RANCOROUS UNSC MONTHLY MIDDLE EAST DEBATE MAKES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000280 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPKO KPAL KWBG UNSC SY IR LE IS SUBJECT: RANCOROUS UNSC MONTHLY MIDDLE EAST DEBATE MAKES PEOPLE WONDER WHY BOTHER ¶1. (SBU) Summary. SYG Ban Ki-Moon made an unusual appearance during the UNSC's monthly Middle East debate on March 25 to beseech the parties and the international community -- including the Security Council -- to support the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement by the end of 2008. Despite Ban's appearance, the parties quickly turned the debate into a rancorous, acrimony-filled exchange, in which Israel, Libya, Syria, and Sudan attacked each other for supporting terrorism, targeted assassinations, and genocide. Amb Khalilzad argued that heated political statements in the UNGA or the UNSC "do little to help advance the cause of peace or help the Palestinian people in any tangible way," and questioned the utility of the public format of these debates. Several UNSC members expressed sympathy for the U.S. emphasis on the disconnect between New York rhetoric and direct negotiations between the parties. ¶2. (SBU) Summary, cont'd. Most speakers called on the UNSC to take a greater role in the conflict, lamenting its inability to implement earlier resolutions or to pronounce itself on the recent situation in Gaza or the attacks against Israel, including the March 6 assault on the yeshiva in Jerusalem. Nearly all speakers criticized Israel for continuing to build settlements as a violation of its Roadmap obligations and commitments undertaken in Annapolis. Many Council members also condemned the attacks on Israel, although most of these states criticized Israel's military reaction as excessive, as well. In addressing Lebanon, most speakers expressed concern about the political crisis and support for the Arab League plan to resolve it. In a shift in tone, Israel praised UNIFIL's performance and did not/not allege arms smuggling into south Lebanon. Lebanon reiterated its support for UNIFIL's plan to end the Israeli occupation of the northern part of Ghajar. End Summary. ¶3. (U) A summary of the public debate, including details of all the interventions delivered, is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide/scact200 8.htm. A full transcript is also available on the same website. SYG Ban Appeals for Continued Talks -------------- ¶4. (U) SYG Ban, making an unusual appearance at the monthly �00A;UNSC Middle East debate, expressed alarm about the prospect of renewed violence in Gaza and southern Israel and beseeched the parties and the international community -- including the Security Council -- to support the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement by the end of ¶2008. Emphasizing that negotiations are "the only means" to address the legitimate aspirations of both sides, Ban said everyone should ask themselves, "If not this, what? And if not now, when?" ¶5. (U) After Ban's speech, DPA U/SYG Pascoe delivered a largely factual briefing on developments in the Middle East over the past month, including deaths and injuries on both sides, including the firing of rockets into Israel and the March 6 attack on the yeshiva in Jerusalem, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, continued Israeli settlement building, and regional efforts to promote Palestinian reconciliation and train PA security forces. Pascoe also briefly discussed the situation in Lebanon, reiterating the SYG's full support for the Arab League initiative, calling on Israel to cease its overflights of Lebanon, and noting UNIFIL's efforts to keep its area of operation (AOR) under control. Parties Exchange Invective and Recrimination -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In what has become a regular feature of those monthly UNSC Middle East debates that are held in public, Israel, the Palestinians, Syrians, Sudanese (as chair of the Arab Group),and Cuba (as chair of the NAM) engaged in a recrimination-filled exchange, with several of these countries taking the floor twice to continue the spectacle. (Iran tried to join the discussion after Israel blamed Iran for providing arms to Hamas; the Russian Presidency sidestepped the matter by successfully suggesting that the Iranian delegation send a letter to the Security Council in reply.) Palestinian Observer Mansour began the exchange, USUN NEW Y 00000280 002 OF 003 recalling a deputy Israeli Defense Minister's alleged threats to inflict a "Holocaust" on Gaza, and asserting that Israel's arguments about self-defense do not justify the killing of children. Israeli PR Gillerman railed against the tendency of some countries to equate the "lawful state response to terrorism" with terrorist acts themselves. He accused Libya of blocking the UNSC from condemning the rocket attacks or the attack on the Jerusalem yeshiva, and recalling Libya's "long history of terrorism," questioned its suitability for a seat on the Council. ¶7. (SBU) Libyan PR Ettalhi, in return, charged Israel with trying to "annihilate the Palestinians," in a campaign of "ethnic cleansing, war crimes," and "racist apartheid measures." Syria continued this theme, offering a long and confusing history of Israeli "state terrorism," and accusing the "outlaw" Israeli state of a new "genocide" and "Holocaust" in Gaza. Representing the Arab Group in New York, the Sudanese PR repetitively demanded justice of the Palestinian cause. After Gillerman took the floor a second time to sarcastically question the value of lectures from Sudan and Syria on genocide and targeted assassinations, referring to the "assassins of Damascus and the butchers of Darfur," the Syrian PR replied that Israel can only attack others because it knows