ISRAEL APPEARS UNABLE, UNWILLING TO SHAKE OCCUPIER MENTALITY, PALESTINIAN OBSERVER TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CALLING FOR SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION
Source: United Nations General Assembly
Date: 29 Nov 2010
GA/11026
Sixty-fifth General Assembly
Plenary
53rd Meeting (PM)
'Peace is Two-Way Street' Israel's Delegate Says, Urging Compromise, Direct Talks; Assembly's 'Destructive Rhetoric' Does Little to Bring Parties Together
Sixty-three years after the General Assembly's historic adoption in 1947 of resolution 181 (II), partitioning Palestine into two States – one Arab and one Jewish - the independence of the Palestinian Arab State continued to be unjustly obstructed and the rights of Palestinians "flagrantly denied", the Permanent Observer of Palestine told the world body, as it considered that "painful and persistent" issue in the broader context of Middle East peace.
Indeed, Israel had proven it was "unable and unwilling to shake the mentality and behaviour of occupier and aggressor", he said, and commit to international consensus on the two-State solution. Israel continued to use "arbitrary, irrational, fictitious and even racist pretexts to absolve itself of its legal responsibilities", thereby exacerbating the situation on the ground.
For its part, the Palestinian leadership had repeatedly reaffirmed its readiness to resume negotiations in an environment that was actually conducive for achieving peace, he said, one in which actions contrary to peace were halted, including settlement activities. " Israel must be compelled to either choose the path of peace or to bear the responsibility for its obstruction," he declared.
" Israel cannot reach this peace on its own," said Israel's delegate later in the debate, stressing that his Government had long made clear it was necessary and possible to live in peace with its neighbours – and had proven that in peace respective treaties reached with Egypt and Jordan. Peace with the Palestinians could only be found through direct, bilateral negotiations that addressed the concerns of both sides. Any agreement must be based on principles of mutual recognition and security, with Palestinians abandoning their quest to "make this land theirs alone – both now and in the future".
The international community must confront States that provided extensive support to terrorists in Gaza, he said, notably Iran, which continued to export violence and instability in the Middle East. He urged the Palestinian Authority to join Israel without preconditions in direct talks broken off two months ago. The Assembly had a choice: it could continue to adopt the same distorted narrative of Israel pursuing a political agenda, or it could take a more constructive approach, working to bring parties together to pursue peace, and recognizing that as the only way to truly support the fundamental rights of Palestinians.
On that point, Assembly President Joseph Deiss, said in opening remarks that the 192-member body had repeatedly stated that a solution in accordance with resolution 181 would be the most viable; one where Israelis and Palestinians lived alongside each other in peace and security within recognized borders. He reminded delegations that while they were addressing the "painful and persistent" question of Palestine, today was also the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. (Please See press release GA/PAL/1178).
Honest and fair negotiations to resolve that question must be conducted, he said. At the same time, violent terrorist acts must cease; international law and United Nations resolutions must be observed; and all actions that could fuel a climate of suspicion must stop. "Without swift progress, the humanitarian, economic and security situation of the Palestinian people will continue to deteriorate," he said. "The stakes are high, but there is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the situation. Our debate today must affirm our determination."
Egypt's delegate, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, condemned Israel's persistent construction and expansion process in many settlements in the West Bank. He also noted alarm at persistent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, Islamic and Christian holy sites and worship places, as well as at Israel's violation of international law through labelling products from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as "Made in Israel". He called for a halt to "this illegal colonization enterprise".
Throughout the half-day meeting, delegates pressed Israel and the Palestinians to persist in efforts to restore peace talks launched in September and currently stalled over the expiration of a moratorium on Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank. Some also urged those negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of two States and stressed the crucial importance of the continuation of the Palestinian State-building process.
In other business, the Assembly President informed delegates that consideration of agenda item 32, on the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict, scheduled for Thursday, 2 December, had been postponed.
Senegal's representative, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, introduced four draft resolutions related to the question of Palestine: "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" (document A/65/L.14); "the Division for Palestinian Rights of the United Nations Secretariat" (document A/65/L.15); "the Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the United Nations Department of Public Information" (document A/65/L.16); and "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine" (document A/65/L.17).
Also speaking today was the representative of Malta, as Rapporteur of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, who introduced the report on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (A/65/35).
Libya's representative introduced a draft resolution entitled "the one State solution" (document A/65/L.24).
Also speaking today were the representatives of Belgium (on behalf of the European Union), United Arab Emirates, Syria, Indonesia, Yemen, Lebanon and Cuba.
The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 30 November, to continue its consideration of the question of Palestine and situation in the Middle East.
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