{"id":167351,"date":"2018-11-14T14:19:13","date_gmt":"2018-11-14T14:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=167351"},"modified":"2021-11-11T13:34:34","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T18:34:34","slug":"amid-rising-gaza-tensions-delegates-welcome-ceasefire-as-fourth-committee-concludes-general-debate-on-israeli-practices-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/amid-rising-gaza-tensions-delegates-welcome-ceasefire-as-fourth-committee-concludes-general-debate-on-israeli-practices-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Amid Rising Gaza Tensions, Delegates Welcome Ceasefire, as Fourth Committee Concludes General Debate on Israeli Practices – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION,<\/span>\u00a027TH MEETING (AM)
\n<\/span>GA\/SPD\/687<\/strong>
\n14 NOVEMBER 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

Delegates warned today about escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip, with some welcoming the recently brokered ceasefire in the enclave, as the Fourth Committee\u00a0(Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate on Israel\u2019s practices affecting the human rights of people in occupied Arab territories.<\/p>\n

Namibia\u2019s representative recalled that scores of civilian protesters were killed and wounded as Israel used excessive and disproportionate force since the beginning of the \u201cGreat March of Return\u201d on 30\u00a0March.\u00a0 Calling upon all concerned to exercise maximum restraint, he welcomed the 13\u00a0November ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt between the Government of Israel and the people of Gaza.<\/p>\n

Jordan\u2019s representative similarly highlighted the new round of tensions that arose in Gaza yesterday, calling upon the international community to help de\u2011escalate the situation and impose a ceasefire.\u00a0 Failure to address the frozen peace process sends a dangerous signal and undermines the hope of peace, he cautioned, adding that it gives terrorist and extremist groups an opportunity to create false legitimacy.<\/p>\n

South Africa\u2019s representative also expressed concern about signs of regression in the peace process.\u00a0 He emphasized that the impasse \u2014 fuelled by the increasing polarization of viewpoints, the erosion of multilateralism and provocative unilateral actions \u2014 has significant implications for peace and security.<\/p>\n

Kuwait\u2019s representative said Israel is the main violator of relevant Security Council resolutions and international instruments, citing the March massacres on the Gaza border as an example.\u00a0 That country is defying the international will, he stressed.<\/p>\n

However, Israel\u2019s representative said that attempts to bypass direct negotiations via multilateral international institutions are doomed to fail.\u00a0 He recalled that, since the Oslo Accords, the Government of Israel has offered the Palestinians several plans to end the current situation.\u00a0 Every offer included far\u2011reaching concessions, but they were all rejected or ignored, he noted.<\/p>\n

Moreover, he continued, Hamas is piling up an arsenal of rockets dedicated to Israel\u2019s destruction, including over the past week, when an unprecedented number of rockets were launched against Israel.\u00a0 In that context, Israel will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect itself, he said, calling upon the Palestinians to engage in direct negotiations.<\/p>\n

Other speakers today included representatives of Turkey, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco and Nicaragua.<\/p>\n

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were representatives of Israel, Jordan and Syria, as well as an observer for the State of Palestine.<\/p>\n

The Fourth Committee will reconvene at 10\u00a0a.m. on Friday, 16\u00a0November, to take action on outstanding draft resolutions and conclude its work for the seventy\u2011third session.<\/p>\n

General Debate<\/u><\/p>\n

MOHANNAD ADNAN MOUSA SHADDAD (Jordan<\/u>), noting that a new round of tensions arose in Gaza yesterday, called upon the international community to help de-escalate the situation and impose a ceasefire.\u00a0 Failure to address the frozen peace process sends a dangerous signal and undermines the hope of peace, he cautioned, adding that it gives terrorist and extremist groups an opportunity to create false legitimacy.\u00a0 States must work in concert to lay the framework for a definitive solution for the Palestinian people, he said, pointing out that Jordan is in daily direct contact with the Palestinian population.\u00a0 Emphasizing that responsibility for Al Quds is a historic one shared with the Arab world, he warned that any attempt at dividing such holy sites as Al-Aqsa Mosque will constitute a threat to the stability of the entire region. \u00a0Meanwhile, Israel continues to restrict the movement of people and goods in the occupied territories, depriving them of economic opportunity and employment, he noted.\u00a0 Expressing concern over the seizure of thousands of hectares of Palestinian land to create new Israeli housing and military bases, he said the violations of the right to education in the occupied territories, including shooting at students and restrictions on educational structures, are also worrying.\u00a0 He concluded by underlining that the creation of a Palestinian State is a strategic interest of Jordan and a priority for Jordanian policy.<\/p>\n

