Statement by Nicaragua before the General Assembly 64th Session

Agenda Item 64: “Report of the Human Rights Council”

New York

4 November 2009

[ET: 01:58:55-02:06:25 – Nicaragua]
NICARAGUAN REPRESENTATIVE:  Thank you very much Mr. President.  Sir, Nicaragua is of the view that it is essential that the disciplinary discuss the Goldstone report as recommended by the Human Rights Council of which we are members in its resolution adopted during its twelfth special session.
We would like to thank Libya for again acting promptly in convening this assembly, and our particular thanks go to Mr. Ali ... [01:59:33] President of the General Assembly.  We know we can always rely on him.
My country fully endorses the statement by Egypt on behalf of the non-aligned movement and with the statement by Senegal on behalf of the committee on the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.  
Mr. President, for Nicaragua, it is unacceptable that the repeated violations of international human rights standards and the provisions of international humanitarian law continue to be tolerated as perpetrated by the occupying power, Israel, and causing immense suffering to the Palestinian people.  
In a situation of grave humanitarian crisis and continued deterioration of the circumstances, which include, among other things, the deliberate obstruction of reconstruction that is so urgently needed in the Gaza Strip as outlined in the report of the fact-finding mission that we are considering today.
The report yet again confirms the atrocities committed by Israel.  Israel, who used disproportionate force against the civilian population of the Gaza Strip with bombing of food stores, residential areas, schools, hospitals, factories and drinking water supplies.  Between December last and January of this year, over 1,400 Palestinians lost their lives, the majority civilians and over a fifth of them being minors.  
It is important to note the difference in attitude between the occupying power, Israel, and the Palestinian authorities.  The latter always demonstrated their support and cooperation with the mission, whereas the Israeli government refused repeatedly to cooperate in any way with the fact-finding mission.  
Mr. President, it is shameful that the international community continue to allow Israel to ignore the repeated appeals and demands that an end be brought to the barbarism against the Palestinian people, depriving them of their right to self-determination to establish themselves as a sovereign and independent state within the borders that were internationally recognized in 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
We urge the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies to give serious consideration and to act on the report and conclusions produced by the fact-finding mission.  The failure to act is to become an accomplice to these Israeli practices.  The international community, with a view to enhancing possibilities of peace in the region should be -- show determination regarding the matter of accountability by Israel and guaranteeing that international law is observed under all circumstances.
This must include respect and compliance with the fourth Geneva Convention that is applicable to the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem as is stated in over two dozen Security Council resolutions and countless General Assembly resolutions.  
Nicaragua agrees with the views of the United Nations fact-finding mission on the Gaza conflict that some of the actions by the government of Israel could justify a conclusion by a competent tribunal that crimes against humanity have been committed.  Among these acts, reference is made to the blockade, the deprivation of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip of a means of livelihood, employment, housing and water, denial of freedom of movement and their right to enter and leave their country and the limitation of access to courts and effective remedies.
So concrete measures must be taken to guarantee the protection of the civilian population throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and the vicious circle be broken of impunity of Israel.  This has continued for 60 years.  It is allowed these massive and flagrant violations of international law to be perpetrated.  
We wish to refer here also to the report prepared by Dr. Kevin Cahill, special advisor to the offices of the president of the 63rd and 64th United Nations General Assembly for humanitarian affairs and global health.  This report is entitled Gaza, Destruction and Hope.  The report was based on Mr. Cahill's visit to Gaza and reveals the deplorable situation in which thousands of Palestinians are living.  He compared it saying that The level of destruction evoked images of Hiroshima at the end of the Second World War.
Mr. President, all available legal measures must be applied to bring an end to impunity and violations of human rights by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory.  This will be possible only to the extent in which the main support received by Israel from the United Nations be discontinued, that this support to the occupying power be discontinued because if this support did not exist, then the occupation of the Arab and Palestinian occupied territories and consecutive invasions and massacres of the Palestinian people would not occur.
We hear mention here of the need to release one Israeli prisoner, a soldier.  We also hear of the need to release thousands of Palestinian prisoners.  My country here issues an appeal for the liberation of an entire people, the Palestinian people to whom the occupying power has denied the freedom and the most fundamental and inalienable rights.  Thank you.