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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001214 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG PHUM PREF UNGA IS
SUBJECT: UNGA DEBATES THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE AND THE 
SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ADOPTS SIX RESOLUTIONS 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001214  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The participants in the annual UNGA debates 
on the Question of Palestine and on the Situation in the 
Middle East that took place November 29-30 broke no new 
ground, restating well-known arguments in support of 
well-known positions.  Several countries did, however, 
acknowledge the importance of the international meeting at 
Annapolis convened by the U.S. to kick-start the final phase 
of the peace process.  UNGA December 10 adopted six 
resolutions tabled during the debate.  The U.S. voted against 
all six resolutions.  End Summary. 
 
Debate 
------ 
 
¶2. (U) The 62nd UN General Assembly held its annual debate on 
the  "Question of Palestine" and  "The Situation in the 
Middle East" November 29-30.  Thirty-four countries delivered 
speeches on "The Question of Palestine" and twenty-two, on 
the "Situation in the Middle East."  Iran excepted, most 
countries praised the meeting in Annapolis, though some with 
"cautious optimism."  But, for the most part, statements 
followed the pattern of previous years with speakers 
criticizing Israeli settlements, the Israeli construction of 
the separation barrier, Israel's "occupation" of Arab lands, 
and Israeli human rights violations against Arabs.  Speakers 
called for a resolution to final status issues, such as 
Palestinian refugees, the status of Jerusalem, water 
resources, and security.  Most speakers called for 
intra-Palestinian cooperation and support for Mahmoud Abbas, 
and a lasting peace settlement, built upon, "international 
law, General Assembly resolution 194, Security Council 
resolutions 242, 338, 1397, and 1515 and other relevant UN 
resolutions, and the principles outlined in the Roadmap and 
the Arab Peace Initiative." 
 
¶3. (U) Typical of comments critical of Israel, Paul Badji, 
Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable 
Rights of the Palestinian People and speaking on behalf of 
the Committee, said, "the continuing illegal occupation of 
the Palestinian Territory remains the root cause of the 
conflict."  Badji and others accused Israel of ignoring the 
International Court of Justice's opinion on the separation 
barrier and the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding 
settlements. Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of the 
Islamic Conference, framed the issues in broader Islamic 
terms, saying that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has "bred 
mistrust and antagonism between Israel and the Arabs and 
indeed the entire Islamic world.  The centrality of the cause 
of Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the whole Islamic Ummah is clear." 
Indonesia announced that it, and South Africa, will 
co-organize an Asia-Africa conference on capacity building 
for Palestine next year.  Libya blamed Israel for the 
instability in the Middle East, and Cuba, on behalf of the 
Non-aligned Movement (NAM), said, "The Lebanese government 
has tried to stabilize their situation, however, Israel is 
the cause of the destabilization." 
 
¶4. (U) The Palestinian representative, and others, referred 
to Israel's separation barrier as an "apartheid wall," that 
has "transformed Palestinian cities, towns and villages into 
massive prisons and ghettos."  The Palestinian representative 
accused Israel of obstructing progress in the peace process 
and aborting all efforts to resume talks.  However, he 
mentioned that Israel and the Palestinians began formal 
negotiations after the Annapolis conference. 
 
¶5. (U) Iran, Egypt, and Pakistan, on behalf of the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference referred to "double 
standards" and "selectivity" when discussing human rights, 
and the three mentioned the "unqualified support" extended by 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001214  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
"a permanent member of the UN Security Council" to the 
Israeli regime.  Iran said that the "international community 
cannot be misled by the politically-motivated moves, such as 
the recent meeting in Annapolis, that are intended to accord 
legitimacy to the forces of occupation and aggression." 
 
