PRESS RELEASE

Ceasefire Now Demonstration 5th August: Statement by Ken Livingstone on Lebanon

4 August 2006: for immediate release

The following statement will be sent to tomorrow's demonstration by Ken Livingstone:

'I want to welcome this demonstration to London. Your slogan for an immediate ceasefire has the support of the majority of the people of London, Britain and the entire world.

Given its financial and military dependence on the United States, Israel could not continue its massacres of civilians and the destruction of the civilian infrastructure of Lebanon and Gaza for one more day if there was a united demand for a ceasefire from the international community.

That is being blocked by the US, unfortunately supported by government policy in this country. We must fight to reverse this, including by a recall of parliament to allow MPs to discuss the issue.

In order to get civilians out of the firing line immediately, there should be a simultaneous ceasing of Israeli air attacks on Lebanon and of rocket attacks into Israel.

This week it was revealed that Israel's destruction of Lebanon was planned before the capture of the two Israeli soldiers. Indeed, it is well known that Israel illegally holds nearly ten thousand Palestinian captives and has been holding Lebanese prisoners for many, many years.

If their concern is captured soldiers, let all prisoners held by all sides be released immediately.

This conflict has seen the collapse of Israel’s entire strategy of imposing unilateral solutions on the Palestinians and its neighbours by building a 'separation wall'. It is now clear that all sides can strike deep into one another’s territory and no wall will remove that threat.

There will no unilateral solution. The only way to solve this conflict is for Israel to negotiate with the democratically elected Palestinian Authority and the governments of Israel’s neighbours to reach a comprehensive settlement based on the implementation of all United Nation resolutions which must include the commitment by Israel to withdraw from all of the territories it has occupied since 1967 in contravention of UN resolutions.'

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Notes to Editor:

1. For further information and interviews please contact Rick Wayman, CND's Press & Communications Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859
2. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 32,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org

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