, tz t I \ ,\\ I \\L.f, l Ntl \7. \\lu.Yl \llr \\ I Z - v- \- tll trz Message from the Chairman of the Special Committee to investigate lsraeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the PalestinianPeople and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territorieson the occasion of the InternationalDay of Solidaritywith the PalestinianPeople Read by H.E. Mr. Mohd RadziAbdul Rahman" Alternate PermanentRepresentative Malaysia of to the United Nations in New York and Member of the Special Committee Geneva and NewYork Tuesday29 November 2005 Check against delivery Messagefrom the Chairmanof the SpecialCommitteeto Investigate lsraeli PracticesAffectingthe HumanRightsof the PalestinianPeople and Other Arabs of the OccupiedTerritorieson the occasionof Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People the International Genevaand New York, Tuesday29 November2005 Mr. Chairman,Mr. Director-General/Secretary-General Ladiesand Gentlemen, Excellencies, Day of of On this solemnoccasion observance the International of Solidarity this in People, am honoured address Meeting my capacity I to with the Palestinian Assembly established the General by of Committee as the Chairperson the Special Affectingthe Human Rights of the Palestinian lsraeli Practices to Investigate We, on this day,onceagain, Territories. Peopleand OtherArabsof the Occupied with the peopleof expressour steadfast solidarity individually and collectively Palestine. that I haveearlythis month I On this occasion, wish to informthis Meeting of to the introduced reportof the SpecialCommittee the FourthCommittee the pertaining the to General Assembly,reflectingour findingsand observations in territories. humanrightssituation occupied in Despitesome positivedevelopments the aftermathof the Sharm El 2005 and the withdrawal lsraeliforces from the of Sheikh Summitof February by to Gaza Strip in August2005, testimonies witnesses the SpecialCommittee in territories. Theiraccounts the amplyreflect dire humanrightssituation occupied occupation and the ill-effects road of the of demonstrated harshness the military or Moreover, Jewishsettlements isolating closuresand numerouscheckpoints. villagesare negatively impacting humanrightsof the all cuttingoff Palestinian "Ethnic werethe wordsusedby cleansing" "rampant and expulsions" Palestinians. witnesses describe theirmiserable situation. several Palestinian to 2 was not allowedby tsraelto visit the Committee Once again,the Speciat occupiedterritoriesand assess, at first hand, the human rights situationin any exchangeof views with relevant also prevented Palestine. This restriction in and the But lsraeliauthorities. the situation Palestine indeed worldhas changed mandate37 years ago. A new of since the inception the SpecialCommittee's generation leadersis takingover leadership, dialogue and and cooperation are of and confrontation.In this context,the Special now preferredover monologue for access the is afterall theseyearsof denying Committee of the viewthat lsrael, territories, shouldrevisitthe reasonsbehindsuch a Committee the occupied to refusal. the Committee our from25 Juneto 9 July2005, Special During fieldmission 38 from the West visitedEgypt,Jordanand Syriaand met altogether witnesses heardtestimonies 8 of Committee Bank and the GazaStrip.In Syria,the Special of in with directand personal knowledge the humanrightssituation the witnesses Syrian Golan. occupied is Committee of the view that the construction Morethan ever,the Special not wall everysinglerightof the Palestinians, onlyin of the separation is violating housing, but to respectof freedomof movement, alsothe rightsrelated adequate and health. The wall is affecting the very national food, social life, education whichnot long and claimsto territories, identity the Palestinians theirlegitimate of are control lands. a result the wall,Palestinians loosing As of ago,werecontiguous water,throughextensive destruction groundwater of resource, over a key strategic are wellsand waterpipes.Manyruralcommunities nowforcedto lookfor alternate waters and water sources and often suffer from the ill-effectsof contaminated systems. The wall also affectssupply of inadequate sewage and sanitation confiscation land incursions, of effectsof the wall, military energy.The combined Palestinian electricity companies for settlersand road closureshave prevented regularsupply of power or from attendingto the needs of from maintaining many Palestinians in locatedon the otherside of the wall. Moreover, customers J - Jerusalem are deprivedof electricity becausetheir houseshave been allegedly illegally built. Women and childrenare still payinga heavytoll due to persistent harsh daily conditions affecting Palestinians a whole. Risingunemployment the as and poverty, alongwith multifaceted restrictions movement on including to the wall, due haveprevented Palestinians accessto health from facilities. Suchrestrictions have also generatedfood insecurityand a decline in nutritionlevels. After the completion the wall,it is expected of that only39 per centof Palestinians have will access to health facilities and as many as 120'000childrenwill be reportedly programmes deprived vaccinations. of Healthoutreach havebeencut off in some areasas a resultof the walland mobileclinicshavebeenprevented from reaching their patients. Pregnant women are increasingly risk as they cannoteasily at accessprimary health caredispensaries are heldbackat checkpoints their and on way to hospital timeof delivery. at Several witnesses spokeof attacks against children theirway to schools, on posed by closures, as well as numerous impediments curfews, and long waiting hours at checkpoints entry pointsto the wall. This trend seemsto indicate or a growing and deliberatepattern by the occupyingpower to hamper normal schooling, especially highereducation. Most students are unableto enroll or reachuniversities outside their locality and teachers at times unableto reach are theirworkplaces regularly.Teachers and students haveto crosscheckpoints on foot,risking theirsafety. The qualityof education alsosuffering teachers is as are oftenrecruited fromthe neighbourhood are not necessarily bestqualified. and the In the Special Committee's view, inadequateeducationwill hamper skills youthin coming development leadership and amongPalestinian years. The number detainees againon the risewith up to 8'500Palestinians of is jails,including reportedly detained lsraeli in 110-170 womenand 300-330 minors. Several hundreddetaineesare held in administrative detentionfor indefinitely periods. Prisoners renewable are allegedly subjected degrading to and cruel 4 treatment, including torture.The situation womenwas dire according several of to witnessesand the conditionof minorswas no less appalling. Minorswere subjected various to threatssuch as destruction theirhomes,life imprisonment of and weresometimes confined isolated in cells. ln the occupied SyrianGolan,lsraelhas alsotightened gripon its water its resources.Landmines still a threatto the population the occupied are of Syrian Golanas they are reportedly oftenlaid closeto villages and fields. The burying of lsraeli nuclearwaste allegedlycontinues a tract of land close to the Syrian in borderin the vicinity Jabalal-Sheikh of summit. Abouthalf of the existing Jewish settlements are to be expandedand citizensof the occupiedSyrian Golan continue be denied of theirtraditional to practices. cultural The Special Committee observes withdismay ever deteriorating the human rightssituation the occupied in territories the Syrianoccupied and Golan.lt has not been possibleto detect much trust among the witnesses the prospects on for peacedespite severalpositive developments the regionand someactiontaken in by lsraeliauthorities this regard. The Committee in sees it as crucialthat tsrael takemeasures restore to trustacross communities the basisthatthe two-states on solution independent of Statesof lsraeland Palestine existing side by side wiil soon be a tangiblereality and, as a consequence, just aspirations all of communities be met. The Special will Committee sincerely hopesthat the current developments and changes that are takingplacein lsraelwill offera windowof opportunity all parties to concerned pavethe way for a just and durabte and peace in the Middle East. The SpecialCommittee this contextcatls upon lsrael in authorities showrestraint take measures accordance the obligations to and in with of the RoadMap,thatwill contribute towards improving humanrights the situation people. of the Palestinian ThankYou