UNRWA/Palestine refugees, Israeli Practices/Special Cttee report – GA Fourth Cttee debate, vote – Summary record

Special Political and Decolonization Committee

(Fourth Committee)

Summary record of the 24th meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Monday, 26 November, at 10 a.m. 

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

Contents

/…

Agenda item 32: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( continued)

Agenda item 33: Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories ( continued)

/…

The meeting was called to order at 10.30 a.m.

/…

Agenda item 32: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (continued) (A/C.4/62/L.10-L.13)

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.10: Assistance to Palestine refugees

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.11: Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.12: Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.13: Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues

21.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee), said that draft resolutions A/C.4/62/L.10-L.13 had no programme budget implications.

22.  Mr. Tugio (Indonesia), introducing the four draft resolutions, on behalf of the sponsors, said that they were largely the same as those adopted at the previous session, except for minor changes to reflect recent developments. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) continued to carry out its difficult mandate in spite of financial constraints and continued Israeli military action against the Palestinian people. Those actions had worsened the humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip.

23.   In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.10, he drew attention to the first, second, fifth through eighth, and tenth preambular paragraphs and to paragraphs 1, 2 and 4, and said that, in paragraph 5, the mandate of the Agency was extended by the General Assembly. In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.11, he emphasized paragraphs 1, 2 and 3. Turning to draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.12, he singled out the ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth preambular paragraphs for attention, as well as paragraphs for attention, 1, 2, 6, 8 and 10 to 12. In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.13, he emphasized the first, fourth and seventh preambular paragraphs and paragraphs 1, 2 and 5.

24.   He expressed the hope that the draft resolutions would receive the broadest possible endorsement, reflecting the international community’s firm and continuing support for the humanitarian work of UNRWA and for the Palestine refugees.

25.   The Chairman invited Committee members to take action on the four draft resolutions, one by one.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.10: Assistance to Palestine refugees

26.  The Chairman said that Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland had become sponsors.

27.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:

 Israel.

Abstaining:

  Cameroon, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

28.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.10 was adopted by 160 to 1, with 6 abstentions.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.11: Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities

29.  The Chairman said that Bangladesh, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had become sponsors.

30.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:

  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

 Canada.

31.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.11 was adopted by 158 to 6, with 1 abstention.*

*   The delegation of Argentina subsequently informed the Committee that it had intended to vote in favour of the draft resolution.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.12: Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

32.   The Chairman said that Bangladesh, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had become sponsors.

33.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republ ic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:

  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

 Cameroon.

34.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.12 was adopted by 159 to 6, with 1 abstention.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.13: Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues

35.  The Chairman said that Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had become sponsors.

36.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzani a, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:

  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

 Cameroon. 

37.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.13 was adopted by 158 to 6, with 1 abstention.*

*   The delegation of the Netherlands subsequently informed the Committee that it had intended to vote in favour of the draft resolution.

Agenda item 33: Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (continued) (A/C.4/62/L.14-L.18)

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.14: Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.15: Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other Occupied Arab Territories

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16: Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17: Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.18: The occupied Syrian Golan

38.  Ms. Hernández Toledano (Cuba), introducing the five draft resolutions on behalf of the sponsors, said that the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, had continued to deteriorate as a result of human-rights violations committed by Israel. Member States must send Israel a clear message to cease its illegal policies and to respect human rights.

39.   In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.14, she drew attention to the third, fourth, eighth, ninth and tenth preambular paragraphs and to paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 8 (a). In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.15, she singled out the seventh and ninth preambular paragraphs and paragraphs 1 to 3 and paragraph 5 for attention. In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16, she emphasized the thirteenth and fifteenth preambular paragraphs, as well as paragraphs 1, 2 and 5. In draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17, she drew attention to the eleventh and seventeenth to nineteenth preambular paragraphs, as well as paragraphs 1, 2, 7 and 13.

40.   She noted that, except for appropriate updating of dates and figures, draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.18 was identical to those adopted in previous years, which had always received almost universal support. It sent a strong message against foreign occupation and the acquisition of territory by force and, in particular, the unlawful annexation by Israel of the Syrian Golan.

41.   She hoped that members would give their broad support to the five draft resolutions.

42.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee), referring to the programme budget implications of paragraph 8 of draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.14, said that a provision of $297,000 for the Special Committee had been included under Section 23 (Human rights) in the proposed programme budget for 2008-2009. Hence, adoption of the draft resolution would not entail any additional appropriation. He drew attention to General Assembly resolution 45/248 B, which reaffirmed that the Fifth Committee was the appropriate main committee of the General Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters and reaffirmed also the role of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.

43.   With regard to draft resolutions A/C.4/62/ L.15-L.18, he said that they had no programme budget implications.

44.   Mr. Ja’afari (Syrian Arab Republic), speaking in explanation of vote before the voting, said that certain paragraphs of draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17 had been drafted so as to hold the Palestinians, not Israel, responsible for their own suffering. The wording of the draft also sent a political message to Israel that encouraged it to continue in its practices towards the Palestinian people.

45.   Accordingly, his delegation could not accept the nineteenth preambular paragraph and paragraph 4 of the draft resolution. Nonetheless, his delegation would vote in favour of the draft resolution because it understood that implementation of those paragraphs was directly linked to Israeli compliance with the other paragraphs.

46.   He said that, in view of the intra-Palestinian violence that had occurred in the Gaza Strip, his delegation had wanted to include language urging the factions to engage in direct dialogue and to restore Palestinian national unity. For its part, his country would make every effort to help them achieve that goal.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.14: Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories

47.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee) said that Bangladesh, Guinea, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had joined the sponsors.

