UNGA DEBATES THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE AND THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001214 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG PHUM PREF UNGA IS SUBJECT: UNGA DEBATES THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE AND THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ADOPTS SIX RESOLUTIONS USUN NEW Y 00001214 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) Summary: The participants in the annual UNGA debates on the Question of Palestine and on the Situation in the Middle East that took place November 29-30 broke no new ground, restating well-known arguments in support of well-known positions. Several countries did, however, acknowledge the importance of the international meeting at Annapolis convened by the U.S. to kick-start the final phase of the peace process. UNGA December 10 adopted six resolutions tabled during the debate. The U.S. voted against all six resolutions. End Summary. Debate -------------- ¶2. (U) The 62nd UN General Assembly held its annual debate on the "Question of Palestine" and "The Situation in the Middle East" November 29-30. Thirty-four countries delivered speeches on "The Question of Palestine" and twenty-two, on the "Situation in the Middle East." Iran excepted, most countries praised the meeting in Annapolis, though some with "cautious optimism." But, for the most part, statements followed the pattern of previous years with speakers criticizing Israeli settlements, the Israeli construction of the separation barrier, Israel's "occupation" of Arab lands, and Israeli human rights violations against Arabs. Speakers called for a resolution to final status issues, such as Palestinian refugees, the status of Jerusalem, water resources, and security. Most speakers called for intra-Palestinian cooperation and support for Mahmoud Abbas, and a lasting peace settlement, built upon, "international law, General Assembly resolution 194, Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397, and 1515 and other relevant UN resolutions, and the principles outlined in the Roadmap and the Arab Peace Initiative." ¶3. (U) Typical of comments critical of Israel, Paul Badji, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and speaking on behalf of the Committee, said, "the continuing illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory remains the root cause of the conflict." Badji and others accused Israel of ignoring the International Court of Justice's opinion on the separation barrier and the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding settlements. Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, framed the issues in broader Islamic terms, saying that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has "bred mistrust and antagonism between Israel and the Arabs and indeed the entire Islamic world. The centrality of the cause of Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the whole Islamic Ummah is clear." Indonesia announced that it, and South Africa, will co-organize an Asia-Africa conference on capacity building for Palestine next year. Libya blamed Israel for the instability in the Middle East, and Cuba, on behalf of the Non-aligned Movement (NAM),said, "The Lebanese government has tried to stabilize their situation, however, Israel is the cause of the destabilization." ¶4. (U) The Palestinian representative, and others, referred to Israel's separation barrier as an "apartheid wall," that has "transformed Palestinian cities, towns and villages into massive prisons and ghettos." The Palestinian representative accused Israel of obstructing progress in the peace process and aborting all efforts to resume talks. However, he mentioned that Israel and the Palestinians began formal negotiations after the Annapolis conference. ¶5. (U) Iran, Egypt, and Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference referred to "double standards" and "selectivity" when discussing human rights, and the three mentioned the "unqualified support" extended by USUN NEW Y 00001214 002.2 OF 003 "a permanent member of the UN Security Council" to the Israeli regime. Iran said that the "international community cannot be misled by the politically-motivated moves, such as the recent meeting in Annapolis, that are intended to accord legitimacy to the forces of occupation and aggression." ¶6. (U) Israel's statement was strong and direct, calling the proceedings "viciously boring," and stating, "Palestinian self-determination is a cause Israel wholeheartedly supports." He accused the General Assembly of "defaming and denigrating Israel with the 21 annual Palestinian resolutions," and he placed the blame for the lack of Palestinian statehood on Palestinian "wrong choices." He said, "Regarding Annapolis, moderate Arab and Muslim states recognize that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not the cause of instability in the region. They recognize that the real dangers come directly from Islamic extremism and its champion Iran, who sponsors terrorism around the globe, tries to attain nuclear weapons, denies the Holocaust while preparing for the next one, and relentlessly defies the will of the international community." Vote -------------- ¶7. (U) The UNGA (U.N. General Assembly) December 10 voted on and adopted six resolutions tabled during the November 29-30 debate on the "Question of Palestine" and the "Situation in the Middle East." The United States voted against each resolution and, as did eight other delegations (Argentina, Australia, Panama, Portugal (EU),Israel, Iran, Syria, and the Palestinian Observer),delivered an EOV (explanation of vote). Resolutions and voting results are in paragraph 10. ¶8. (U) In its EOV, the U.S. characterized the resolution on "The Syrian Golan" as "unhelpful" and said that the text prejudges final status issues. Argentina, which voted for "The Syrian Golan" resolution, disagreed, asserting that the text in paragraph six, which calls for "Israel to withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967," does not prejudge final status issues. Panama said it abstained on the "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People," resolution because it does not believe that the Committee, which was established "many years ago," reflects the present realities and developments on the ground. ¶9. (U) Portugal, speaking on behalf of the EU, praised the Annapolis Conference, but suggested that Israel commence bilateral negotiations with Syria and Lebanon in order to reach a comprehensive regional settlement. Portugal also stated that it would prefer to have only one resolution on the Palestinian question rather than six. Israel said, "the ritualistic recycling of resolutions shows that the Assembly is oblivious to changes and new realities." Noting that terrorism is the biggest obstacle to peace, Israel condemned the resolutions for ignoring the issues of terrorism, violence, and the rise of Hamas in Gaza. Iran expressed its concern about resolutions allegedly interfering with Palestinian domestic and internal matters and warned against foreign interference in internal Palestinian decision-making matters, such as in Palestinian elections. Syria asserted that Israel is able to ignore the will of the international community because of "the support of a great power." The Palestinian Observer accused Israel of trying to "disqualify the international community" by making negative remarks about the General Assembly and the six Palestinian resolutions. The Palestinian Observer stated that "Israeli action on the ground is counter to peace, including the continuation of settlements, checkpoints, and holding Gaza as a prison." USUN NEW Y 00001214 003.2 OF 003 ¶10. (U) Resolutions and voting results follow: The Question of Palestine: -- "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" -- Vote Results: 109-8(US, Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-55 -- "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" -- Vote Results: 110-8(US, Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-54 -- "Special Information Programme on the Question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat" -- Vote Results: 161-8(US, Australia, Canada, SIPDIS Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-5(Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire Malawi, Tonga, Vanuatu) -- "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine" -- Vote Results: 161-7(US, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Nauru)-5(Cameroon, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire Tonga, Vanuatu) The Situation in the Middle East: -- "Jerusalem" -- Vote Results: 160-6(US, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-7 (Angola, Australia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu) -- "The Syrian Golan" -- Vote Results: 111-6(US, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau)-56 Khalilzad