United Nations A/53/PV.81
General Assembly Official Records
Fifty-third Session
81st plenary meeting
Monday, 7 December 1998, 3 p.m.
New York
President: Mr. Opertti………………………………….(Uruguay)
The meeting was called to order at 3.10 p.m.
Agenda item 20 (continued)
Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance
(a) Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations
Draft resolution A/53/L.59
(b) Special economic assistance to individual countries or regions
Draft resolutions A/53/L.31, A/53/L.33/Rev.2, A/53/L.44, A/53/L.63
(d) Assistance to the Palestinian people:
(i) draft resolutions A/53/54/Rev.1, A/53/L.56
(ii) draft decision A/53/L.65
/…
The Acting President: I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt to introduce draft decision A/53/L.65.
Mr. Zaki (Egypt) (interpretation from Arabic): My delegation asked for the floor on behalf of the States sponsors of the draft resolution contained in document A/53/L.56. After numerous consultations and contacts during the last two weeks, it was possible to reach a formula that enjoyed the approval of the parties that participated in those consultations. I therefore request that draft resolution A/53/L.56 not be put to the vote.
I would like to introduce the draft decision contained in document A/53/L.65 on behalf of the following States: Jordan, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait, Mauritania, Yemen, Djibouti and Palestine. The draft decision was agreed after a series of long negotiations that produced the text contained in the document.
In this respect, I wish to thank the delegations of member States of the European Union for co-sponsoring draft resolution A/53/L.54 and for their constructive participation in the negotiations on the draft decision. I appeal to all delegations present to vote in favour of the draft resolution and the draft decision.
The Acting President: I now call on the representative of Austria to introduce draft resolution A/53/L.54/Rev.1.
Mr. Manz (Austria): I have the honour to introduce the draft resolution entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people", as contained in document A/53/L.54/Rev.1.
The sponsors of this draft resolution continue to attach particular importance to assistance to the Palestinian people. By the terms of this draft resolution, the General Assembly expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General, the Member States, United Nations bodies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations for their efforts and continuous assistance to the Palestinian people.
Furthermore, the General Assembly calls upon relevant organizations and agencies of the United Nations system to intensify their assistance in order to meet the urgent needs of the Palestinian people in accordance with the priorities set forth by the Palestinian Authority, with emphasis on institutional capacity-building. It also calls upon the international donor community to expedite delivery of pledged assistance to the Palestinian people to meet their urgent needs.
In its preambular part, the draft resolution welcomes the results of the Ministerial Conference to Support Middle East Peace and Development which took place in Washington, D.C., on 30 November 1998. On the occasion of that Conference, the European Union underlined its continued commitment to the peace process through a renewal of its financial assistance to the Palestinian people. The European Union will also play a central role in the technical follow-up to the Conference.
As the major donor of assistance to the Palestinian people, the European Union is pleased to again initiate this draft resolution. We hope that the General Assembly will be able to adopt draft resolution A/53/L.54/Rev.1 without a vote, as it has done in previous years.
The Acting President: I should now like to consult the Assembly with a view to considering draft resolution A/53/L.63 and draft decision A/53/L.65, as requested by its sponsors. In this connection, since these documents have only been circulated this morning, it would be necessary to waive the relevant provision of rule 78 of the rules of procedure, which reads as follows:
Unless I hear any objections, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees to consider draft resolution A/53/L.63.
It was so decided.
The Acting President: Unless I hear any objections, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees to consider draft decision A/53/L.65.
It was so decided.
The Acting President: We shall now proceed to consider draft resolutions A/53/L.33/Rev.2, L.44, L.54/Rev.1, L.59, L.62 and L.63 and draft decision A/53/L.65.
Before giving the floor to the speaker in explanation of vote before the vote, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Jacob (Israel): This year, as in years past, Israel will join the consensus on the draft resolution contained in document A/53/L.54/Rev.1, entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people", and I would like to explain our position in this regard.
For many years, Israel has been cooperating fully with the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the United Nations Children's Fund, as well as with other international organizations, in implementing programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. In this respect, Israel believes that the United Nations Special Coordinator in these areas can play a significant role in promoting the social and economic goals set out by those organizations.
