UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday called on the Zionist regime to end its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war and to stop the bombing of civilian areas, the assassinations, the unnecessary use of lethal force, the demolitions, and the daily humiliation of ordinary Palestinians.

Annan also stressed that it was the right of Palestinians to live in an independent country with secure borders and international recognition.

Meanwhile, the European Union on Tuesday expressed its total backing for the UN secretary general's position on the Middle East conflict. The international community's increasing support for the restoration of the violated rights of the Palestinians clearly indicates that the escalation of Zionist crimes has not only failed to stabilize the occupier regime and force the Palestinian nation to give up their rights, but it has also exposed the criminal and evil nature of the Zionists and incited the wrath of nations at the suppressive policy of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

The world is now witnessing that the bloodthirsty officials in Tel Aviv have been unable to crush the Intifada, or general uprising, of Palestinians against the occupiers of their homeland. Undoubtedly, the Palestinians have achieved great results through the Intifada, such as international recognition of their rights and support for the formation of an independent Palestinian state.

Nevertheless, the unconditional support of some countries, especially the United States, for Israel's suppression of Palestinians and violation of UN resolutions over the past few decades has revealed their true face, showing that their claims of advocating human rights and respecting international law are merely empty rhetoric.

What is worse is that the U.S., through its blind support of the Zionist regime and using its veto power in the UN Security Council in favor of the aggressor, occupier and expansionist entity for decades, has practically foiled international efforts to find a fair and peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue.

However, the positive results of the Intifada point to the fact that through their continued resistance and struggle against the occupiers of their homeland, the brave Palestinians will soon be able to regain their territories and establish an independent state with Bait-ul-Moqaddas as its capital.