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STATEMENT BY HON'BLE MR.ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY MEMBER PARLIAMENT OF AND MEMBER THEINDIAN OF DELEGATION ON AGENDA ITEM : 33 REPORT THESPECIAL OF TO COMMITTEE INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES AFFECTING HUMAN THE RIGHTS OFTHE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE OTHER AND ARABS OFTHEOCCUPIED TERRITORIES
AT THE 62ND SESSION THE oF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

NEWYORK

NOVEMBER 20A7 13,
Permanent Mission of India to the UnitedNations

Mr Chairman, lndia appreciatesthe opportunityto discuss the 39th report of the Special Committee to Investigatelsraeli Practices Affecting Human Rights of the ter a P a l e s ti n i a P e o p l e n d Oth e rAr absin the occupied r itor ies. n "seriousdeterioration" human rightsin the Occupied of the The reportdescribes the Golan. lt highlights people' sdesp ai r a T P a l e s ti n i a n e rri to ri e s n d th e Syr ian em W t h a t t h e i r ri g h tsw i l l n o t b e d efended. hile the financial bar goagainstt he lifted-after wreaking great economic harm and PalestineAuthority is being socialdamage-it is of littlecomfortbecausethis measureowes more to disunity of ranks. Continuedeconomichardshipand deterioration the in the Palestinian which, in turn, human rightssituationonly createsfertilegroundfor extremism, and historyshows,the cycleof violence generates violentactionand reaction:-As defeats effortsto address and is counter-violence self-perpetuating, ultimately peaceful dialogue. su i ssu e s, cha s th o sein the MiddleEast,thr ough c o m p le x MrChairman, , all y l n d i a u n e q u i vo ca l lco n d e mns acts of ter r or ismas well as any pr ovocati on the str ongestter m s. Equally,we have alw ay s to a n d i n ci te me n t vi o l e n cei n measures,and any measures retaliatory criticizedharsh and disproportionate that the wor ldshouldcollecti v el y p u n i shm ent. e believe W co t h a t s u g g e st l l e cti ve and take forwardthe shun violence, utmostrestraint, to exhortall parties exercise are of The contours a solution solution. a peaceful to ongoingnegotiations evolve well-known:the goal is to achieve,in a reasonabletime-frame,a sovereign, and sec ur e State, within well- defined i n d e p en d e n ta n d vi a b l e P alestinian and at peace with lsr ael. W e ar e hopeful that b o r d e rs, l i vi n g si d e -b y-si d e in can be achieved the weeks ahead. forwardmovement meaningful Mr Chairman, The Report of the Special Committeefocuses on the human rights of the What emergesfrom the Territories. and OtherArabs in the Occupied Palestinian failure to raise human rights report is a clear statementoutliningmeasurable the ar o s t a n d a rd s f th e sep e o p l eu n dernineessential eas,including Rightto Li fe. to that affectthese rightsis long,and the lack of measures The list of measures of opinion the the Thus despite advisor y s th a d d r e ss e seh i n d ra n ce is d epr essing. separ a ti on the to lsr C I n t e r na ti o n a l o u rto f Ju sti ce, aelcontinues constr uct illegal of the wall have been built affer the Court wall. lndeed,two hundredkilometers new factson to i . r e n d e re d ts o p i n i o n Wh i l ethe wall continues be built,cr eating placedon lands,r estr ictions fer tilePalestinian mor e t h e g r o u n da n d a l i e n a ti n g Palesti ni an , u d a i l yl ife (i n cl u d i n g p o n mo v em ent)and on accessto the occupied have increased. territories, of for need,as the reportrecognizes, the Government lsraelto There is therefore stop the constructionof this separationwall and to stop alienating more P a l e sti n i a nl a n d s; to sto p the expansionof settlem entsin the Occupi ed

as Territories; restorethe freedom of movementfor Palestinians, well as to to Recentreportsof a decisionto limit expand accessto and from these territories. in crossings Gaza to one borderpointwould only worsenaccessand exacerbate Affairshad underscored for The UN Under-Secretary-General Political shortages. "difficultto see how security concerns could justify the the fact that it was the wer e causing. Similar ly, use of m ass ar r est s , th h a r d s h i p" a t su ch me a su re s force arbitrary detentions,curtailmentof basic services and disproportionate on of moderates at must cease. Such steps only empowerextremists the costs assistance, of all sides. We also hope to see an early restoration international revenues,to the PalestinianNational and a rightful share of tax and other governance a peoplewho to if This is essential it is to provideeffective Authority. far too long. have alreadysuffered partiesto comply At the same time, the reportnotes the need for all Palestinian by of fully with the requirements the road map, as elaborated the Quartet,and to we preventindiscriminate Separately, see the attacksagainstcivilians. effectively groupsto resolve differences. theirinternal need for actionby all Palestinian M r .C h a i r m a n , o publicize lamentable situation f the I t i s n o t o n l y e sse n ti afo r u s to collectively l by Territories, suggested the report,but also to as human rightsin the Occupied growing crisis. We cannot but be find ways of effectivelyaddressingthis concerned at the humanitarian crisis, with its potentially-devastating givingthe Special a Com m ittee W re n c o n s e q ue n ceis a n u n sta b l e gion. e suppor t " i n l i n ew i th cur r ent ealities". shouldtake int o r Sucha mandate ma r e n e w e d n d a te and those livingin the occupiedterritories, frustration of accountthe deep-rooted the need to addressthese mattersbeforeit is too lateto do so. Mr Chairman, par will help and the r egional ties W e h o p e th a t i n th e w e e ksa h e ad,the Quar tet the situation,bring an end to the cycle of violence and counterde-escalate on v i o l e n c e, p ta ki n ga cti o n sth at alterthe situation the gr ound,and wor k to sto to that contribute despairand frustration and removerestrictions accesscontrols We also hope to see early infusionsof assistance in the OccupiedTerritories. governance delivered. Lastly,we hope to see an is and funding,so that effective All society and polity. of thes e, withinPalestinian o e a r l yr e so l u ti o n f th e d i vi si o n s taken together,will help create an atmosphereconduciveto resumingdirect that br ingspeaceto this sor elytr oubled n e g o t i a ti o nw i th a ti me b o u n ds olution s land. T h a n kv o u .M r C h a i r m a n .