a "certain" UNSC permanent member will protect it by exercising its veto, as it has "44 times previously." The Sudanese PR, literally shouting in his right-of-reply, accused Israel of involvement in Darfur and warned that it would not enjoy impunity for its "crimes." Gillerman also accused Cuba of failing to represent NAM states by omitting any condemnation of rockets or the yeshiva attack from its statement. Cuba responded by insisting that the NAM would never abandon its Palestinian brothers. Focus on Role of UN and Security Council -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Speaking after Israel and Palestine, but before the other acrimonious speeches or rights-of-reply by states that do not sit on the Council, Amb Khalilzad argued that heated political statements in the UNGA or the UNSC "do little to help advance the cause of peace or help the Palestinian people in any tangible way." If monthly meetings or open debates do not contribute to improving the situation on the ground or further complicate it, he said, we should consider whether the public format of these debates is constructive. Of all the Council members that spoke, only South Africa expressed support for public meetings, arguing that the UNSC should be more "transparent" in its handling of this issue. Panama, which is usually a proponent of scheduling open meetings of the Council, said the monthly Middle East debates do not help advance the peace process. Other UNSC members, including Russia, China, Indonesia and Vietnam, told USUN afterward that they agree the public debate serves little purpose. ¶9. (SBU) Although sympathetic to the often counterproductive debates, most Council members decried the Security Council's inability to implement previous resolutions on the Middle East or to reach agreement on text addressing the situation in Gaza or attacks against Israel, and called for the UNSC to become more involved in the issue. Libya offered a predictable lament, arguing that no other conflict threatened international peace and security like the Arab-Israeli conflict, and calling on the UNSC to stop "pussy-footing" around the issue." Costa Rica said the UNSC had become "part of the problem" and urged UNSC members to stop serving as an "echo-chamber" for the complaints of the parties. Of non-Council members, the Palestinian representative insisted that the Palestinians would continue seeking redress from the UNSC, despite its supposed failure to fulfill its duty in the past. Syria, too, said the Council's failure to "condemn" Israel's "illegal siege" of Gaza had destroyed what little remained of the UNSC's credibility. Near-Universal Criticism of Settlements -------------- ¶10. (U) Nearly all speakers criticized Israel for continuing to build settlements, especially in and around Jerusalem, and called on it to honor its Roadmap obligations by ceasing all construction -- including for natural growth. Several suggested ongoing settlement activity contradicted Israeli USUN NEW Y 00000280 003 OF 003 commitments offered in Annapolis. France "deplored" Israel's recent announcement about new construction tenders. The UK and Italy called settlements "illegal" and a threat to the peace process. Russia pronounced itself "disturbed" by the growth in Israeli settlement activity and called for a complete construction freeze. Lebanon, acknowledging that the Roadmap calls for dismantling of settlement outposts and simultaneous PA efforts to end violence, questioned how the PA could control violence admist the "immoral, illegal IDF siege of Gaza." Syria and its supporters also condemned Israeli settlement building in the Golan Heights. Criticism of Rockets and IDF Response -------------- ¶11. (U) Although most UNSC members condemned the rocket attacks on Israel and the shooting at the Jerusalem yeshiva, most of these states also criticized the conduct of Israel's reaction in Gaza. Of European countries, Croatia offered the strongest defense of Israel's actions, labeling the rockets and yeshiva attacks "reprehensible," and declaring there can be no justification at all for acts of terrorism. France condemned the IDF incursion into Gaza and said Israeli self-defense cannot be applied "indiscriminately." The UK, Belgium and others called on Israel to ensure that its actions are in accordance with international humanitarian law. South Africa and Vietnam condemned the rocket and yeshiva attacks, while Indonesia remained silent. Most Arab states ignored the attacks altogether or dismissed them as an "excuse" or "pretext" for the Israeli incursion into Gaza. Lebanon: Support for Arab League and UNIFIL -------------- ¶12. (SBU) When discussing Lebanon, most speakers expressed concern about the political crisis and support for the Arab League plan to resolve it. The UK supported Amb Khalilzad's call on Syria to cease interfering in Lebanon's domestic affairs. Syria responded with "wonder" to these charges, alleging "constant" U.S. interference in Lebanon, including the dispatch of the U.S. warships near the Lebanese coast. Israel offered a more positive outlook on UNSCR 1701 than in past speeches to the Council or discussions with USUN. Noting that UNSCR 1701 had changed the strategic reality in south Lebanon, PR Gillerman said Israel continues to focus on illegal weapons transfers from Syria, the release of its soldiers, and preventing the re-armament of Hizballah -- which is adapting to UNIFIL's presence. He praised UNIFIL's work on the ground and did not/not allege weapons flows into south Lebanon. Lebanon decried Israeli overflights, continued IDF occupation of northern Ghajar, and lack of useful IDF data on its use of cluster bombs. Lebanese PR Salam also reiterated the GOL's support for UNIFIL's plan to end the Israeli occupation of Ghajar. KHALILZAD