Questions related to information – GA Fourth Cttee debate – Press release (excerpts)

Sixty-fourth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

9^th Meeting (AM)

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Background

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning to continue its general debate on questions relating to information.  (Reports before the Committee are summarized in yesterday’s Press Release GA/SPD/428.)

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General Debate on Information

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DAVID WALZER ( Israel) …

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Noting that Israel had cutting-edge technology, which permitted unprecedented information sharing, he said that his country was eager to “bridge the technological and digital divide” with the international community at large and with its immediate neighbours, in particular.  The United Nations, the Department and the Committee on Information were designed for putting aside political differences and concentrating instead on cooperative efforts.  Despite the Department’s admirable work, he was disappointed at the one-sided, biased and misleading picture of the facts on the ground in the Special Information Programme on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Israeli Government officials, therefore, were unable to attend or participate in those seminars until a more even-handed approach was adopted.

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HADI MARTONO (Indonesia), …

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The Department should continue to implement its media program on the Palestinian issue, he said, stressing that it was essential to continue “sensitizing” the world on the Palestinians’ suffering under occupation, siege, and unjust collective punishment.  …

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YUSSEF KANAAN, Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations, reconfirmed the importance of the special information program on the question of Palestine, which had emanated from an “unending” historical responsibility towards that question, until it was resolved.  It was important to sensitize the international community on the question of Palestine, and pave the way to a “favourable climate”, leading to dialogue in support of the process to end Israeli occupation.

He expressed appreciation to Member States for their support of special media programmes on the question of Palestine, noting that the recent international seminar held in Rio de Janeiro this year had been the first such seminar to be held in that region.  The Public Information Department should continue its efforts in that respect and should consider holding the seminar twice a year.  Additionally, a permanent exhibition on the question of Palestine should be included in guided tours at United Nations Headquarters in both New York and Geneva.

He also attached great importance to the Department’s training of journalists.  Stringent restrictions were imposed on Palestinian journalists, and the international community should recognize the role of the media in enhancing dialogue among Palestinian and Israeli parties.  Despite efforts being made to revive the peace process, leading to a peaceful and just settlement, Israel persisted in its practices against the Palestinian peoples and journalists, which were not only illegal, but also inhumane.

Palestinian journalists and foreign reporters should be allowed to cover developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, so as to transmit their stories to the world.  Additionally, the recent Fact Finding Mission in Gaza deserved broad international media coverage.  The Palestinian people were deprived of direct access to new technology.  Generally speaking, progress, knowledge and development could not be achieved without ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory.

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For information media • not an official record