Israel, US upset over UN report on Israeli human rights violations in occupied Arab territories
Regional-Israel-UN, Politics, 11/20/1998

Both Israel and the United States had harsh criticism yesterday for the report prepared by the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, which depicts the negative impact of Israeli measures on quality of life in the occupied territories.

Israel's David Zohar, speaking in the UN's Fourth Committee, said the report was one-sided and that it comes at the expense of efforts for peace, noting the progress represented by the Wye Memorandum. He said that the report focused on conflict in the territories, without recognizing efforts for reconciliation.

Douglas Keene of the US echoed that the report did not advance the peace process and said it is not indicative of the current situation, as the Wye River accord gave the peace process new momentum. He also said the US opposes specific references to Jerusalem in draft resolutions.

However, Palestinian Mission representative Feda Andelhady said although the Wye River accord is a "source of hope," Israel still proceeds with its settlement policy and confiscation of Palestinian lands.

The special committee's report details restrictions on access to land, housing and water in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem that have harmed the quality of life for the residents of those territories as well as restrictions on freedom of movement in these areas.

It cited the Israeli interrogations, which are allowed to use "moderate physical pressure" but were found to be unacceptable by the Committee against Torture, which found that the interrogation practices violate the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment, ratified by Israel in 1991. It also noted Israeli administrative detentions carried out in the absence of charges.

In specific reference to the Syrian Golan Heights, the report noted the expansion of settlements there.

The Fourth Committee is considering five draft resolutions on the situation in the occupied territories:

The first draft resolution, on the special committee's work, would express concern about "the recent deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, as a result of Israeli practices and measures and the impasse facing the Middle East peace process." It would also continue the committee's investigation into the situation in the occupied territories.

A second draft on the Geneva Convention's relevance to the situation in the Palestinian territories would reaffirm that it does apply and reiterate the need to call a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention on way to enforce the convention in the occupied territories.

The third draft addresses Israel's settlement policy would demand a stop to all settlement activities in occupied areas, including those in Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights, and reaffirm the illegality of those settlements. This draft would also call for measures including the confiscation of Israel settlers' weapons to ensure the security of Palestinian civilians.

The fourth draft would demand that Israel stop all practices that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people, emphasize the importance of preserving Palestinian territorial integrity and guarantee freedom of movement for both people and goods in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem.

The final draft would call for Israel to speed its release of Palestinian prisoners and to stop any activities that change the "physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and, in particular, to desist from the establishment of settlements." It would also determine that Israeli measures altering the character and legal status of the Golan are a "flagrant violation of international law" and the Geneva Convention.

The committee, which includes UN envoys from Sri Lanka, Sengal, and Malaysia, compiles reports to the UN General Assembly from press reports out of Israel and the occupied territories as well as from testimony from persons with recent experiences of the human rights situation in the territories.

Israel has refused since 1968, when the committee was established, to cooperate with the committee or provide access to the occupied territories.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian Foreign Ministry reports on Israeli human rights violations   (7/30/1998)
  Israel blamed for death of security prisoner   (6/23/1998)
  Human rights activists expected Israel to block their attempt   (8/14/1997)

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