World leaders express worry about stalled peace process

LONDON, May 18 (JTA) — Leaders of the world’s major industrialized states have expressed “deep concern” at the continuing stalemate in the peace process. “We encourage all efforts to help revive the peace process,” the leaders of the G-8 nations declared in a communique at the end of their summit in England. The communique supported an American plan to advance the deadlocked peace process that reportedly calls on Israel to redeploy from an additional 13 percent of the West Bank in exchange for specific Palestinian steps to live up to already- signed agreements. Describing the U.S. plan as “constructive and realistic,” the G-8 communique also called on Israel and the Palestinians to “refrain from unilateral acts which predetermine the final status negotiations and undermine confidence.” The leaders of the G-8 also said they remained determined to work with Israel, the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon for a comprehensive peace, but emphasized that the status of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would determine whether a comprehensive peace could be achieved. Attending the G-8 summit were the leaders of the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada. The president of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, also attended.