WOUTER HOFMEYR ZAAYMAN (South Africa<\/u>) said that in the current climate of heightened hostilities marked by continued human rights violations, the possibility of lasting peace seems distant.\u00a0 However, as a country that underwent a monumental political transition after years of systematic violations, South Africa remains hopeful for a similar, positive outcome for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, he said, emphasizing that violations of Palestinian human rights merely reinforce hatreds and fuel the cycle of violence between societies that can benefit from mutually reinforcing development.\u00a0 Recalling that South Africa condemned the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces against unarmed Palestinian protesters earlier in\u00a02018, he echoed calls for an independent inquiry into those killings.\u00a0 Such deplorable human rights violations also take a collective form, dividing people with monolithic physical barriers facilitating draconian restrictions of movement and humiliation at checkpoints.\u00a0 Moreover, Israel\u2019s continuing settlement expansion increasingly encroaches onto the limited land available to Palestinians, choking off all hope for a two-State solution, he pointed out.\u00a0 Expressing concern at signs of regression in the peace process, he said the impasse \u2014 fuelled by the increasing polarization of viewpoints, the erosion of multilateralism and provocative unilateral actions \u2014 has significant implications for peace and security.<\/p>\n

\u00d6NC\u00dc KE\u00c7ELI (Turkey<\/u>) said that inflicting hardship and humiliation reflects a systematic effort to pressure the Palestinians into accepting the status quo.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s campaign violates their fundamental human rights and subjects them to excessive use of force, he said, adding that it also involves building illegal settlements in the West Bank, displacing Bedouins from Khan al-Ahmar and imposing collective punishment on the Palestinians by targeting the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA).\u00a0 Current developments deepen the sense of injustice in the region and create a growing mistrust of universal values, he cautioned, emphasizing that it is high time for the international community to take decisive steps to protect the rights of the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n

BASHAR A. A. A. E. ALDUWAISAN (Kuwait<\/u>), associating himself with the Arab Group, said Israel is the main violator of relevant Security Council resolutions and international instruments.\u00a0 Citing the massacres on the Gaza border as an example, he noted that more than 60\u00a0Palestinians were killed.\u00a0 How long will Israel be allowed to destroy the lives of Palestinians with no accountability?\u00a0 That country is defying the international will, he said, recalling Israel\u2019s withdrawal of its candidacy for a Security Council seat in June because of its poor standing in the international community.\u00a0 Expressing concern over Israel\u2019s unilateral measures to change the situation on the ground within the occupied territories, he said its practices amount to flagrant violations of international law.\u00a0 Expressing support for the expansion of the Middle East Quartet to include other regional parties under the umbrella of the Â鶹APP, he said Kuwait also supports measures to strengthen the sovereignty of Jerusalem.\u00a0 He called for Israel\u2019s withdrawal from the occupied territories to the pre-1967 borders while granting the Palestinian people their right to self-determination.<\/p>\n

IBRAHIM MODIBBO UMAR (Nigeria<\/u>), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation\u00a0(OIC), warned that the spike in settlement expansion and consolidation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, will have a negative impact on the Middle East peace process, affecting the contiguity and viability of a future sovereign Palestinian State.\u00a0 He called upon Israel to cease all such expansion because it is changing the character, status and demographic composition of the affected territories, noting that the freezing of settlements is key to restoring peace. \u00a0Moreover, the situation in the Gaza Strip and the near-collapse of its infrastructure should be of grave concern to the international community, he said, calling for an end to the blockade on Gaza and for the restoration of free movement of people and goods into and out of the enclave.\u00a0 He expressed his delegation\u2019s unwavering support for a two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders.<\/p>\n

