Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination – GA Third Cttee debate – Press release (excerpts)

GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST INTOLERANCE REMAINS MAJOR CHALLENGE

OF PRESENT ERA, ASSEMBLY'S THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

As Wide-Ranging Debate Begins, Speakers Highlight

Current Problems, Including Use of Internet for Racist Propaganda

Speakers  called for  the international  community  to fight  against  the false doctrines of racial superiority as  well as xenophobic tendencies,  as the General Assembly's  Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and  Cultural) met this  morning to begin  its consideration of  the elimination of  racism and racial discrimination, and the rights of peoples to self-determination.

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Elimination of Racism and Racial Discrimination

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In  the letter transmitting the  report of the  18-member Committee on the Elimination of  Racial Discrimination  (document  A/52/18), the Chairman  of the  Committee, Michael  Banton,  …

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By a decision on Israel, the  Committee expressed its serious concern that the  continuing policies  of  expansion  of  settlements,  and  notably  the establishment  of  an  Israeli  settlement  on  Jabal  Abu  Ghenaim  in East Jerusalem,  all  of  which changed  the physical  character  and demographic composition of the occupied  territories, including Jerusalem,  gave rise to increasing tensions in the region, and jeopardized the peace process.

The  Committee also emphasized  the need  for all  appropriate measures be taken  against extremist  and terrorist  organizations that  promote  racial hatred,  incite  to violence  and  commit  terrorist  acts.   The  Committee  rejected  measures amounting to collective punishment imposed by the Israeli authorities in the wake of the dreadful suicide bombings in Jerusalem on  30 July 1997. Such  measures had a  devastating effect  on the  life and  well- being of  the Arab  population, and  were a  serious obstacle  to the  peace process.

Letters

…    In  a  letter dated  10  June, the  Charge  d'affaires of  the  Permanent  Mission of  Israel to the United  Nations (document  A/52/187), requests the Secretary-General to  correct the record of  the fifty-third  session of the Committee on Human Rights specifically with  regard to the "the  Palestinian Observer's  libel" during the session,  in which it was  claimed that Israel had  injected  300  Palestinian  children  with  the  HIV/AIDS  virus.    If uncorrected,  the letter  states, the  allegations  may  take on  an assumed  validity of their own, with the imprimatur of the United Nations.

Rights of Peoples to Self-determination

The Secretary-General's report on the rights of people to self-determination (document A/52/485) responds to the Assembly's  resolution 51/84  which  asked the  Commission  on Human  Rights  to  continue  to give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially the right  to self-determination resulting  from foreign  military intervention, aggression and  occupation.  The  items were  considered by the  fifty-third session of the Commission  on  Human Rights  which  adopted  three resolutions  on  the situation  in occupied Palestine,  the question  of Western  Sahara, and the Middle East peace process.    

Statements

… KARIM WISSA  (Egypt) said  self-determination was a  basic human  right affirmed  by numerous  conferences and  international instruments,  but  the Palestinian people  were  still fighting  for  their  freedom.   The  United Nations was the symbol and embodiment of such  rights, and the peace process involving  "land  for peace  and  rights"  had  been  established by  United Nations resolutions.

Many  times  it  had  been  affirmed   that  the  Palestinian  people  had legitimate  national  interests,  the  most  important  the  right  to  self determination.

He said Egypt  supported the strategic option  to establish a regime  that could bring a durable peace, one that was  just and comprehensive, one where  justice and  equity reigned  in a  balanced approach  that would enable  the people and future generations  to live in peace  and stability.   As in  the last three sessions of  the General Assembly, Egypt  would submit a  special resolution  on the right  of the  Palestinian people  to self determination. He hoped it would find numerous sponsors and be adopted by consensus.

He  said he agreed  with the  Special Rapporteur's  report on mercenaries, especially with the position of seeking  to better define their  activities. Use of  mercenaries was in  violation of  the United  Nations charter;  they obstructed  the right  of people to self-determination.   Collective actions must  be taken against the phenomenon.

PAULETTE  CORNETTE  (Guyana), speaking  for  countries  of  the  Caribbean Community (CARICOM),  …

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She  said the continuing denial of the right  to self-determination of the Palestinian people was a serious obstacle  to efforts aimed at  guaranteeing all people full  exercise of their rights and freedoms.  The exercise of the right was indispensable for  the realization of a firm and lasting peace  in that region.

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HUSSEIN HASSOUNA  of  the  League  of Arab  States  said the  exercise  of self-determination of the Palestinian people had  been the focus of attention by  the League  since  its inception.    They  had  been deprived  of  their fundamental right available  to all peoples and  as enshrined in the  United Nations  Charter as well  as in other international  instruments.  The Heads of States  of the  League members  had continuously  reaffirmed that  right, which required the full withdrawal of  Israel from the occupied  Palestinian territory.  The  Israeli Government should be  reminded of the  statement by one of  the founders of  Israel, that  Arabs in  Palestine had the  right to self determination.   Why did the  Israeli Government  continue to challenge the legitimacy of that right?  he asked.               

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2019-03-12T20:32:07-04:00

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