"We are seriously concerned about events occurring in the Gaza Strip," Mr. Yakovenko stressed. "Within the framework of a large-scale Israeli military operation, air strikes in densely populated Palestinian areas continue, Palestinian civilians are dies, dozens of apartment buildings are being demolished, as a result of which about 2,000 Palestinians have been left homeless."
"All of this merits condemnation," he said.
"Clearly, like any state, Israel has the right to defend its citizens and we have said that we do not accept terrorism in all its manifestations and the need of fight against this abominable phenomenon many times," the diplomat said.
He also emphasized that, in making such efforts, "it is necessary to avoid disproportional use of force, especially in populated areas and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, to refrain from the practice of collective punishment and to be guided by the norms of international humanitarian law."
"In this connection, we would like to reemphasize the persistent need of urgent reciprocal efforts from both the sides of the conflict - Israelis and Palestinians - toward a cease fire and the earliest resumption of the political dialogue," he said.
Mr. Yakovenko referred to the sides' obligations that were clearly stated in the road map peace plan. The plan's relevance was confirmed during a recent minister level meeting of the Quartet in New York.
"We are convinced that, on the basis of the Quartet's plan, the political process can and must be resumed in the interest of establishing a lasting and universal peace in the region," he concluded.
