ASSEMBLY’S SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE RECEIVES SERIES OF DRAFT TEXTS ON SITUATION OF PALESTINIANS IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Sixtieth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

24^th Meeting (AM)

ASSEMBLY’S SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE RECEIVES SERIES OF DRAFT TEXTS

ON SITUATION OF PALESTINIANS IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Action Delayed to Allow Work on Revised Versions; Debate Concluded

On Report of Body Investigating Israeli Practices Affecting Human Rights

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this morning decided, on the request of the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union, to postpone action on a series of outstanding draft resolutions so that interested delegations could work on revised versions of some draft proposals.  It took this decision as it concluded its general debate on the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.

The Committee had before it nine draft resolutions and one draft decision.  Five of the texts related to the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and the other five to Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories.  The draft resolutions were introduced in the Committee this morning.

The representative of Indonesia introduced the draft resolutions relating to UNRWA:  assistance to Palestine refugees (document A/C.4.60/L.9); on persons displaced as a result of June 1967 and subsequent hostilities (document A/C.4/60/L.10); on UNRWA’s operations (document A/C.4/60/L.11); and on properties and revenues of Palestine refugees (document A/C.4/60/L.12).

Cuba’s representative introduced the drafts on Israeli Practices:  the work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/C.4/60/L.13); the applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories (document A/C.4/60/L.14); Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan (document A/C.4/60/L.15); Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem (document A/C.4/60/L.16); and the occupied Syrian Golan (document A/C.4/60/L.17).

Concluding the general debate on the Special Committee’s report, the representative of Bahrain said he was concerned about the deteriorating situation in the occupied territories in respect to human rights and fundamental freedoms.  Despite non-cooperation on the part of the Israeli Government, he said, the Special Committee had been able to obtain accurate information on the situation in the territories.  The report had shown that there was an increase in repressive and coercive measures against the people living there.

The Palestinian people were losing control over their territories and their identity, he added.  Pockets of land were being isolated from each other, and unemployment and poverty were spreading.  Israeli forces continued to demolish homes and private property, and the building of the separation wall was a worrying trend.  In the occupied Syrian Golan, he said, there were many Israeli practices that violated human rights; these included the establishment of new settlements and the burying of nuclear waste in areas next to the Syrian border.  Israel should comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions so as to bring about a just comprehensive and lasting peace.

The Fourth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. on Monday, 14 November, to take action on outstanding texts and to conclude its work for the current session.

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For information media • not an official record