I would like to join others in thanking Special Coordinator Serry for his detailed briefing on the situation in the Middle East today. I would like to make two main points regarding our conversation.

First, we welcome the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1850. It is a positive and forward-looking document that has put the Security Council and the international community on record confirming the irreversibility of the bilateral negotiations and endorsing the parties' efforts to achieve an agreement. As the Quartet stated on December 15, a lasting peace will result from the parties' mutually reinforcing efforts on the political track, in building the institutions of the Palestinian state, in improving conditions on the ground, and in implementing their Roadmap obligations.

The resolution reiterates the importance of fulfilling those obligations and that neither party should undertake any activity that contravenes those Roadmap obligations or prejudices the final status negotiation. The United States has made very clear its view on settlement activity and on the Palestinian Authority's obligation to dismantle the infrastructure of terror in its territories, reform its security services, and end incitement.

The Quartet called December 15 for negotiations to be intensified in order to put an end to the conflict and to establish as soon as possible the state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

In parallel, the resolution underlines that a solution to the conflict should be aligned with efforts toward a broader regional peace and notes the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative. As Secretary of State Rice told the Council on December 17, "As Arab states should reach out to Israel, so should Israel reach out to Arab states."

Mr. President, the second point I would like to underscore today is our continuing concern for the welfare of the innocent people of Gaza and in the towns and cities of southern Israel.

As the Quartet made clear at its meeting this week, a lasting solution to the situation in Gaza can only be achieved through peaceful means. Restoring Palestinian unity based on the commitments of the Palestinian Liberation Organization - the legitimate and internationally-recognized representative of the Palestinian people - to non-violence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous commitments and obligations is central to this process.

The Quartet, again in its December 15 statement, expressed its concern that the Egyptian-brokered calm in Gaza had been challenged; condemned the indiscriminate attacks against Israel; and called for an immediate cessation of violence, including attacks against commercial crossings that prevent the import of humanitarian supplies and basic commodities, without which the people of Gaza will continue to suffer.

As the largest single-state contributor of aid to the Palestinian people, the United States is deeply committed to seeing through the delivery of humanitarian aid. The U.S. calls for the continuous provision of humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza.

Mr. President, nonetheless, the Council should not lose sight of the root cause for the current situation. While the vast majority of the people of Gaza simply want to get on with their lives, Hamas—which usurped control from the legitimate Palestinian Authority—and other groups continue to instigate violence, launching more than 200 rocket and mortar attacks in the past two months against Israel and humanitarian aid crossing points into Gaza, as we heard earlier this morning from Mr. Serry. The United States calls for an immediate and permanent end to these attacks, which represent an ongoing threat to international peace and security, and for the full dismantlement of the infrastructure of terrorism according to the agreed Roadmap obligations.

The United States also calls for the immediate release of Corporal Gilad Shalit.

Continuing progress in Jenin and the successful deployment of the Palestinian security services to Hebron are strong counter-examples to the violence in Gaza. These developments demonstrate that Israelis and Palestinians can work together to advance the cause of peace.

Finally, Mr. President, just a short word on Lebanon. Full implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701 is vital to a peaceful and secure Lebanon. As with the establishment of a Special Tribunal under UN Security Council resolution 1757 to try those responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and others, the United States strongly supports the full implementation of these resolutions. We also urge that additional funds be pledged by member states for years two and three of the Special Tribunal which should become fully functioning on March 1, 2009.

The Secretary General's latest reports on Resolutions 1559 and 1701 clearly express the importance of Hizballah disarmament and of ending arms smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border. As the national dialogue in Lebanon progresses, we look forward to continued efforts to implement these core elements of the resolutions.

Thank you, Mr. President.