ISRA
6l..SESSION TT{E OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Statement by

Ambassador Dan Gillerman Permanenf Representative

During the Resumed Emergency 1Oth Special Session of the GeneralAssembly (Register Damage) of

UnitedNations,New York 15 December 2006

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Madame President, I would like to beginby clarifuingthe agenda the Assembly of today.We arenot here to discuss "Register Damage," the Secretary-General's a of as reportrefersto this mechanism, because is not a Register Damage. it of Thereis already Register a of Damage, the ground,in Israel,fully operational ableto providecompensation on and to Palestinians adversely impacted the security by fence. This, rather,is a Register DoesDamage. is a Register DoesDamage the that It that to credibilifyof this Assembly exploitingthe "automatic by majorityvote."It is a Register that DoesDamage the legitimacyof this organization abusing to by procedure. is a Register DoesDamage the prospects directdialogue It that to of by circumventing bilateral negotiations, only forumthatcanresolve the diftbrences in our region. This Register, despite perception yet another the of achievement thePalestinian for observer, cannot helpthePalestinian people. me makeit clear, Palestinian Let no impacted thesecurity by fence will be helped assisted thismechanism. or by Madame President, The security fence Israe! bu!lri3 the Cirect has rf consequencc Pai;stiirian ten,rr. Wereit not for Palestinian terror,therewould be no ncedfor a security ience. I'he Palestinian strategy encouraging of terrorism injurious Israeland citizens. is to its and destructive thePalestinian's interests. a fencecanstopthe terrorists, to own But wherethePalestinian Authority doesnot.Thousands Israelilives- Jerv, of Christian, and Muslim - havebeensaved the securityfence, by which hasbeenoperational in differentareas sometime. for The numbers speak entirelyfor themselves. similarfencein Gaza,agreed partof A as the israeli-Palestinian Agreements, which gamered dissent no from the I-rN,has prevented infiltration terrorists Israel. theotherhand, a successfully the of into On in yearspan,135suicide merethree bombers from thewest Bankcaniedout l2l tenoristattacks Israel. in 2000,over 1000Israelis Since havebeen murdered by Palestinian tenorists. fence absolutely The is necessary. It is notjust Israel who knowstheeffectiveness thesecurity of fence. HereI will cite for you fwo recent statements echoingthis reality: The first is fromFrench Foreign Ministerenitippe Douste-Blazy, duringan who "I interviewsaid:(quote) havesignificantlyevolved the matterof the separation on fence. Although wall wasa moralandethical the problem me,whenI realized for terrorattacks werereduced 80 percent the areas by in wherethe wall waserected, I understood didn't havethe right to think that tvay" (endquote). I The second fromRamadan is the Shalah, murderous leader Islamic of Jihad, rvhotold "the separation (quote) Al-Manartelevision: fence an obstacle theresistance, is to and if it werenot there situation the would be entirely (endquote) meaning, different," Palestinian terrorcouldcontinue undeterred. Madame President,

