Situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories – Presentation of report/ILO 99th session (seventh sitting) – Provisional record (excerpts)

 Seventh sitting

Monday, 14 June 2010, 10.15 a.m.

President: Mr de Robien and Mr Nakajima

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REPORTS OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE GOVERNING BODY AND OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL: DISCUSSION (CONT.)

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Original Arabic: Mr AL-AFASI AL-MUTAIRI (Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Kuwait)

It is an honour for me to address this Conference on behalf of the Government delegations of the member States of the Council of Labour Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprised of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Yemen.

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The GCC countries would like to thank the ILO and the Director-General of the International Labour Office for his annual Report, The situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories. They reiterate their call for the necessary support to meet the immediate and urgent needs of the Palestinians and implement programmes leading to an improvement in the situation of Palestinian workers and employers, who are facing hardship as a result of the arbitrary practices of the occupying forces.

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Ms MIRACHIAN (Government, Italy)

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Last, but certainly not least, I want to refer to the decision to expand the ILO cooperation programme in the Palestinian territories, in order to express the Italian Government’s appreciation and full support. We share the view that more access and freedom of movement of the labour force will contribute to the development of the local economy and, more importantly, to a lasting solution of the conflict, based on two States living side by side in peace and security.

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Original Arabic: Mr LUQMAN (Representative, Arab Labour Organization)

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Last year, the Director-General said that the humanitarian and economic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory was bleak. It is even more so this year. Today, Gaza has turned into a real industrial graveyard and Palestinians continue to be chased from their land and homes in Al-Quds and the West Bank. They are enclosed by the wall and by colonies, and are even prevented from living with their families and on their land. The negotiations are at a dead end and Israel is pursuing its policy of expanding its colonies in the occupied territories, in spite of all the international resolutions and calls by numerous countries for the establishment of peace, and the resolution concerning the implications of Israeli settlements in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories in connection with the situation of Arab workers, adopted by your Conference 30 years ago.

This situation, which has been ongoing for such a long time, does not fail to incite anger and indignation. The report of the Office is very clear. It talks about the need for the international community to work more actively to end the continuing deprivation of which the Palestinian people are victims.

Our Organization has a Constitution, which assigns it roles and responsibilities. We know, how-ever, that its possibilities are limited, and that is why we have asked the Director-General to make a personal call at a donor conference for an increase in the Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection, which the ILO had adopted and to which it helped create, but which is now practically stalled owing to a lack of resources. We hope that your Organization will hear our call.

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The Conference adjourned at 1.30 p.m.