NEVILLE MELVIN GERTZE (Namibia<\/u>), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, noted the use of excessive force by Israel\u2019s Government against protesters.\u00a0 The latter is on record as having ordered its military to intensify force despite Egypt\u2019s offer to intervene as a peace broker.\u00a0 Expressing concern that the occupying Power denied the Special Committee access to those territories, he described the biased measures that Israel has undertaken as illegal under international law.\u00a0 Since the beginning of the \u201cGreat March of Return\u201d on 30\u00a0March, he recalled, scores of civilian protesters were killed and wounded as Israel used excessive and disproportionate force.\u00a0 Such actions are tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, he added, noting that they are destined to have a multiplier effect, increasing the prospects for violence and hatred.\u00a0 Calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, he welcomed the ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt on 13\u00a0November between the Government of Israel and the people of Gaza.<\/p>\n

ACHSANUL HABIB (Indonesia<\/u>) said Israel continues its reckless demolition of Palestinian structures, restrictions on movement and arbitrary detentions.\u00a0 Citing also its construction of new settlements, blockade of Gaza and human rights violations, he stated that those actions are in full violation of international law and Security Council resolutions.\u00a0 \u201cLife in Gaza has been rendered almost meaningless as the Palestinian population continues to be deprived of basic services,\u201d he said, condemning the deterioration of the humanitarian situation there and throughout the occupied territories.\u00a0 Indonesia supports the deployment of an international protection force, he added.\u00a0 Also condemning Israel\u2019s unilateral efforts to alter the character or prejudge the status of Jerusalem, he called on that country to review its attitude and ensure full respect for its obligations under international humanitarian law.\u00a0 Indonesia urges the international community to refocus on a political solution based on the two-State vision, he added.<\/p>\n

MOHAMMAD QORBANPOUR (Iran<\/u>), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement and OIC, underscored the Special Committee\u2019s important role in investigating Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories.\u00a0 \u201cThe Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is at the epicentre of all conflicts in the Middle East,\u201d he said, highlighting the need to end the blockade on Gaza and collective punishment, including restrictions on free movement across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the demolition of homes, revocation of residency, closure of towns and illegal settlement expansion.\u00a0 Turning to the occupied Golan, he said Iran considers it an integral part of Syria, emphasizing that the international community must uphold its political and legal responsibilities to end Israel\u2019s occupation of Arab lands.<\/p>\n

ISAAC BACHMAN (Israel<\/u>) said the human rights situation is critical in Areas A and B, over which the Palestinian Authority exercises security control, and in Gaza, where Hamas has de facto control.\u00a0 The rights to life, protest, free expression and safety, as well as the rights of women and girls are in severe danger, he said, citing a statement from a human rights organization.\u00a0 The Special Committee\u2019s annual report ignores severe violations by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas against the human rights of Israelis as well as those of their own people, he added, noting that it also fails to lay out the context of historical events that led Israel to gain control over its territory, as well as its attempts to seek solutions and build bridges.\u00a0 The Special Committee is not about human rights; instead, \u201cit is about railing against Israel and Israel bashing\u201d, he reiterated.\u00a0 Recalling that Israel gained control during a war of self-defence, he described its historic peace agreement with Egypt as a pillar of strategic stability and a source of hope and comfort for his people.\u00a0 However, such an approach cannot be implemented on the other side of the African-Syrian rift, he said, stressing that the Assad regime does not have the credibility to make peace or maintain stability.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Syria<\/u>, raising a point of order, pointed out that the Special Committee\u2019s report is the agenda item under discussion, calling on Israel\u2019s representative to discuss that matter exclusively.<\/p>\n

Mr. BACHMAN (Israel<\/u>) went on to recall that the Jordanian-Israeli General Armistice Agreement of 3 April, 1949 explicitly states that the demarcation line, known as the Green Line, is not and should not be considered a border because it is only a military line.\u00a0 Therefore, when Israel took control of the West Bank in 1967, it did not cross any agreed international border, he said, emphasizing that it was taken from the aggressor by the self-defender.\u00a0 \u201cThus, the Israeli presence there is legitimate,\u201d he added.\u00a0 The claim of the Jews to the region is legitimate and its future status should be negotiated directly and bilaterally, as agreed by both parties and the international community under existing and binding agreements, he emphasized.\u00a0 Since the Oslo Accords, Israel has offered the Palestinians several plans to end the current situation, he recalled.\u00a0 \u201cIsrael does not wish to control the Palestinians,\u201d he stressed, while noting that every offer included far-reaching concessions, but they were all rejected or ignored.<\/p>\n

