Questions relating to information/DPI Special Programme – GA Fourth Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Special Political and Decolonization Committee

(Fourth Committee)

Summary record of the 9th meeting 

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Monday, 22 October 2007, at 3 p.m. 

 Chairman:   Mr. Mohamad ………………………………………………………………….  (Sudan) 

Contents

Agenda item 35: Questions relating to information (continued)

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The meeting was called to order at 3.15 p.m.

Agenda item 35: Questions relating to information (continued ) (A/62/21 and A/62/205)

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11.  Ms. Link (Israel) …

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15.   Notwithstanding the admirable work of the Department, she expressed disappointment that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continued to be the only conflict that still had a special information programme, the special information programme on the question of Palestine, which used up precious resources and conveyed a biased and misleading picture. At a time when no funds were available to tell other more pressing stories, by continuing to fund that Programme the Organization was failing to meet its own goal of focusing on priority issues. Her delegation nevertheless would continue to support the work of the Department aimed at disseminating the story of those nations that were united in their desire for peace and prosperity.

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16.   Mr. Al-Zayani (Bahrain) …  DPI should not close information centres or merge them with United Nations field offices without first consulting the host countries, and should continue its activities related to the Palestinian question, such as its special information programme on the question of Palestine.

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24.   Mr. Al-Hosani (United Arab Emirates) …

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25.   … The United Nations needed to fulfil its responsibility, as provided for in the relevant resolutions, to disseminate information on the situation in the Middle East and the situation of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

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27.   Mr. Al-Sarawi (Kuwait), …  His delegation hoped that DPI would devote greater attention to Middle East issues, in particular those related to the Palestinian people, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions. Kuwait stood ready to work together with the Committee on Information and DPI to increase freedom of the media as long as that did not conflict with Arab and Islamic traditions and values.

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31.   Mr. Kanaan (Observer for Palestine), speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that the statement given by the delegation of Israel had contained many errors and contradictions. The Government of Israel should show its commitment to the Charter, international resolutions and humanitarian law by withdrawing from the territories under its occupation. It should allow the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and establish a Palestinian State with its capital in East Jerusalem in order to establish peace and security in the Middle East. The special information programme on the question of Palestine served an important function because the occupation was the longest in history and Israel was the only Member State classified as an occupying Power.

32.   Israel should show its commitment by withdrawing from all the territories it had occupied since 1967, allowing Palestine to become a full State Member of the United Nations. The claim that Israel was a democratic State was contradicted by the facts: Israel was an occupying Power that had carried out acts of military aggression, confiscated property and built a separation wall. It had brought settlers into the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the occupied Arab territories in contravention of international law. There were over 11,000 Palestinians in jail in Israel. The special information programme on the question of Palestine would thus continue to be necessary until the question of Palestine in all its aspects was resolved.

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The meeting rose at 4.30 p.m.

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Corrections will be issued after the end of the session, in a separate corrigendum for each Committee.