01/12/2010 General Assembly Concludes Two-Day… 30 November 2010 General Assembly GA/11027 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-fifth General Assembly Plenary 54 th & 55 th Meetings (AM & PM) GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES TWO-DAY DEBATE, ADOPTING SIX RESOLUTIONS ON QUESTION OF PALESTINE, SITUATION IN MIDDLE EAST All Texts Adopted by Recorded Vote; Speakers Say Israel’s Intransigence Harms Peace Effort, United States’ Delegation ‘Disheartened’ by One-Sided Focus Convinced that a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement to the question of Palestine — the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict — was imperative for lasting Middle East peace, the General Assembly today stressed the urgent need for sustained international involvement, including by the Middle East diplomatic Quartet, to support both parties in resuming stalled peace negotiations. That position was echoed in a broad-based resolution on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, adopted by a recorded vote of 165 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, Tonga). (See Annex VI) The text was one of six adopted by recorded vote in a flurry of action that capped the Assembly’s two-day discussion of that issue along with the broader quest for peace in the Middle East. By the terms of the text, the Assembly reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli actions intended to change the status of Jerusalem, and expressed deep concern at closures and severe restrictions on the movement of persons and goods, the establishment of checkpoints and the imposition of a permit regime throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, which had created a humanitarian crisis. Reaffirming its commitment to the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, the Assembly also stressed the need for Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. In a related text on Jerusalem, adopted by a vote of 166 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Panama, Tonga), the Assembly expressed grave concern about Israel’s continued illegal settlement activities, including the so-called “E-1 plan”, construction of the wall in and around East Jerusalem, restrictions on access to and residence in East Jerusalem and isolation of the city from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory. Explaining his delegation’s position after the vote, the United States’ representative said it was impossible to see how supporting the resolutions before the Assembly would contribute to a just and lasting peace. His Government was working towards a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace and was disheartened to see unbalanced resolutions that failed to ask for the difficult steps required by both sides. The United States saw no contradiction between support of the Palestinians and support for Israelis. “These resolutions were wasteful and do nothing to halt the conflict, which was the goal we all seek,” he said. Throughout the day, many of the more than 40 speakers expressed their disappointment un.org/News/Press/…/ga11027.doc.htm 1/23 01/12/2010 General Assembly Concludes Two-Day… there was no clear sign that direct talks — launched in September and now at a standstill over Israel’s’ decision to end its months-long freeze on settlement building in and around the West Bank — would soon advance. Israel’s intransigence, they believed, was evident at every turn: from its forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes; ban of goods and services into Gaza; building of the illegal “Separation Wall”; and imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians by Israeli authorities. Several speakers called on Israel to live up to its international commitments, outlined in particular, in Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), and in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, the last of which was proof that Arab countries had shouldered their responsibility to usher in a climate of peace. It was now time for Israel to completely withdraw from all occupied territories with a view to reaching a just, comprehensive and durable two-State solution. Support also was needed for Palestinian Prime Minister Slam Fayyad’s efforts to build a democratic and effective Palestinian State. Brazil’s delegate said the failure to extend the moratorium on settlement activity and subsequent “construction spree” since September had made it difficult for the Palestinian Authority to resume direct negotiations, because the reality on the ground was being deeply and, some feared, irreversibly altered, particularly in East Jerusalem. The current state also played into the hands of radical groups on both sides that were seeking to undermine the peace process. Tunisia’s representative called in particular on the Quartet on the Middle East — whose members are the United Nations, United States, European Union, and Russian Federation — to pressure Israel into changing its policies, stopping the “judiaziation” of occupied territories and respecting international instruments. Everyone must help “breathe new life” into the peace process and stop making hollow promises. Still, others drew attention to the millions of Palestinians — both abroad and in the Diaspora — living in refugee camps in abject poverty, hunger and disease, a situation that violated international humanitarian law. Mahbub Ara Gini, Member of Parliament of Bangladesh, was deeply concerned over their suffering and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the occupied territories. Drawing out different thread in the complex narrative, the representative of the Maldives also urged Hamas to observe humanitarian law and allow visits to its own Israeli prisoners. The Maldives supported the right of Israelis to find homes, but not at the expense of Palestinians. Still other speakers urged the Palestinian Authority to continue to make progress in maintaining law and order, and called for divisions among Palestinian factions to be surmounted. Other resolutions adopted by recorded vote today included texts on the “Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People” (See Annex I); “Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat” (See Annex II); “Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information” (See Annex II), and “the Syrian Golan” (See Annex VI). Prior to today’s votes, Assembly President Joseph Deiss announced that action on a draft resolution entitled “The one-State solution” (document A/65/L.240 had been postponed at the sponsor’s request. Also speaking today were the representatives of South Africa, Morocco, Norway, Qatar, Oman, Viet Nam, Bahrain, Sudan, Sri Lanka, India, Venezuela, Algeria, Malaysia, Canada, Nicaragua, Philippines, Zambia, Syria, Cuba, Kuwait, Bahrain, Philippines, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Switzerland, Qatar, Turkey, India, Jordan, China, Australia, Iran and Japan. Speaking in exercise of the right of reply was the representative of Syria. Egypt’s representative introduced the draft resolutions on Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan. Also speaking in explanation of vote after the vote were the representatives of Israel and Iran. un.org/News/Press/…/ga11027.doc.htm 2/23 01/12/2010 General Assembly Concludes Two-Day… The permanent observer of Palestine spoke in closing remarks. The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. Thursday, 2 December for a joint debate on the implementation of United Nations resolutions and revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. Background The General Assembly met today to continue its consideration on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East, as well as take action on a number of related draft resolutions. (Please see Press Release GA/11026 ) Statements DOCTOR MASHABANE ( South Africa ) said his President yesterday reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with Palestinians. World leaders had confirmed the United Nations’ centrality in the peaceful dispute resolution and South Africa could not agree more with that affirmation. As such, he called on the Organization to speed efforts to aid Palestinians in freeing themselves from Israeli occupation. His Government had always stood with Palestinians’ right to establish their own State, coexisting peacefully with Israel on basis of 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. South Africa had consistently supported the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as outlined in the Road Map and Arab Peace Initiative, and Security Council resolutions 1515 (2003) and 1860 (2009), among others. He called on Israel to abide by those resolutions, as failure to do so violated international law. When direct peace talks began, all had hoped for meaningful progress, resulting in the creation of a viable Palestinian State. Israel’s failure to extend the moratorium on settlement construction had obstructed that progress. Such an extension was a commitment already agreed at the 2007 Annapolis conference. His Government had noted Israel’s contempt for the peace process, with its plans to construct more settlements in the West Bank area. To salvage peace, he called on Israel to halt such projects. He also supported the Arab world’s mediation efforts to achieve reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, encouraged by the Palestinian Authority’s