Human rights situation in the OPT – Third Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Third Committee 

Summary record of the 41st meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Friday, 8 November 2002, at 10 a.m. 

 Chairman: Mr. Wenaweser  ……………………………………… (Liechtenstein)

 later:   Mr. Morikawa (Vice-Chairman)  …………………….. (Japan)

Contents

Agenda item 109: Human rights questions: (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)

(e)   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (continued )

The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m.

Agenda item 109: Human rights questions (continued)

 (b)   Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (continued ) (A/57/134, 138, 140, 182, 205 and Add.1, 274, 275, 277, 283, 311 and Add.1, 323, 356, 357, 369, 371, 384, 385, 394 and 446, A/57/458-S/2002/1125, A/57/484; A/C.3/57/7)

 (c)   Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (continued ) (A/57/230, 284, 290 and Corr.1, 292, 309, 325, 326, 345, 349, 366 and Add.1, 433 and 437; A/C.3/57/5)

 (e)   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ( continued) (A/57/36 and 446)

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4.  Ms. Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates) …

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7.   In spite of the heavy toll of violations by the Israeli occupation forces of the human rights of the Palestinian people which had been catalogued over the past 55 years by reports, history books and collections of statistics, the situation was still deteriorating. Since September 2000 Israel had been effectively conducting a policy to starve the Palestinian population by imposing a complete blockade on them, bombing and reoccupying their towns and villages, destroying their agricultural land and infrastructure and confiscating their legitimate property and wealth, as had been demonstrated by the operation in the camp at Jenin.

8.   Her delegation earnestly requested the international community, and particularly the Security Council, to intervene immediately to ensure the international protection of the Palestinian people and enable them to exercise all their fundamental rights, above all the right to self-determination and to the creation of an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. All possible pressure must be exerted on the Israeli Government for it to put an end to its massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people. It was also necessary to make that Government assume its responsibility for the financial losses and moral suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people as a result of its policies and its occupation, particularly by bringing to justice those responsible for the war crimes that had been committed.

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56.  Mr. Yagob (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), …

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59.   It was impossible to speak of human rights and respect for those rights without mentioning the tragic situation of the Palestinian people. Dozens of children, women and old people were assassinated daily by the Israeli occupation forces openly and publicly without any voice being raised to denounce that situation, especially among those who proclaimed themselves defenders of human rights. He strongly condemned the violations of the rights of the Palestinian people and invited all countries to do likewise.

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The meeting rose at 1 p.m.

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