Statement by the League of Arab States before the General Assembly 64th Session

Vote on Report of Fact Finding Mission on Gaza Conflict

New York( 

5 November 2009

LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES REPRESENTATIVE:  Mr. President, I would like to thank you for afford
ing us the opportunity to participate in the General Assembly’s debate on the report of the fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict.  The seriousness of the military campaign against Gaza and the blockade imposed by Israel against its inhabitants and its deprivation of them – of the most basic needs of living has prompted the international community to dispatch a fact-finding mission under the chairmanship of Justice Richard Goldstone to look into alleged crimes, alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, perpetrated by Israel during its campaign against the Strip, from the 27th of December 2008 to 18 January 2009.  The conclusions reached by the fact-finding mission were identical to those reached by the independent fact-finding mission of the League of Arab States.  
In its preparation of the report, the mission took into account the provisions of international humanitarian law and human rights law.  And also took into account the responsibility of states, particularly occupying powers, towards the civilian inhabitants.  It has reached certain objective and legal conclusions to the effect that Israel in its aggression against Gaza has deliberately killed civilians and used them as human shields.  
Israel’s use of disproportionate force and its attacks against civilian inhabitants, its destruction of civilian property and installations are all illegitimate means to realize military and political objectives.  Such actions undermine international law and run counter to the United Nations Charter.
Israel still acts as if it were above the law.  And the absence of holding it accountable encourages impunity and casts a shadow over the credibility of the United Nations and that of international law.  The time has come for the international community to put an end to the culture of impunity, to put an end to Israel’s immunity of the consequences of its aggression against the region.  The time has also come to hold the perpetrators of violations of international law and human rights law accountable.  
The time has come to implement the means of international justice.  The objective of the Goldstone Report is to save justice and to hold those accused of perpetrating war crimes accountable for their crimes.  Respect for international humanitarian law and its application does not impede peace and peace does not run counter to respect of the rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories.  
The Draft Resolution A/64/L.11 before you was prepared in a balanced and objective manner.  It also represents the absolute minimum, the absolute acceptable minimum for the implementation of the recommendations of the Goldstone Report.  And we would like to urge all member states to vote for the draft resolution for the sake of accountability and justice. 
Mr. President, we’d like to express our deep concern over the serious humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the other occupied Palestinian territories.  Due to the Israeli blockade and aggression and the continued closing of crossings and the prevention of access to humanitarian assistance, we call upon the international community to bring Israel to life the blockade and to insure the access of humanitarian assistance to the Strip.
Israel continues its action in East Jerusalem in an attempt to Judaize the city and confiscate this land.  To isolate it from the remaining Palestinian territories through the intensification of settler activities within and outside the city.  Its blockade, the policy of house demolition, and its attempts to bring down Al Aqsa Mosque via its continued excavations and power digging under it.  It attempts to change the characteristics of the Arab and Islamic old city.  
We would like to call attention to the fact that Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque are in imminent danger.  We call upon the international community to put an end to Israel’s flouting of the heritage of the city.  Its desecration of its sanctities, we call upon the international community to make Israel respect international law, international resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention.  
Mr. President, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories is the root cause for the suffering of our region of so many wars and tragedies.  All attempts and negotiations to put an end to that occupation have failed due to Israel’s intransigence and its continued building of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  
The question of the Middle East is going at present through an extremely delicate stage.  And current efforts to establish peace through negotiation seem to have somewhat regressed in a most alarming way.  The continued faltering of these efforts will only lead to further deterioration and instability in the region.  
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories illegitimate and represent an obstacle to negotiations, as stated by the UK Foreign Secretary, Mr. Milliband, a few days ago.
Mr. President, working to put an end to the building of settlements – all settlements – and insuring the relaunching of negotiations on clear and sound basis in a serious and credible manner is the only way to a just and permanent solution to the Palestinian question and to establish peace in the region.  
Thank you, sir.