasised that the killing of any innocent civilian, whether Israeli or Palestinian was wrong.  

He said that the international community had to step in to end the conflict, requiring demands to be made of both sides, not just one and to ensure that international law is adhered to.

For further information and interviews please contact the CAABU office 0207 832 1320 – doylec@caabu.org. Chris Doyle can be reached on 07968 040 281.