As I alluded earlier,a mechanism to already existsin Israelfor Palestinians register to their claimsof compensation regardto the buildingof the securify with fence. Any Palestinian ownercanfile objections the useof their land.To date,some land to 140cases havealready been reviewed, 6,832,000 and NIS,morethan$ I .5 million, hasbeenpaidby Israelto Palestinian complainants. Moreover, Israel'sSupreme court hashearda numberof cases, broughtby Palestinians Israelis and alike,to alterthe routeof the fence. somesituations, In the courthasruledthatthe routeof the fencebe changed, it did not negate if security concems. Thisis theclearest proofthatIsrael's building the fenceis solelyto of protectits citizens andthatthe fenceis not a border. The merefactthatthe Courtallowssuchpetitions be submitted a testament the to is to vibrant democracy Israel, our willingness admitthatIsrael's in and to government is not above criticism. process The givingeveryaffected includes individual, Palestinian or Israeli, rightto petition the Israel's Supreme Couft,andnumerous suchpetitions are pending. Indeed, Israel's supreme court is oneof thefew courts thewolld, and in certainly only onein theregion, the that vigorously applies international to law examine dornestic the actions its own government. is a fiercelyindependent of It institi;ilon haseameC respect that thc of.jit;ists lay people arr,l .judicial aroun,l the u'or!d.And it is probably only Courtin theentire the MiddleEastin whichanyArab canchallenge own government's his actions be assured and jail. ofjustice,rather than The routeof the banier,as alwaysintended, will be decided according security to considerationsspecifically the manner to that bestprotects Israelis from Palestinian terror.The fenceis reversible. Lives takenby Palestinian teror arenot. Madame President, Thoughthis is an openforumfor the entireGeneral Assembly, mustdirectmy I concluding comments particularly my Palestinian to colleague thepeople and he represents at this world body. here Israelwas rvillingto provide compensation thePalestinians to affected thefence. by But instead, chose askthe UnitedNationsfor its help.Instead helpingyour you to of people receiving and directassistance, chose putanother you to politicalmechanism in place thatdoes andrvill not bringreliefto yourpeople. not Sadly,this is a repeat pattern behavior both on theground, of wheredirectbilateral conversations meant be takingplace,and hereat theUnitedNations. are to And rather thanshoulder yournational responsibilities whenit comes ending to tenorand violence against Israelon the ground,you preferto seeIsraelsit on trial herein New York, in another tnisrepresented emergency special session the General of Assembly, reconvened account the "autornatic on of majorityvote."No materialgaincancome to yourpeople fromthese theatrics only General Assembly resolutions, costly only I-INmechanisms. Indeed Secretary-General,his final remarks theMiddle Eastto the Security the in on "Somemay Council earlier weekechoed sentiment. this this (quote) feelsatisfaction

at repeatedly passing General Assembly resolutions holding or conferences that condemn Israel's behaviour. oneshould But alsoaskrvhether suchsteps bringany tangible reliefor benefit thePalestinians" quote). to (end I do hope,Madame President, the MemberStates this body askthemselves that in that question, whattheywish to achieve and whentheydecided pumpout political to resolutions against Israelat this Assembly. I do hope,Madame President, the MemberStates this body askthemselves that in that question nexttimethePalestinian the observer his alliesasktheAssembly and to resume emergency the special session, which is an abuse UN institutional of procedure a mockeryof thetrue agenda "uniting for peace.,' and I do hope,Madame President, the MemberStates this bodyaskthemselves that in that question whenthey haveto fundanother mechanism, paid for by the tax moneyof theircitizens, whichwill only perpetuatenot resolve thePalestinian and issue. Especially timewhentheUnitedNations undergoing process reform, is at is a of it - in counterproductive fact,disingenuousto demand financing sucha costlyand of duplicative mechanism. annual The costof theRegister thisresolution far more in is thanthe suggested framework outlined the Secretary-General's Wouldthat in repoft. moneynot be better spent elsewhere? And I do hope, Madame President, theMernber that States aware themiilions are of of dollarsalready spent eachyearby the UnitedNationsto advance interests the of thePalestinians. Morethantwentyresolutions mostof themredundant one and sided areadopted theAssernbly by annually. Otherspecial bodies committees, and including wholedivision thesecretariat a of itself,arelargely manipulated advocate to thePalestinian cause rather thanpeace. The realbarrierbetween Israelis andPalestinians not the security is fence, the but terrorism thatmakesit necessary. Were it not for thattenorism,a viabletwo State solution wouldhaveemerged longago.Palestinian terrorism seeks theendof not occupation theendof Israel. but Recent statements madeby theHamas Palestinian leadership us thatmuch.As long as theAssembly tell avertsits gazefrom that stark reality, does cause peace great it the of a disservice. people theregion The in deserve, and in fact,demand, better. Thankyou,Madame President,