NewsMax Wires
Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002

Voting against were Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and the United States. Abstaining were Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Honduras, Nauru, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. Several explained afterward, notably Australia and Canada, there was not enough time to consult with their capitals before the final draft was ready for the vote. The measure was approved by a vote of 114 to 4, with 10 abstentions.

Debate on "Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory" was called for following release last week of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report on the March incursions of the Jenin refugee camp and other Palestinian cities.

The meeting was under the ongoing 10th Emergency Session of the assembly, which was adjourned "temporarily" after the measure was approved, to be resumed at some future, unspecified date.

The resolution, "Demands the immediate cessation of military incursions and all acts of violence, terror, provocation, incitement and destruction; Demands the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli occupying forces from Palestinian population centers towards the return to the positions held prior to September 2000," the beginning of the current intifada.

It also "stressed the need for all concerned parties to ensure the safety of civilians and to respect the universally accepted norms of international humanitarian law," and "emphasizes the urgency of ensuring that medical and humanitarian organizations are granted unhindered access to the Palestinian civilian population at all times," a criticism of Israeli forces during the Jenin incursion.

The resolution urged respect by Israel for the Fourth Geneva Convention on the treatment of civilians in armed conflict and called for "help in alleviating the current dire humanitarian situation facing the Palestinian people and to assist in rebuilding and revitalizing the Palestinian economy."

There were some 40 speakers before the vote, most of whom criticized Israel's refusal to admit a fact-finding team to Jenin following the incursion, an initiative originally proposed by the Secretary-General and later backed by the Security Council. The resolution "strongly deplores the lack of Israeli cooperation in implementing" the council resolution on the matter and in preparation of the Jenin report.

During the debate, the question of why the report had not used the term "massacre" was also raised, with some criticizing the text as too weak and others countering that, considering the limitations, it had been a balanced and conscientious attempt to clarify the issue. The report had to rely on public statements from Israeli officials since Israel did not contribute.

Nasser Al-Kidwa, the Palestinian observer, said that the full facts have not been examined.

"A real, direct investigation remains a necessity for revealing the whole truth." Irrespective of the report's shortcomings, he said that the report found Israel had committed war crimes, atrocities and other serious violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

'Gravely Deteriorated'

The situation has "gravely deteriorated" since then, with the Israeli forces engaging in "yet another wave" of invasion and reoccupation, with a devastating humanitarian impact, Al-Kidwa said. The Palestinian Authority clearly opposed all suicide bombings. At the same time, resisting Israeli occupation "is our right, if not our duty," he said.

Welcoming international consensus on a two-state solution, Al-Kidwa urged a comprehensive approach dealing with all aspects of the situation.

Israeli Deputy Ambassador Aaron Jacob said the report reconfirmed that there had been no massacre at Jenin. Israel had faced the painful dilemma of trying to protect innocent lives without giving free rein to terrorists.

He pointed out the report's comments regarding the conduct of Israeli forces in delaying humanitarian access "as a result of the fighting and booby-trapping of civilian homes by Palestinian gunmen," and said Israel was committed to facilitating the work of humanitarian agencies.

To return to the path of peace, "moderate Palestinians, neighboring Arab states and the international community as a whole must broadcast an unequivocal message - terrorism and support for it is intolerable and criminal and will not be rewarded by political concessions."

Ambassador John Negroponte of the United States, said the assembly shouldn't be meeting in emergency session, nor should it be having a discussion focused on Palestinians when there have been more terrorist attacks in Israel.

"Events of the last week show that the focus of this Emergency Session on the Occupied Territories is out of step with the reality of events on the ground," he said. "There will not be peace in the Middle East while one side persists in its attacks on the civilians of the other side," pointing out "the five American citizens who were murdered in the July 31 terrorist bombing at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem."

He said that instead, the session should condemn terrorist organizations.

"For too long, the U.N. General Assembly and the U.N. Security Council have been silent when Israelis are victims of terrorism," Washington's envoy said. "Member states must reject the rationales given by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and others that their terrorist bombings are somehow justified by the state of affairs in the Middle East."

He said no such sessions or resolution "that evades the central challenge terrorism poses to peacemaking in the Middle East will move the peace process forward."

Said Negroponte, "Direct diplomatic engagement and effective response by the international community - as the Secretary-General's report calls for and which we and many others are striving to provide - hold out the real promise of doing both."

Only certain Security Council resolutions are binding on members of the United Nations.

Copyright 2002 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

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