Statement of the Palestinian observer on the Report of the Special Rapporteur John Dugard on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian territory

September 29, 2006
Original Source: http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/conferences/hrc2006/two/hrc060929pm-eng.rm?start=00:20:16&end=00:25:43

We did extend a welcome to our Excellency the High Commissioner Madame Louise Arbour to visit Palestine but as you know the borders are not within our hands – they are controlled by the Israeli Occupation authorities and we hope that the Israeli Occupation Authorities will let her and give access to her to visit the occupied Palestinian territory.  We are bored with the repeated statement of the Israeli Ambassador and it seems to us he is not doing even his work to bring something new to this Council.  We meet here today to follow up on decisions and resolutions adopted by the Council with a view for them to implement their resolutions.  Israel is no exception but we hear from Israeli Ambassador—that to this Council—Israel is above the law as ever.  We will not condone this.  And with regard to the comment made by his Excellency, Mr Dugard, the Rapporteur, we welcome his report however we have a point of departure - where he mentions that we should give up on the question of the fact-finding mission.  This is the decision taken by the Council and the Council has to follow it up.  We tell everyone – Israel and its supporter – the fact-finding mission will remain there and we will hang it like the bird in the poem of Coleridge and the ancient Mariner where the albatross is hanged on the neck of the Israeli mission and its supporter until the resolution is implemented.  The list of Israeli breeches and infringements of the principles enshrined in International law are open-ended: including continuous bombardment of civilians, sonic booms, military incursions, shelling, destruction of vital infrastructure, house demolition, sporadic house arrest, land confiscation, economic siege, closures—which have dire consequences for food and medical supplies.  In addition to this list: construction of the wall compounded suffering of the Palestinian people. And generated, inter alia, forced internal displacement of Palestinians. Even the Palestinian government is not spared, with many of its members as well as parliamentarians, legally arrested and detained.  In addition to more than 10,000 Palestinians detained—but we hear only about one Israeli soldier – a soldier.  Israel has violated agreements signed, by withholding the Palestinian VA, value-added duties and custom revenues. Indeed, all conventions, without exceptions, on civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights—our right to development—are systematically violated by Israel, the occupying power, on a daily basis in Palestine; by an occupying power which expands its list of violations. Owing to the time, I will just conclude: It is ridiculous that an occupied armed forces, sophisticated military arsenal, not to mention nuclear weapons, claims that it is being terrorized by primitive hand-made missiles, by determined Palestinians who face the daily agony of occupation, humiliation, death, poverty and have no protection whatsoever. We call for international protection of our people in Palestine.