In 2005, he recalled further, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and the occupation was ended, with the enclave free for its people to run their daily lives in full autonomy.\u00a0 After two years, however, Hamas built an underground \u201ccity of terror\u201d, he said, calling for both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to be held accountable for the disastrous human rights situation in Gaza.\u00a0 \u201cIf the ongoing Palestinian terror ceased, no restrictions and no blockade would be needed to protect Israeli civilians,\u201d he noted.\u00a0 However, Hamas is piling up an arsenal of rockets actively dedicated to Israel\u2019s destruction, including over the past week, when an unprecedented number of rockets were launched against Israel.\u00a0 In that context, Israel will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect itself, he said, calling upon the Palestinians to engage in direct negotiations.\u00a0 Attempts to bypass negotiations via multilateral international institutions with clear one-sided agendas are doomed to fail, he added.<\/p>\n

YOUSSEF EL-MEZOUAGHI (Morocco<\/u>), noting that 2018 has seen unprecedented developments on the question of Palestine, including in Jerusalem, he warned that modifying the city\u2019s legal status will endanger stability in the region.\u00a0 Welcoming the central role played by UNRWA in providing vital services to the affected populations, he expressed regret over Israel\u2019s settlement and destruction policies, saying they are in violation of international law and threaten the prospects for peace in the region.\u00a0 Noting that the paralysis of the peace process has led to the further deterioration of the situation in Palestine, he called upon the international community to reinvigorate negotiations towards a solution that will build trust between parties and lay the framework for a viable Palestinian State.<\/p>\n

MANUEL MADRIZ (Nicaragua<\/u>), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, welcomed the pledges by Member States to make contributions to UNRWA.\u00a0 Emphasizing that full implementation of the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions is the only legal and diplomatic way to restore peace and stability in the region, he expressed support for dialogue and negotiations that will provide the foundation for a solution in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Right of Reply<\/u><\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Israel<\/u>, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said the accusations against his country came from States that should learn something from Israel\u2019s practices, including those towards Palestinians.\u00a0 One such accusation was that Israel is activating a war machine, which is far from the truth because it is a defensive machine, he noted.\u00a0 \u201cWe are surrounded by countries that couldn\u2019t accept the very existence of the Jewish State,\u201d he said, adding that the people of such countries teach their children hatred of Jews and Israel.\u00a0 When Palestinians fire from densely populated civilian areas towards civilian areas in Israel, that constitutes a double war crime, he said.\u00a0 However, Israel defends its people, investing billions in an iron dome to stop the terrible effects of missiles launched from Gaza, he added.\u00a0 \u201cWe are proud of it, not only technologically but because of its strategic contribution to stabilizing the Middle East.\u201d\u00a0 Describing Israel as an island of democracy in the region, he emphasized that the Middle East is a special environment in which a minority cannot be weak.<\/p>\n

Israel does not want to invest so much in its Defence Forces, but it must defend itself in a region that does not want it, he continued.\u00a0 Other minorities in the Middle East look upon Israel with envy and admiration, he said, describing his country as the victim of terrible aggression by neighbouring countries and the whole Arab and Islamic world.\u00a0 \u201cWe are a strong victim because, without being strong, we will cease being a victim; we will cease to exist.\u201d\u00a0 Unfortunately, Palestinians choose to live in misery, he said, noting that it is in their hands to decide whether to accept the Jewish State.\u00a0 Palestinians should solve their own internal problems, he noted, pointing out that elections have been overdue for 13\u00a0years and Hamas has taken over half of the population, turning Gazans into hostages.\u00a0 Recalling the Jewish State\u2019s disasters throughout history, including the Holocaust, he called upon Palestinians to put their hatred of Jews and Israel behind them, saying they can enjoy a great life if they accept the existence of a Jewish State instead of sacrificing themselves.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Jordan<\/u>, noting that Israel\u2019s delegate mentioned that the Jordanian army had occupied the West Bank in the past, said that in fact, the territory was part of Jordan following a choice by the Palestinians.\u00a0 There was therefore no occupation and the two sides were united.<\/p>\n

