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Viewing cable 07USUNNEWYORK944, UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07USUNNEWYORK944 2007-11-01 13:34 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED USUN New York
VZCZCXRO5433
PP RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0944/01 3051334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011334Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2943
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0524
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY 0104
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0771
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2914
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000944 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM UNGA KPAL IS
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN 
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES 
 
REF: USUN NEWYORK 00925 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  On October 24, Professor John Dugard, UN 
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the 
Occupied Palestinian Territories, briefed the Third Committee 
of the General Assembly on his latest report, UN document 
A/62/275 of 17 August 2007.  Israel called the report 
one-sided and filled with misrepresentations and 
misstatements.  Many members of the Non-Aligned Movement, 
including Arab states, responded positively to the report. 
Speaking for the United States, Ambassador Grover Joseph Rees 
criticized Dugard's questioning of the UN role in the Quartet 
and the comparison of the situation in Palestine with 
apartheid.  Rees described U.S. support for the Palestinian 
people and also noted the impact of Palestinian attacks on 
Israeli citizens.  The full text of the U.S. statement is 
available at the website of the U.S. Mission to the UN: 
www.usunnewyork.usmission. 
gov/press releases/20071024 256.hmtl. End Summary. 
 
---------------- 
Israeli Response 
---------------- 
 
2. (U) The Israeli delegate criticized the report, which she 
argued was one-sided and filled with misrepresentations and 
misstatements.  The delegate stated that the report 
demonstrated the personal agenda of the Rapporteur, 
specifically his argument that terrorism is a "relative 
concept."  She argued that the report focuses solely on human 
rights violations committed by Israel, ignoring those 
committed by Palestinians.  She also added that this report 
undermines the peace process and core humanitarian principles. 
 
-------------------- 
General NAM Response 
-------------------- 
 
3. (U) Members of the Non-Aligned Movement, including 
Palestine, South Africa, Kuwait, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, 
Indonesia, Libya, Senegal, Nicaragua, and Cuba, responded 
positively to the report and expressed their admiration for 
Professor Dugard.   They noted their concern regarding the 
human rights situation and described the report using terms 
such as "straightforward," "objective," "candid," 
"transparent," and "a relevant picture of Israeli violations 
of human rights in the occupied territories."  They accused 
Israel of gross violations of human rights and international 
law and expressed support for the cause of the Palestinian 
people and their right to self-determination. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Advisory Opinion: International Court of Justice 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4. (U) Dugard recommended that the ICJ be asked for an 
advisory opinion on the legal consequences for Israel, the 
Palestinian people and third states from the prolonged 
occupation.  Lebanon, South Africa and Nicaragua expressed 
support.  Lebanon asked Dugard if all of those who turn a 
blind eye to the situation in the OPT are legally implicated. 
 South Africa noted that the recommendation to seek an 
additional ICJ advisory opinion has not received due 
consideration by the Human Rights Council. 
 
----------------------- 
The Role of the Quartet 
----------------------- 
 
5. (U) Dugard suggested that the Quartet has a dubious legal 
foundation.  He stated that it is dominated by the "most 
powerful member" and pays little attention to the Palestinian 
people.  He suggested that the UN consider withdrawing from 
the Quartet, or reconsider the role of the UN with regard to 
the human rights situation.  South Africa agreed that the 
Quartet undermines the unity of the Palestinian people and 
does not represent the majority of UN member states.  Yemen 
also criticized the Quartet for focusing its criticism on 
Palestine, when the delegate alleged that Israel is in 
serious violation of its international obligations. 
Indonesia stated that the Quartet has shown inadequate 
attention to the situation of the Palestinian people.  Egypt 
thanked Dugard for highlighting former Special Rapporteur 
Alvaro De Soto's report on the Quartet and called for a more 
positive and proactive role for the UN in the Quartet. 
 
6. (U) Several other nations also commented on ways to 
respond to Israeli occupation.  Kuwait and Libya both asked 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000944  002 OF 002 
 
 
Dugard's opinion on ways to end Israeli occupation.  Sudan 
asked him what means could be used to compel Israel to comply 
with UN General Assembly resolutions with respect to 
Palestinian human rights questions. 
 
----------- 
EU Response 
----------- 
 
7. (U) Speaking for the EU, Portugal expressed the 
expectation that both Israel and the Palestinian Authority 
will respect human rights and argued that both bear 
responsibility to end practices and policies that inhibit a 
two-state solution.  The delegate asked for suggestions of 
meaningful steps for both sides to take under the current 
framework. The Portuguese delegate also asked what could be 
done to promote national reconciliation in Palestine and 
enhance the Palestinian authorities. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Dugard's Response to US and Israel 
---------------------------------- 
 
8. (U) Responding to comments by the United States, critical 
of his equating the situation in Palestine with apartheid, 
Dugard noted that he realized this is a sensitive issue, 
since former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was called an 
anti-Semite for making the same comparison in his book. 
 
9. (U) Responding to Israel's criticism of Dugard's view that 
terrorism is a relative term, Dugard responded that Nelson 
Mandela was accused of being a terrorist by Margaret Thatcher 
and Vice President Dick Cheney, but is now seen as a "saintly 
icon".  He also added that former Israeli Prime Ministers 
Shamir and Begin were associated with acts of terrorism 
against the British occupation.  He argued that Israel and 
other countries focus so much on terrorism that the real 
issues are ignored. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
10.  (U) Dugard's views are well known and he did not break 
any new ground in his latest report. 
Khalilzad