We also welcome the concerted efforts of Member States, international financial institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to aid in the development efforts. Israel believes that the promotion of the economic well-being of the Palestinians is an essential element in the promotion of peace and stability, and that this effort can be advanced only through cooperation.
In this regard, we feel that it is necessary to mention that, in our opinion, assistance to the Palestinians should be as tangible as possible, and on the ground. The holding of conferences and seminars cannot and should not replace direct economic and development assistance. If the economic situation is as serious as the draft resolution asserts, then surely the funds available should be applied towards directly alleviating that situation, and not for the purpose of holding yet another seminar.
Israel's participation in the consensus on the draft resolution should not be construed as implying any position regarding the present status of the areas referred to as "occupied territory".
Additionally, our support does not carry any implication regarding Israel's position on the permanent status of those territories, which, in accordance with the Declaration of Principles signed on 13 September 1993 and the implementation agreements achieved in its wake, is a matter to be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians in the framework of the permanent status negotiations, which have just recently reconvened.
As far as the draft decision contained in document A/53/L.65, Israel will vote against it, for the following reasons.
First of all, this draft decision is yet another attempt to intervene in the bilateral negotiations between the parties through a decision of the General Assembly. We would like to reiterate the position of Israel that, as stipulated in the terms of reference of the peace process and the agreements achieved to date, all outstanding issues are to be resolved through direct negotiations between the parties themselves. In his letter dated 9 September 1993, addressed to Prime Minister Rabin, Chairman Arafat committed himself to abide by this principle.
Secondly, Israel regrets that contentious political elements have been introduced into the issue of assistance to the Palestinian people. Of all parties, the Palestinians themselves should be most sensitive to the value of maintaining broad support for this issue. That broad support was most recently manifested at last week's conference of donor parties, held in Washington, D.C., in which Israel willingly participated. As detailed in our statement to the General Assembly during the 16 November debate on this issue, Israel is greatly interested in promoting the economic well-being of the Palestinians in the territories. Therefore, it is regrettable that the Palestinian observer delegation found it fit to introduce extraneous and controversial political terminology into this subject.
Thirdly, the draft decision has been presented despite, and indeed because of, the legal opinion of the Secretariat, which objected to the application of the terminology as demanded by the Palestinian observer delegation. It should be recognized by the Assembly that this draft decision represents an attempt to overpower the legal position of the Secretariat itself. This is yet another example of the abuse of the United Nations system in the service of a narrow political cause.
Finally, the language of the draft decision is riddled with contradictions. Just one example is the term "occupied". The head of the Palestinian Observer delegation stated here on 30 November that only a few thousand Palestinians live under occupation in the city of Hebron, in the area of the city defined in the accords as H2. Therefore, the rest of Hebron, and all the other areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, which cover about 98 per cent of the Palestinian population in the territories, are, according to this view, no longer to be considered "occupied", and consequently do not fall under this draft decision's definition. It would not therefore be "appropriate"–as the draft decision stipulates–that reports relating to these areas use the suggested terminology. We have more comments regarding this draft, and we reserve our right to submit them in due course.
For all these reasons, Israel will vote against the draft decision contained in document A/53/L.65.
The Acting President: We have heard the only speaker in explanation of vote before the voting.
The Assembly will now take a decision on the six draft resolutions and one draft decision submitted under agenda item 20 and its sub-items (a), (b) and (d).
/…
The Acting President: Next, under sub-item (d) of agenda item 20, the General Assembly will take a decision on draft resolution A/53/L.54/Rev.1, entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people".
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/53/L.54/Rev.1?
The Acting President: The General Assembly will now, under sub-item (d) of item 20, take a decision on draft decision A/53/L.65, entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people".
A recorded vote has been requested.
A recorded vote was taken.
In favour:
Against:
/…
The meeting rose at 6.40 p.m.
Document Type: Meeting record
Document Sources: General Assembly
Subject: Agenda Item, Assistance
Publication Date: 07/12/1998