ECOSOC adopts draft resolution on economic and social repercussions of Israeli occupation on living conditions in OPT and Golan – ECOSOC debate, vote – Press release (excerpts)

ECOSOC ADOPTS TEXTS ON SOCIAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS AND ON COORDINATION ISSUES

Holds Debate on Long-Term Aid to Haiti and Adopts Decision by Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti; Also Votes on and Adopts Texts on Non-Self Governing Territories and Occupied Territories

28 July 2011

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) today adopted a series of resolutions and decisions under its agenda items on social and human rights questions and coordination, programme and other questions. … Two resolutions on 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, and on 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, were adopted after a vote.

In a resolution 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 the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, adopted with a vote of 43 in favour, 3 against and 3 abstentions, the Council called for the full opening of the border crossings of the Gaza Strip, in line with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009, to ensure humanitarian access as well as the sustained and regular flow of persons and goods and the lifting of all movement restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people, including those restrictions arising from ongoing Israeli military operations and the multilayered closures system, and for other urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the serious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is critical in the Gaza Strip, and calls for compliance by Israel, the occupying Power, with all of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions in that regard.

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Action on Resolution on Social and Human Rights Questions

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JOHN SAMMIS (United States), speaking in explanation of the vote before the vote on E/2011/L.47, said the United States would vote against this deeply biased resolution. It was identical to those considered by the Economic and Social Council over the past several years. The United States regretted that the sponsors introduced the proposal without prior consultation with all parties or sufficient time for dialogue. The United States had been working with parties and the international community to make progress toward a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, including a two-State solution to the conflict. All should be working to create an environment conducive to renewed peace talks, not taking steps that further undermined them. The resolution remained fundamentally unbalanced. The United States actively and whole-heartedly supported improving the economic and social conditions of the Palestinian people and remained deeply committed to a dual track strategy: vigorous political negotiations alongside equally vigorous institution-building efforts. Since the Council last considered the issue, Israel had taken some significant steps, including establishing freedom of movement between the north and the south of the West Bank with limited remaining checkpoints had contributed to a growing West Bank economy. More needed to be done, but biased and unfair resolutions did nothing to encourage progress and prosperity. United Nations Member States should do everything in their power to promote an atmosphere of cooperation to encourage these trends. The United States also noted that the resolution referred to possible Palestinian efforts in September in New York. But core issues could only be negotiated in direct talks between the parties. The United States would continue to stand up against efforts to single out Israel. Only through serious and responsible negotiations could the parties achieve the goal shared by all: two States of two peoples, with a secure, Jewish State of Israel living side by side in peace and security with an independent, contiguous and viable State of Palestine. As a friend to both parties working to improve conditions on the ground, the United States had no choice but to vote against the resolution.

The Council adopted, with a vote of 43 in favour, 3 against and 3 abstentions, resolution (E/2011/L.47) 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 the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, in which the Council calls for the full opening of the border crossings of the Gaza Strip, in line with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009, to ensure humanitarian access as well as the sustained and regular flow of persons and goods and the lifting of all movement restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people, including those restrictions arising from ongoing Israeli military operations and the multilayered closures system, and for other urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the serious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is critical in the Gaza Strip, and calls for compliance by Israel, the occupying Power, with all of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions in that regard; calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease its destruction of homes and properties, economic institutions and agricultural lands and orchards in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied Syrian Golan; also calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to end immediately its exploitation of natural resources, including water and mining resources, and to cease the dumping of all kinds of waste materials in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, which gravely threaten their natural resources, namely, the water, land and energy resources, and present a serious environmental hazard and health threat to the civilian populations, and also calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to remove all obstacles that obstruct implementation of critical environmental projects, including the sewage treatment plants in the Gaza Strip; requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to continue to include in the report of the United Nations Special Coordinator an update on the living conditions of the Palestinian people, in collaboration with relevant United Nations agencies; decides to include the item 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” on the agenda of its substantive session of 2012.

The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (43): 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 and Zambia.

Against (3): Australia, Canada, and United States.

Abstentions (3): Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Rwanda.

KATY LIN. (Australia) said Australia remained concerned about the economic and social situation in the Palestinian territories. Australia had been a strong, consistent supporter of the peace process and had contributed almost $ 170 million in humanitarian and institution-building assistance to the Palestinian people since 2007 and was finalizing a five-year development partnership with the Palestinian Authority to provide ongoing, predictable financial assistance and budgetary support. Australia welcomed recent improvements in the economic and security conditions in the Palestinian territories and urged both parties to work together to ensure these gains continued. The decision to oppose this resolution reflected the strong concern that this resolution unnecessarily introduced political issues into this forum and did not reflect the responsibilities of all parties to address a situation of concern and did not contribute constructively to the goal of a negotiated solution to the conflict or to improving the situation on the ground. Australia urged both parties to achieve a comprehensive and enduring peace based on a negotiated two-state solution and to return to direct negotiations on final status issues and to refrain from action with undermined trust and a foundation for negotiations.

IMAD ZUHAIRI (Palestine) reiterated the willingness of Palestine to continue to work and engage with those members of the Council who were not able to support the resolution and expressed gratitude to Argentina and the members of G77 for their support to the resolution. It was time for recognition of Palestine’s right to self determination and borders, leading to full membership in the United Nations.

RON ADAM (Israel) said Israel wished to reiterate that the Economic and Social Council was being politicized and misused. This was a conflict-related resolution introduced for self-serving, political motives. It was not only thematically inappropriate, the resolution was factually misguided. The Palestinian economy had accelerated in 2009. Sustainability of growth appeared to be driven by donor assistance. In the first half of the year, output was estimated to be six per cent higher than 2009. This was far greater growth than that of developed countries. This resolution was ill-placed in the Council and far from the economic reality.

For use of the information media; not an official record

ECOSOC11/027E