AN ANALYSIS OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UN

Last December 1^st, the UN General Assembly started voting on a series of resolutions related to the different aspects of the Palestinian issue. When this current session ends, there will be 20 resolutions presented under seven articles from the working agenda of the Assembly. The Assembly approved six of these resolutions by majority, especially the resolution regarding Jerusalem, which reaffirms the traditional stance of the UN. It regards all the Israeli practices and procedures as null and void. Another resolution concerning the peace settlement of the Palestinian issue asserts the principles this settlement must be based upon, which includes the realization of all rights of the Palestinian people. The four other resolutions deal with the Syrian Golan and the Palestine Committee of the UN, besides a reaffirmation of the mandate of the Palestine Division in the Secretariat-General and the Palestine Information Program.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry engaged a counterattack campaign with the goal of undermining UN resolutions, but the campaign ended in a complete failure. All the yearly resolutions were kept with some developments in some of them, such as the resolution stipulating that the General Assembly will deal with the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people. The estimations are that all the aforementioned resolutions will enjoy the same traditional support by the General Assembly. The following is an explanation of the resolutions approved by the results of the voting process:

I. Resolutions under the chapter " Question of Palestine " :

1. Resolution No. 54/39 under the heading: "The Committee for the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People".

The result of the voting process was as follows:

1. (105) for the resolution; (3) against (Israel, USA and Marshall Islands); (48) abstentions.

The resolution asks from the Committee to keep the issue of Palestine alive, and to continue making all efforts to strengthen the Palestinian people in order to obtain all their legitimate rights. It also asks from the General-Secretary to continue supplying the committee with all that is needed to perform its tasks.

2. Resolution No. 54/40: "The Palestinian Rights Division in the Secretariat-General"

(107) for the resolution; (3) against (Israel, USA and Marshall Islands); (47) abstentions.

The resolution calls upon the Secretary-General to continue supplying the Division with the necessary resources, in order for it to continue its present work. It also calls to ensure the continued cooperation of the Information Affairs Administration and other Secretariat-General units to enable the Division to complete its tasks.

3. Resolution No. 54/41: The Special Information Program related to the Information Affairs Administration in the Secretariat-General concerning the Palestinian issue.

(151) for the resolution; (3) against (Israel, USA and Marshall Islands); (2) abstentions.

The resolution stipulates that this program is good for raising the awareness of the international community concerning the Palestinian issue and the situation in the Middle East in general, including the practical achievements of the peace process. It asks the Administration to continue its program for the two year period between 1998 and 1999, including the dissemination of information, the issuance and completion of publications concerning the different aspects of the Palestinian issue; the organization of study seminars or international, regional and national meetings for journalists; and strengthening the program for training Palestinian journalists and broadcasters which began in 1995.

4. Resolution No. 54/42: Settlement of the Palestine issue by peaceful means.

(149) for the resolution; (3) against (Israel, USA and Marshall Islands); (2) abstentions.

This resolution once again reaffirms the necessity of reaching a peace solution to the Palestine issue, which is the essence of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It expresses complete support for the peace process, and stresses the necessity of commitment to the principle of land for peace and the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. It also stresses the necessity of preserving the rights of the Palestinian people and, to begin with, the right to self-determination and the withdrawal of Israel from Palestinian lands occupied since 1967. It also stresses the necessity of solving the problem of Palestinian refugees in accordance with the General Assembly resolution 194 of (1948). The resolution also urges member states in the UN to speed up the economic and technical assistance to the Palestinian people, and asserts the importance of the UN's role in the current peace process and in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles.

II. Resolutions under the article "The situation in the Middle East" :

1. Resolution No. 54/37 concerning "Jerusalem":

(140) for the resolution; (1) against (Israel); (3) abstentions (Swaziland, USA and ----)

The resolution stipulates that the Israeli decision to impose its laws, sovereignty and administration on the holy City of Jerusalem is illegal, that it is null and void and has no legitimacy whatsoever. It also condemns the transfer of some diplomatic missions to Jerusalem, as violating UN resolution No. 478 of 1980, and as a refusal to act according to this resolution.

