Military

DATE=11/08/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268997

TITLE=ROBINSON / PALESTINIANS (L ONLY)

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Palestinian officials in Geneva say the United Nations Human Rights chief, Mary Robinson, will not be welcome to visit the West Bank and Gaza unless she investigates Palestinian accusations of human rights abuses by Israel. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports Ms. Robinson departed Switzerland on Wednesday for a week-long visit to the Middle East.

TEXT: The Palestinian representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nabil Ramlawi, says Ms. Robinson has to make it clear that she is coming to the Palestinian territories specifically to examine the alleged violations by Israel against the Palestinian people.

/// RAMLAWI ACT ///

The Palestinian Authority is not ready to welcome her (to) our country unless she comes to implement paragraph B of the resolution adopted by the commission at its special session.

/// END ACT ///

Last month, a special session of the U-N Human Rights Commission passed a resolution mandating that the human rights chief undertake an urgent visit to the Palestinian territories to examine the human rights situation.

Mr. Ramlawi says the Palestinian Authority is also upset that Ms. Robinson plans to meet the mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, and Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon. /// OPT /// Near the end of September, Mr. Sharon visited a site in Jerusalem that is sacred to Muslims as well as Jews, and Palestinian officials say it is that visit that triggered the violence. /// END OPT ///

U-N officials say Ms. Robinson had meetings set up with Mr. Sharon and Mr. Olmert, but these were unlikely to go ahead. The officials also say they hope there will be a solution to the situation, and they hope that the high commissioner will be able to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza. But Mr. Ramlawi says that meeting remains unlikely unless Ms. Robinson takes steps to address the Palestinian demands.

/// 2ND RAMLAWI ACT ///

If the situation remains as it is, Mr. Arafat will not meet her at all. She is not welcome to enter our land.

/// END ACT ///

The U-N Human Rights office says Ms. Robinson will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday. (Signed)

NEB/LS/KL/TDW