Economic & social repercussion of the Israeli occupation/Palestinian women – ECOSOC 2011 report (excerpts)

   Report of the Economic and Social Council for 2011 ** 

 *  A/66/150. 

 **  The present report is a preliminary version of those sections of the report of the Economic and Social Council relating to the organizational and resumed organizational sessions for 2011 and the substantive session of 2011. The section relating to the resumed substantive session will be issued as an addendum to the present report. The entire report will be issued in final form as Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 3 (A/66/3/Rev.1).

   The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council at the organizational and resumed organizational sessions for 2011 and the substantive session of 2011 are being issued initially in documents E/2011/INF/2. Those adopted at the resumed substantive session will be issued in document E/2011/INF/2/Add.1. The resolutions and decisions will be issued in final form as Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2011, Supplement No. 1 (E/2011/99). 

Chapter VII 

   General segment

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 F.  Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan (agenda item 11)

118.  The Council considered agenda item 11 jointly with agenda item 9 (Implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations) at its 42nd, 46th and 49th meetings, on 25, 27 and 28 July 2011. An account of the discussion is contained in the relevant summary records (E/2011/SR.42, 46 and 49). For its consideration of agenda item 11, the Council had before it the note by the Secretary-General on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan (A/66/78-E/2011/13). 

119.  At the 42nd meeting, on 25 July, an introductory statement was made by the Director of the Regional Commissions New York Office on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 

   Action taken by the Council

120.  Under agenda item 11, the Council adopted resolution 2011/41. 

   Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan

121.  At the 46th meeting, on 27 July, the representative of Argentina, on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China, as well as Palestine,¹ introduced a draft resolution entitled “Economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan” (E/2011/L.47). Subsequently, Senegal and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela joined in sponsoring the draft resolution. 

122.  At its 49th meeting, on 28 July, the Council adopted the draft resolution by a roll-call vote of 43 to 3, with 3 abstentions. See Council resolution 2011/41.

The voting was as follows: 

In favour: 

 Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Zambia. 

Against: 

 Australia, Canada, United States. 

Abstaining: 

 Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda. 

123.  Before the vote, a statement in explanation of vote was made by the representative of the United States. After the vote, a statement in explanation of vote was made by the representative of Australia. 

124.  At the same meeting, a statement was made by the observer for Palestine. 

125.  Also at the same meeting, a statement was made by the observer for Israel. 

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I. Social and human rights questions (agenda item 14)

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 1.  Advancement of women (agenda item 14 (a)) 

260.  For its consideration of agenda item 14 (a), the Council had before it the following documents: 

 (a)  Report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-fifth session (E/2011/27) (see also under agenda item 13 (l));

 (b)  Note by the Secretariat transmitting the outcomes of the forty-sixth, forty-seventh and forty-eighth sessions of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (E/2011/105). 

   Action taken by the Council

261.  Under agenda item 14 (a), the Council adopted resolution 2011/18 and decisions 2011/241 and 2011/254. 

   Recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on the Status of Women on its fifty-fifth session

   Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women

262.  At its 44th meeting, on 26 July, the Council adopted the draft resolution entitled “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women”, recommended by the Commission (see E/2011/27, chap. I, sect. B), by a roll-call vote of 24 to 2, with 21 abstentions. See Council resolution 2011/18. The voting was as follows: 

In favour: 

 Argentina, Bahamas, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Zambia. 

Against: 

 Canada, United States. 

Abstaining: 

 Australia, Belgium, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. 

263.  Before the adoption of the draft resolution, statements were made by the observers for Israel, Poland (on behalf of the European Union) and Palestine. A statement in explanation of vote before the vote was made by the representative of the United States; after the adoption of the draft resolution, a statement in explanation of vote was made by the representative of Australia. 

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¹In accordance with General Assembly resolution 52/250.

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