The UN General Assembly approved 12 resolutions concerning the UNRWA Agency, and the special committee for investigating the Israeli practices affecting human rights. The resolutions are:

A. Resolution related to UNRWA:

1. The resolution entitled "Offering assistance to the refugees of Palestine" with the voting results as follows: (155) for the resolution; (1) against (Israel); (2) abstentions (USA and ----). The resolution urges all member states to offer assistance in order to realize economic and social development for the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.
2. The resolution entitled "The working team with the task of funding the UNRWA agency", which was approved without voting.
3. The resolution entitled "Expatriate inhabitants as a result of the war of June 1967 and in its aftermath: (154) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (2) abstentions.

 

The resolution once again reasserts that all expatriates have the right to return to their homes or their previous residencies in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967.

1. The resolution entitled "Study grants and scholarships offered by member states for higher education including vocational training for Palestinian refugees": (158) for the resolution and the abstention of Israel. The resolution calls for all countries, specialized agencies and non-governmental institutions to increase the size of study grants and scholarships for the Palestinian refugees, and to offer generous contributions to Palestinian universities in the PNA territories occupied by Israel since 1967 including, when the appropriate time arrives, to establish the proposed Al-Quds University for Palestinian refugees.
2. The resolution entitled "Operations of the UNRWA Agency in the Near East": (154) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (1) abstention. The resolution calls upon Israel, the occupying authority, to accept the application of the Geneva Agreement concerning the protection of civilians at times of war adopted on September 12^th, 1949. In accordance with the law, Israel is obligated to commit itself to its stipulations, and to compensate the Agency for damages to its properties and facilities because of procedures adopted by the Israeli side.

The Properties of Palestinian Refugees:

1. The resolution entitled "Properties of Palestinian refugees and the revenues from them": (154) for the resolution; (2) against the resolution (Israel and the USA); (2) abstentions. The resolution once again reasserts that the Arab Palestinian refugees have the right to their property in accordance with basic and natural justice. It calls upon the General-Secretary to take all the necessary steps in consultation with the UN ad hoc conciliation committee on Palestine for the protection of the properties and rights of Arab ownership in Israel.
2. The resolution entitled "Al-Quds University for Palestinian Refugees": (155) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (1) abstention. The resolution reasserts the need to strengthen the evaluation system in the occupied lands since June 5^th, 1967, especially the need to establish the suggested university as well as demanding from Israel as the occupational force to cooperate in implementing this resolution. There is a need for Israel to remove all obstacles it has placed in order to impede the establishment of Al-Quds University.

B. The resolution related to the report of the special committee investigating Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arab inhabitants in the occupied territories:

1. The resolution entitled "The tasks of the special committee": (84) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (67) abstentions. The resolution condemns the policies and practices followed by Israel as violating the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories including Jerusalem and other Arab inhabitants in Arab lands occupied by Israel since 1967.

The Geneva Conventions

1. The resolution entitled "The applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention dealing with the protection of civilians at times of war, adopted on August 12^th, 1949, to Palestinian occupied territories including Jerusalem and other Arab territories occupied by Israel": (154) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (1) abstention.
2. The resolution entitled "Israeli settlement in occupied Palestinian lands including Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights": (149) for the resolution; (3) against (Israel, the USA and -----); (3) abstentions. The resolution reasserts once again that the Israeli settlements are illegal and constitute an obstacle to peace, economic and social development. It demands the halting of the establishment of the new settlement on Jabel Abu Gheneim, and to halt completely all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories including Jerusalem, as well as on the Golan Heights.
3. The resolution entitled " Israeli practices affecting Palestinian human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories including Jerusalem": (150) for the resolution; (2) against (Israel and the USA); (3) abstentions. The resolution emphasizes that the signing of the announcement of Declaration of Principles in 1993 and the subsequent agreements including "Sharam el-Sheikh" memorandum signed recently in September 4^th, 1999 and in accordance with the resolution then all practices and procedures adopted by Israel, the authority occupying Palestinian lands including Jerusalem violates the stipulations connected with the Fourth Geneva Convention.