30 OCTOBER 2020
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
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Questions and Answers
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Question: Yes, Stéphane. The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Michael Lynk, issued a strong statement today under the title… it calls for accountability as Israel records highest rate of illegal settlements approval. Does the SG stand behind the Special Rapporteur in such a statement?
Spokesman: Look, two separate things. One, our position against settlements in the occupied territory has been repeated over and over again, has been made publicly and has been made privately. Special rapporteurs are independent. It’s not for the Secretary‑General to opine on what they say. They have a very important role… special rapporteurs globally have a very important role as part of the human rights mechanism.
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For information media. Not an official record.
Document Sources: Secretary-General, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the OPT, United Nations Department of Global Communications
Subject: Settlements
Publication Date: 30/10/2020