48.   At the request of the representative of Israel, a recorded vote was taken. 

In favour:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: 

Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay.

49.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.14 was adopted by 85 votes to 8, with 70 abstentions.*

*   The delegation of Burundi subsequently informed the Committee that it had intended to abstain on the draft resolution.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.15: Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories

50.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee) said that Bangladesh, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had joined the sponsors.

51.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka , Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: 

Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

Angola, Australia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi.

52.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.15 was adopted by 155 votes to 6, with 5 abstentions.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16: Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan

53.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee) said that Bangladesh, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had joined the sponsors.

54.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: 

Australia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Tonga.

55.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16 was adopted by 154 votes to 7, with 4 abstentions.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17: Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem

56.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee) said that Malaysia and Senegal had joined the sponsors.

57.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: 

Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States of America.

Abstaining:

Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Honduras, Malawi, Tonga, Uganda.

58.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17 was adopted by 148 votes to 8, with 7 abstentions.

Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.18: The occupied Syrian Golan

59.  Mr. Zhang (Secretary of the Committee) said that Bangladesh, Malaysia, Somalia and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had joined the sponsors.

60.   A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: 

Israel.

Abstaining:

Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Tonga, United States of America.

61.   Draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.18 was adopted by 154 votes to 1, with 9 abstentions.

62.   Mr. Salgueiro (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the European Union attached great importance to the human rights of the Palestinian people and of all other people in the region and called on all the parties to the conflict to respect those rights. Following its practice in previous years, it had voted in favour of draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.17, while recognizing the need for a balanced approach to the matter. It strongly condemned the firing of rockets into Israel. He reaffirmed the European Union’s support for the international ministerial meeting currently opening in Annapolis and hoped that it would lead to meaningful final-status negotiations.

63.   Mr. Bowman (Canada) said that his delegation remained concerned about the disproportionate attention given by the Committee to the Middle East situation and the number of draft resolutions singling out Israel. The debate in the General Assembly should be fair-minded, reflect the responsibilities of all the Member States concerned and serve to advance efforts to arrive at a negotiated two-State solution. Canada had reiterated its support for draft resolutions touching on the key issues. His delegation had voted in favour of draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.15, as Israel had violated the Fourth Geneva Convention, particularly through its settlements on the West Bank, and had for that reason also voted in favour of draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16. Some of the language used in the draft resolutions was unbalanced, however, particularly in draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.16. His delegation had abstained on draft resolution A/C.4/62/L.11 as it failed to mention that the issue of displaced Palestinians needed to be addressed in the context of a comprehensive solution. He called on all Member States to contribute to the search for peace and to resist any further polarization of the situation.

64.   Mr. Maleki (Islamic Republic of Iran) said that his delegation had voted in favour of draft resolutions A/C.4/62/L.16 and L.17, in accordance with its longstanding position. His country had always been unwavering in its support for the Palestinian people and stood behind their legal, democratic Government. Noting that some parts of the draft resolutions could be construed as interference in their domestic affairs, he stressed that the internal difficulties of the Palestinian people should be addressed by the Palestinians themselves. The support of the international community for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people was of critical importance, since there could be no solution unless those rights were fully recognized and restored. One reason why efforts to resolve the situation had failed was that a particular permanent member of the Security Council had adopted an unbalanced attitude to the question, particularly with regard of the right of return of Palestinian refugees, the continued occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel and Israel’s persistent violation of the rights of the Palestinian people.

65.   Mr. Ja’afari (Syrian Arab Republic) said that, by adopting the draft resolutions under agenda items 32 and 33, the international community had rejected the principle of the forcible acquisition of territory. It had also sent Israel a clear message that it should end its occupation of Arab territories, including the occupied Syrian Golan, and had reaffirmed that Israel’s attempts to annex the Golan or to impose its laws thereon were null and void and without international legal effect. The adoption of the draft resolutions had also confirmed the importance of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, and he called on all Member States to continue their support for the Special Committee.

66.   Although his country had repeatedly stated its commitment to achieving a just and comprehensive peace and had launched, in conjunction with the other Arab States, the Arab Peace Initiative, Israel had responded either by evading or ignoring any peace proposals and had continued to violate international humanitarian law.

67.   With regard to the delegations that had abstained, he urged them to vote in favour of the draft resolutions in the plenary Assembly.

68.   Ms. Abdelhady-Nasser (Observer for Palestine) welcomed the adoption of the draft resolutions, in view of the ongoing plight of the Palestine refugees and the concomitant need for the assistance of UNRWA. It was clear from the report of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA and the Committee’s own discussions that the situation of Palestine refugees remained critical. Every effort must be made by the international community to address that situation, especially through strong support for UNWRA from the donor community.

69.   The draft resolutions just adopted on Israeli practices addressed the serious violations of human rights by the occupying Power, which had caused the Palestinian civilian population great suffering, and reaffirmed the applicable principles and rules of international law. Adherence to international law offered a peaceful means of resolving the situation. That did not mean, however, that Palestine did not support the current efforts to achieve peace in the region, which also required the international community’s commitment to international humanitarian and human-rights law, as reflected in the aforesaid draft resolutions, and in past resolutions of the General Assembly, in particular its resolution 194 (III) on the inalienable right of return of Palestine refugees. Human-rights violations were not compatible with peace, which therefore required that they should cease, in accordance with international law.

Completion of the Committee’s work for the main part of the sixty-second session

70.  The Chairman declared that the Fourth Committee had completed its work for the main part of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly.

The meeting rose at 12.40 p.m.

This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Official Records Editing Section, room DC2-750, 2 United Nations Plaza, and incorporated in a copy of the record.

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