Human rights of the Palestinian people – GA Third Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Third Committee

Summary record of the 34th meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Thursday, 8 November 2012, at 10 a.m.

Chair: Mr. Mac-Donald ……………………………………………………….. (Suriname)

Contents

Agenda item 69: Promotion and protection of human rights (continued)

(b) Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (continued)

(c) Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (continued)

 

---

The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m.

Agenda item 69: Promotion and protection of human rights (continued) (A/67/387-S/2012/717 and A/67/390)

(b) Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (continued) (A/67/56, A/67/159, A/67/163, A/67/178, A/67/181, A/67/226, A/67/260 and Add.1, A/67/261, A/67/267, A/67/268, A/67/271, A/67/275, A/67/277, A/67/278, A/67/285-289, A/67/292, A/67/293, A/67/296, A/67/299, A/67/302, A/67/305, A/67/310, A/67/357, A/67/368, A/67/380, and A/67/396)

(c) Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (continued) (A/67/327, A/67/333, A/67/362, A/67/369, A/67/370, A/67/379, and A/67/383; A/C.3/67/4)

/…

45. Ms. Rasheed (Observer for Palestine) said it was deeply regrettable that the occupying Power continued to obstruct the efforts of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. That pattern of non-cooperation should bring about concerted effort within the United Nations system to ensure that the Government of Israel abided by its obligations. The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, remained critical as a result of Israel’s continuing aggression and illegal policies against Palestinians and their land, including through its continued illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip. Israel’s policies and practices were in breach of its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and international human rights instruments.

46. Israel continued to arrest, imprison and detain thousands of Palestinian civilians, including children. Its activities also included its illegal settlement campaign, the wall, confiscation of Palestinian land, home demolition and revocation of Palestinian residency rights. All of its actions confirmed Israel’s attempt to alter the demographic composition, character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in and around East Jerusalem and throughout the Jordan Valley, threatening to destroy the viability of the two-State solution.

47. Moreover, terrorist acts by extremist Israeli settlers were widespread, and the Government bore responsibility for those acts as they continued to transfer settlers to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to protect them and to allow lawlessness. Most of the police investigations into incidents of settler violence over the past six years had been closed without an indictment.

48. The occupying Power must be held accountable for its human rights violations and crimes against the Palestinian people, or it would be further emboldened to continue acting with impunity, and the world community would be even further from helping the Palestinians to realize their human rights. The international community must meet its responsibilities in that regard.

/…

63. Ms. Alsaleh (Syrian Arab Republic) …

/…

64. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action called for effective international measures to guarantee the human rights of people under foreign occupation and for their legal protection, in accordance with international law. The international community should impose respect for human rights and the Charter without selectivity or double standards. In particular, it should counter the many horrors perpetrated by Israel violating human rights in occupied Palestine and the Golan, including settlement activities, torture and collective punishment, attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites, the imposition of an unjust embargo, the destruction of natural resources, the eviction of occupied populations from their homes and deprivation of access to food and drinking water.

/…

66. Mr. Ben Youssef (Kuwait) …

/…

68. Israel’s policies and actions continued to violate the human rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on a daily basis. The Israeli occupation authorities restricted Palestinians’ movement, confiscated their land, destroyed their homes and had imposed a blockade on a city of more than a million inhabitants. Settlement construction continued, in violation of international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and the relevant United Nations resolutions. Kuwait strongly condemned all those actions.

/…

The meeting rose at 1.05 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.