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TITLE: UN Body Condemns Israel on Occupied Palestinian Territories, Europe Urged to Act |
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DATE: April 20, 2001 |
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The top United Nations rights body on Wednesday condemned the "disproportionate and indiscriminate" use of force by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. In one of four resolutions adopted on rights violations in the occupied Arab territories, the Commission on Human Rights urged Israel to make every effort to ensure that its security forces observed international standards regarding the use of force. By a vote of 28 in favor to two opposed (Guatemala and the United States) with 22 abstentions, the Commission "strongly deplored" the practice of extra-judicial killings carried out by Israeli forces, expressed its concern at the large number of persons who have been detained during recent months, and condemned the use of torture against Palestinians during interrogations. In another text, adopted by a vote of 29 in favor with the same two countries opposed and 21 abstentions, the Commission called on Israel to stop imposing its laws and jurisdiction over Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan. Israel should "desist from imposing Israeli citizenship and Israeli identity cards on the Syrian citizens" and halt its repressive measures against them, the Commission stressed. The third resolution -- adopted by a vote of 50 in favor to one opposed (United States) with one abstention (Costa Rica) -- urges Israel to cease its policy of expanding settlements in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem. The fourth text (33-1-19) calls on Israel to refrain from holding Lebanese citizens in its prisons as hostages for bargaining purposes and to release them immediately. In other action today, the Commission passed a "motion of no-action" by a vote of 23-17-12 on a United States-sponsored resolution on the situation of human rights in China -- thereby blocking a vote on the text. The Commission, which is holding its 57th session, heard a report by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani, who said that the degree of violence used to silence voices speaking out in defense of human rights was increasing daily. "I am deeply concerned by the variety of repressive trends, measures and practices used to threaten the freedom of action of human rights defenders," Ms. Jilani said. She added that the failure of States to offer effective guarantees against the violation of rights had given a more critical dimension to the issue of human security. Meantime, a statement by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) said that "the UN Human Rights Commission adopted a resolution on the question of human rights violations in the Occupied Territories*, which expressed grave concern at the gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including closures, expropriation of Palestinian homes, torture, and Israeli settlement activities and strongly condemned the disproportionate and indiscriminate recourse to force." "All EU states abstained from voting in favour of the resolution, thus disregarding the Palestinian population's urgent need for international protection including a halt to collective punishment that so far has caused one million Palestinians to live under the poverty line." The statement added "The EU states' lack of support for the resolution is undermining the ongoing work for the development of the human rights dimension of the Barcelona Process, as it is contrary to the Barcelona Declaration's commitment to act in accordance with international human rights principles and obligations under international law and to "support the realisation of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace settlement in the Middle East based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions". "The EMHRN urges the EU to apply article 2 of the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel and in the Interim Agreement between the EU and the PLO, which calls for the respect for human rights, and take immediate, effective and comprehensive measures to ensure the protection and peace for the Palestinian and Israeli people." END |