¶6. (U) Israel's statement was strong and direct, calling the 
proceedings "viciously boring," and stating, "Palestinian 
self-determination is a cause Israel wholeheartedly 
supports."  He accused the General Assembly of "defaming and 
denigrating Israel with the 21 annual Palestinian 
resolutions," and he placed the blame for the lack of 
Palestinian statehood on Palestinian "wrong choices."  He 
said, "Regarding Annapolis, moderate Arab and Muslim states 
recognize that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not the 
cause of instability in the region.  They recognize that the 
real dangers come directly from Islamic extremism and its 
champion Iran, who sponsors terrorism around the globe, tries 
to attain nuclear weapons, denies the Holocaust while 
preparing for the next one, and relentlessly defies the will 
of the international community." 
 
Vote 
---- 
 
¶7. (U) The UNGA (U.N. General Assembly) December 10 voted on 
and adopted six resolutions tabled during the November 29-30 
debate on the "Question of Palestine" and the "Situation in 
the Middle East."  The United States voted against each 
resolution and, as did eight other delegations (Argentina, 
Australia, Panama, Portugal (EU), Israel, Iran, Syria, and 
the Palestinian Observer), delivered an EOV (explanation of 
vote).  Resolutions and voting results are in paragraph 10. 
 
¶8. (U) In its EOV, the U.S. characterized the resolution on 
"The Syrian Golan" as "unhelpful" and said that the text 
prejudges final status issues.  Argentina, which voted for 
"The Syrian Golan" resolution, disagreed, asserting that the 
text in paragraph six, which calls for "Israel to withdraw 
from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 
1967," does not prejudge final status issues.  Panama said it 
abstained on the "Committee on the Exercise of the 
Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People," resolution 
because it does not believe that the Committee, which was 
established "many years ago," reflects the present realities 
and developments on the ground. 
 
¶9. (U) Portugal, speaking on behalf of the EU, praised the 
Annapolis Conference, but suggested that Israel commence 
bilateral negotiations with Syria and Lebanon in order to 
reach a comprehensive regional settlement.  Portugal also 
stated that it would prefer to have only one resolution on 
the Palestinian question rather than six.  Israel said, "the 
ritualistic recycling of resolutions shows that the Assembly 
is oblivious to changes and new realities."  Noting that 
terrorism is the biggest obstacle to peace, Israel condemned 
the resolutions for ignoring the issues of terrorism, 
violence, and the rise of Hamas in Gaza.  Iran expressed its 
concern about resolutions allegedly interfering with 
Palestinian domestic and internal matters and warned against 
foreign interference in internal Palestinian decision-making 
matters, such as in Palestinian elections.  Syria asserted 
that Israel is able to ignore the will of the international 
community because of "the support of a great power."  The 
Palestinian Observer accused Israel of trying to "disqualify 
the international community" by making negative remarks about 
the General Assembly and the six Palestinian resolutions. 
The Palestinian Observer stated that "Israeli action on the 
ground is counter to peace, including the continuation of 
settlements, checkpoints, and holding Gaza as a prison." 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001214  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) Resolutions and voting results follow: 
 
The Question of Palestine: 
 
-- "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of 
the Palestinian People" -- Vote Results: 109-8(US, Australia, 
Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, 
Palau)-55 
 
-- "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat"  -- 
Vote Results: 110-8(US, Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall 
Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-54 
 
-- "Special Information Programme on the Question of 
Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the 
Secretariat"  --  Vote Results: 161-8(US, Australia, Canada, 
 
SIPDIS 
Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, 
Palau)-5(Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire Malawi, Tonga, Vanuatu) 
 
-- "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine"  -- 
Vote Results: 161-7(US, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, 
Micronesia, Palau, Nauru)-5(Cameroon, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire 
Tonga, Vanuatu) 
 
The Situation in the Middle East: 
 
-- "Jerusalem"  --  Vote Results: 160-6(US, Israel, Marshall 
Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau)-7 (Angola, Australia, 
Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu) 
 
-- "The Syrian Golan" --  Vote Results: 111-6(US, Canada, 
Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau)-56 
Khalilzad