The observer for the\u00a0State of Palestine<\/u>\u00a0said it is unacceptable that the Committee\u2019s work can be so callously ridiculed with disparagement of Member States.\u00a0 Emphasizing that the international community should not stand idly by while Israel violates international law, she said it cannot be that everyone is wrong and only Israel is right, describing such a claim as the height of audacity.\u00a0 The Special Committee\u2019s reports are not one-sided but, rather, based on facts and evidence, including the work of legitimate Israeli human rights organizations that are under increasing pressure, she said.\u00a0 Rejecting the notion that the conflict has anything to do with hatred of Jews, she described it, instead, as ruthless oppression of a people under occupation.<\/p>\n

It is, in fact, Israel that insists on having it all, she continued, recalling that country\u2019s endless preconditions in response to offers of peace as it buys itself more time, settler by settler, one illegal measure after another, in seeking to annex more territory.\u00a0 Claims attributing the situation to some Palestinian inferiority are offensive, she said, pointing out that Palestine has recognized Israel and its right to exist but has not received the same acknowledgement.\u00a0 While Israel pays only lip service to a two-State solution, Palestine has repeatedly drafted legislative proposals, she noted.\u00a0 Stressing that the statements made in the Committee barely touch the dismal reality in the territories, she went on to refute Israel\u2019s claim that it has the world\u2019s most moral army, citing the killing of Palestinian children as evidence.\u00a0 Encouraging statements by other Member States contradict Israel\u2019s account of the situation in the region, she said, expressing appreciation for the solidarity, kindness and assistance extended to Palestine by people all over the world.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Israel<\/u>, noting that a majority at the Â鶹APP does not mean the Organization\u2019s positions and decisions are just, cited numerous anti-Israel decisions.\u00a0 Stressing also that Israel is proud to have NGOs in the country that are critical of the Government, he said that would not be possible in Gaza.\u00a0 Expressing incredulity at claims that there is no hatred of Jews, he recounted instances of anti-Semitic propaganda and terrorist attacks around the world.\u00a0 Regarding the name of Palestine, he said it has nothing to do with today\u2019s Palestinians and is based on a Roman decision that had nothing to do with them.\u00a0 In response to comments about Israeli aggression towards Palestinian children, he said they are sent to the front lines in Gaza in order to have the Committee discuss the outcome.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Syria<\/u>\u00a0said that Israel lies in order to steal land and wealth, kill, bomb and displace people.\u00a0 Through falsification and lies, Israel\u2019s representative is trying to trick the world, but cannot cover the ugliness of the occupation, he said, describing that country as the source of the daily suffering endured by the Palestinian people and Syrians in the Golan.\u00a0 It has built walls of isolation, demolishing housing and practising systematic terrorism, he said, pointing out Israel\u2019s support for Al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups aligned with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant\u00a0(ISIL\/Da\u2019esh).\u00a0 Besides treating their wounded, Israel has destroyed 260\u00a0towns, villages and farms in the Syrian Golan, displacing half a million of its inhabitants, he said, adding that it has also planted a million mines in the occupied Golan, with 200\u00a0children dying as a result.\u00a0 Calling for an end to Israel\u2019s falsification, he said that will not erase its own shameful history of occupation.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION,\u00a027TH MEETING (AM) GA\/SPD\/687 14 NOVEMBER 2018 fran\u00e7ais Delegates warned today about escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip, with some welcoming the recently brokered ceasefire in the enclave, as the Fourth Committee\u00a0(Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate on Israel\u2019s practices affecting the human rights of people in occupied Arab territories. Namibia\u2019s representative […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"template-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2433,1329],"document-source":[5618],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,1829,1861,2005,1741,1905,5033,2117],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-167351","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-source-general-assembly-fourth-committee-special-political-and-decolonization","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-fourth-geneva-convention","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-peace-proposals-and-efforts","document-subject-protests","document-subject-terrorism","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/167351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/167351\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=167351"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=167351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}