Israeli practices – SpCttee mission – Press release

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ISRAELI PRACTICES IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

TO VISIT EGYPT, JORDAN AND SYRIA

GENEVA, 26  May  (UN Information  Service)  —  The Special Committee  to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting  the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other  Arabs of the Occupied Territories  will carry out a  field mission to Egypt, Jordan and Syria from 30 May to 9 June.

Since its establishment in  1968, the Special Committee  has repeatedly tried  to  obtain the cooperation of the Government of Israel but  has consistently  been denied  such  cooperation and access to the  occupied territories.  None the less, the  Committee has been able to benefit from the cooperation of the Governments of Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Without direct access to the occupied territories, the members of the Special Committee base their reports on relevant articles appearing in the Israeli press as well  as articles appearing in the Arab press published in the occupied territories.  In addition, the Special Committee includes in its reports  excerpts of  testimony gathered  during visits to the neighbouring States from persons having first-hand and recent experience of the human rights  situation in the occupied  territories.  The Committee formulates conclusions  containing its  evaluation of the situation as well as recommendations.

The Special Committee plans to hold hearings in Cairo on 31  May and 1 June and in  Amman from 3 to 6 June; hearings in Syria have been scheduled on 7 and 8 June.  During  its stay in Jordan, the Committee plans to interview persons from the West Bank at the King Hussein Bridge.

The Special Committee holds three series of annual meetings, the second of which is  combined with a mission to the area.  The Special Committee will adopt its second  periodic report during this field mission, while the annual report will be adopted during the third series of meetings scheduled for August.

The  Special  Committee was established in December 1968  by General Assembly resolution 2443 (XXIII).  It is composed of three Member  States: Sri Lanka  (Chairman),  Senegal and Malaysia.  Sri Lanka is currently represented  by Herman Leonard de Silva, the Permanent Representative of that  country to the United Nations in New York.  Senegal is represented by Absa Claude Diallo, the Permanent Representative of that country to the United  Nations Office at Geneva.  Malaysia is represented on the Committee by Abdul Majid Mohamed.

The occupied territories monitored by the  Special Committee currently are the  following:  the  occupied Syrian Arab  Golan, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip.

The Special Committee's mandate was renewed again for an additional  year on 13  December  1996 by General Assembly resolution 51/131.  The 1996 findings of the Special Committee are contained in its twenty-eighth report to the General Assembly (document A/51/99/Add.2).

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