16 April 2003
U.S. Opposes Human Rights Commission Resolutions Criticizing Israel
(Amb. Southwick delivers four explanation of vote statements in
Geneva) (1360)
The United States, at the 59th session of the U.N. Commission on Human
Rights in Geneva, said it would vote against four proposed resolutions
that criticize Israeli practices and policies.
Ambassador Michael Southwick delivered explanation of vote statements
to the commission April 15 and 16.
On the question of "The Violation of Human Rights in Occupied Arab
Territories Including Palestine," Southwick said the United States is
deeply concerned about violence and terrorist activities in the region
and regrets all civilian casualties on both sides, "but Israel is not
responsible for all the ills plaguing the people."
On the question of "Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Arab
Territories," he said the draft resolution does not recognize fully
that all sides have responsibilities to move the peace process
forward. Southwick noted that President Bush has said that as progress
is made toward Middle East peace, "settlement activity in the occupied
territories must cease."
On the question of "Human Rights in the Occupied Syrian Golan,"
Southwick said direct negotiations between the parties are the only
viable way to reach a lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
On the question of "Lebanese Detainees in Israel," he said the draft
resolution is "unbalanced, rife with errors of fact and
inappropriate."
Following are the texts of Southwick's four explanations of vote:
(begin text on violation of human rights)
Explanation of Vote
Item 8: L.12 "Question of the violation of human rights in occupied
Arab territories including Palestine"
The United States is deeply concerned about violence and terrorist
activities in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, and about the human
rights violations that have accompanied that violence. We regret all
civilian casualties and suffering, and mourn with the families of
innocent victims on both sides. But Israel is not responsible for all
the ills plaguing the people living in the region. This resolution
does not recognize that fact.
Israeli actions take place in the context of Palestinian terrorist
attacks against Israeli civilians. We find any act of terrorism
morally unjustifiable. Palestinian suicide bombers murder innocent
men, women and children. These actions must be condemned in the
strongest terms.
Israel has the right to self-defense, a right enshrined in the UN
Charter. There can be no excuse for the violence the Israeli people
have been forced to endure. We urge all members of the international
community to press the Palestinians to do all they can to end the
violence. At the same time, the United States has urged the Israeli
government to take all appropriate precautions to prevent the death or
injury of innocent civilians and damage to civilian and humanitarian
infrastructure.
Last year President Bush stated clearly his vision of two states,
Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Late
last year the United States and our Quartet partners agreed upon the
text of a roadmap that sets forth the steps needed to realize this
vision. Last month President Bush reaffirmed his commitment to the
roadmap. He is prepared to deliver that roadmap to the parties --
Israeli and Palestinian -- as soon as an empowered Palestinian Prime
Minister is confirmed in office. The President has insisted that the
roadmap process requires an accountable leadership both in Israel and
the Palestinian Authority.
This resolution will not further trust and confidence between the two
parties.
We look forward to the day when this Commission will take a balanced
and constructive approach to the human rights concerns in the region.
The United States will call for a vote and oppose this resolution.
(end text)
(begin text on Israeli settlements)
Explanation of Vote
Item 8: L.18 "Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Arab Territories"
We believe this resolution, while meant to be constructive, is
inconsistent with the joint statements of the Quartet about the
roadmap. It does not recognize fully that all sides have
responsibilities if we are ever to move the peace process forward. The
resolution's sponsors attempted to add some measure of balance by
including language condemning terrorist attacks against civilians. But
we find the language strange. It talks about condemning
"indiscriminate" terrorist attacks, but we should condemn all acts of
terrorism. The resolution also still addresses all specific criticism
and calls for action to Israel. It should cite the obligations and
responsibilities of the Palestinians themselves, and it should
criticize those who harbor Palestinian terrorist groups and offer
support for their activities.
Reducing terrorism and enhancing the security of all parties is
something both parties must do on the basis of reciprocity. As
President Bush has said, "The Palestinian state must be a reformed and
peaceful and democratic state that abandons forever the use of
terror." At the same time, President Bush was clear in stating that
Israel also must take steps under the framework of the roadmap. He
said, "The government of Israel, as the terror threat is removed and
security improves, must take concrete steps to support the emergence
of a viable and credible Palestinian state, and to work as quickly as
possible toward a final status agreement. As progress is made toward
peace, settlement activity in the occupied territories must cease."
Secretary Colin Powell has stated, "Israel and the Palestinians must
walk the road of peace together, if either is to arrive at the desired
destination." Regrettably, this resolution does not provide an
incentive for either side to walk the road of peace.
My delegation will therefore call for a recorded vote and vote no.
(end text)
(begin text on Occupied Syrian Golan)
Explanation of Vote
Item 8: L.3 Human Rights in the Occupied Syrian Golan
This resolution on the Syrian Golan is another one-sided text
containing criticism aimed at Israel. We believe its adoption will not
move us any closer to the goals we all share of resolving the status
of the Syrian Golan and improving the lives of those individuals
resident there.
The United States, working with our partners in the Quartet and others
in the international community, is committed to a comprehensive peace
with security for all states of the region. At present Israel still
faces hostility from two of its neighbors, Syria and Lebanon. We
believe direct negotiations between the parties are the only viable
way to reach a lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Such an
approach has borne fruit in the form of the negotiated agreements
reached between Israel and Egypt and between Israel and Jordan.
Serious efforts on both sides can lead to similar success in resolving
outstanding issues between Israel and Syria.
This resolution on the Syrian Golan again reflects an overriding bias.
The Arab-Israeli situation is the only regional problem subject to an
entire item on the Commission's agenda, with three resolutions under
it. The United States has many times called for the question of the
violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories and the
territory now controlled by the Palestinian authority to be considered
under agenda item 9. We see no reason why violation of human rights in
these areas should be considered separately from those that occur in
other parts of the world.
We urge others to join us in rejecting a biased approach by voting
against this resolution.
(end text)
(begin text on Lebanese detainees)
Explanation of Vote
Item 9: L.8 Lebanese Detainees in Israel
This resolution is the fifth measure considered by the Commission that
is aimed at Israel, a nation with a democratic, freely elected,
representative government. Israel has an independent judiciary that
guarantees due process. Israel is also a nation where all citizens
enjoy freedom of worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly.
It is regrettable that many of the governments represented in this
room do not offer the same rights and protections to their citizens.
As with the other anti-Israel resolutions previously considered, we
find this one, as well, unbalanced, rife with errors of fact, and
inappropriate. We will call for a recorded vote, and we will oppose
this resolution.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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