Reckless Escalation of Violence in the Middle East
24 March 2011 News
On the occasion of yesterday's terrorist bomb in Jerusalem and the resumption of rocket attacks from Gaza, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov stated:
"I want to strongly condemn the barbaric terrorist act yesterday in Jerusalem and express Bulgaria’s serious concern with of renewed rocket attacks on civilian sites in Israel. I also express our condolences to the families of all victims in Israel and the Gaza strip.
The escalation of violence in the Middle East by radical groups is foolish and can only provoke the expected military response to the Israeli Defence Force, whose main task is to protect the territory of the State of Israel. The exchange of fire, in which civilians fall victim, is an attempt to undermine efforts of reviving the Middle East Peace Process. Bulgaria welcomes that the declaration of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad that condemns the attacks with Qassam rockets. Despite the turmoil in the Middle East, the position of the Palestinian leadership is a clear sign of its commitment to the revival of the peace process.
Bulgaria stands ready to support in any way any attempt to restore the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people on the road to a just and definitive peace."