Racial Discrimination Convention – Discrimination – Summary record

COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Sixty-third session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 1593rd MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

on Monday, 11 August 2003, at 10 a.m.

 Chairman:   Mr. DIACONU

  later:  Mr. YUTZIS (Vice-Chairman)

  later:   Mr. DIACONU (Chairman)

CONTENTS

/…

PREVENTION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, INCLUDING EARLY WARNING MEASURES AND URGENT ACTION PROCEDURES

The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m.

/…

PREVENTION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, INCLUDING EARLY WARNING MEASURES AND URGENT ACTION PROCEDURES (agenda item 3)

Israel

57. The CHAIRMAN referred to Israel’s temporary suspension order of May 2002, enacted as the Nationality and Entry into Israel Law (Temporary Order) on 31 July 2003, which suspended for a renewable one-year period the possibility of family reunification, subject to limited and subjective exceptions, especially in the cases of marriages between an Israeli citizen and a person residing in the West Bank and Gaza. The Human Rights Committee had expressed its concern in its concluding observations adopted at its 2128th to 2130th meetings held on 4 and 5 August 2003.

58. Israel was due to submit its periodic report for consideration at the Committee’s session in March 2004 but, since the matter concerned a blatantly discriminatory law, the Committee might consider addressing it as a matter of urgency. He had invited a representative of Israel to appear before the Committee later in the week but the representative had made it clear that he would appear only if formally invited in a letter from the Committee. He asked the Committee whether it agreed that such a meeting should be held and whether a letter of invitation should be sent. He reminded the Committee that Mr. Aboul-Nasr was already preparing a relevant document with a view to considering an urgent action procedure.

59. Mr. LINDGREN ALVES and Mr. de GOUTTES endorsed the proposal.

60. Mr. KJAERUM also supported the proposal, saying that he trusted the Committee would be provided with all the facts of the case.

61. Mr. THORNBERRY requested that the text of the legislation concerned be made available to the Committee.

62. The CHAIRMAN said that he would accordingly address a letter on behalf of the Committee to the representative of Israel, inviting him to attend a meeting of the Committee on Thursday, 14 August 2003.

The meeting rose at 1.05 p.m.