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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3513 3260348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210342Z NOV 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 123513 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNGA IS PA WE GZ SY
SUBJECT: UNGA VOTING INSTRUCTION: SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE 
EAST; QUESTION OF PALESTINE 
 
REF: STATE 123018 
 
SUBJECT: UNGA Voting Instruction: Situation in the Middle 
East; Question of Palestine 
 
¶1. This is an action request. See paragraph 2. 
 
¶2. USDel is instructed to vote against the following six 
UNGA resolutions under the agenda items 15, "The Situation 
in the Middle East," and 16, "Question of Palestine." 
USDel may call for a vote on any of these resolutions if 
no other member does so, and should deliver the 
Explanation of Vote at paragraph 3 in conjunction with the 
later item. 
 
-- "Jerusalem;" 
 
-- "The Syrian Golan;" 
 
-- "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of 
the Palestinian People;" 
 
-- "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat;" 
 
-- "Special Information Programme on the Question of 
Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the 
Secretariat;" and 
 
-- "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine." 
 
¶3. EOV on the Agenda Item "Question of Palestine": Mr. 
Chairman.  The four resolutions under this agenda item -- in 
combination with over fifteen other resolutions that will come 
before the General Assembly this year, as every year -- form a 
clear pattern of institutional bias directed at one member 
state of the United Nations. 
 
The United States has clearly stated our policy that there 
should be two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living 
side by side in peace and security.  We back up our policy 
by substantial diplomatic support for both sides consistent 
with the process launched in Annapolis in November 2007.  We 
also contribute very significant financial and programmatic 
support to the Palestinian Authority and to Palestinian 
refugees, for whom the United States is the largest single- 
state donor. 
 
We see no contradiction whatsoever between support for 
the Palestinian people and support for Israel.  Both sides 
need support to be able to take the steps necessary for a 
just and lasting peace. 
 
Each year, therefore, we are appalled and discouraged 
as the UN General Assembly unhelpfully takes up a 
disproportionate number of resolutions related to the 
Middle East -- all unbalanced by their explicit or 
implicit one-sided criticism of Israel. 
 
Mr. Chairman, the resolutions discussed under this and 
other upcoming agenda items entitled the "Situation in the 
Middle East," the "Report of the Special Committee to 
Investigate Israeli Practices Effecting the Human Rights 
of the Palestinian People," the "Permanent Sovereignty of 
the Palestinian People" and others are repetitive and 
unbalanced.  They are completely unlike the General 
Assembly's action with respect to any other member state, 
geographic area, or issue.  They place demands on the 
Israeli side while failing to acknowledge that both sides 
have obligations and must take difficult steps towards 
peace that can only be resolved through negotiations 
between the parties. 
 
The United States accepts the principle that the General 
Assembly may look into the practices of individual states. 
However, last year the Assembly adopted fourteen 
resolutions specifically critical of Israel, and seven 
more expressing support for the Palestinian people 
vis-a-vis their relationship to Israel.  In that same 
year, the Assembly adopted only six resolutions 
specifically critical of any member state other than 
Israel; we supported some of these and opposed others. 
All told, the 21 resolutions addressing alleged Israeli 
violations and obligations took up 61 pages of text, 
compared to 20 pages for resolutions critical of the six 
other nations.  The Assembly is on a course to follow the 
same pattern again this year. 
 
Mr. Chairman, whatever the merits of the issue, this 
represents an extraordinarily disproportionate and 
unjustified focus on one member state.  The situation in 
the Middle East is an important matter, but looked at in 
relation to the overall problems facing the planet, this 
matter does not warrant three-quarters of the time and 
energy the General Assembly devotes to critical review of 
the actions of its 192 member states. 
 
Of particular concern to the United States are two resolutions 
adopted today -- the "Division for Palestinian Rights of 
the Secretariat" and the "Committee on the Exercise of the 
Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People," and one 
that will be considered under agenda item 30, the "Work of 
the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices 
Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and 
Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories." 
 
These entities, established more than a generation ago, 
perpetuate and institutionalize the perception of inherent 
UN bias.  By their very nature, they fail to properly 
demand actions from both sides, only Israel.  The millions 
of dollars expended on them and significant staff 
contributions towards them could be better directed to 
more pressing needs, including direct assistance to needy 
Palestinians. 
 
The time has come for the Assembly to review these bodies 
in light of their actual contribution, or lack thereof, 
towards a solution to the conflict in the Middle East, 
consistent with the overall program for UN reform. 
 
Mr. Chairman, these institutional arrangements, backed by 
nearly two dozen one-sided resolutions, serve more to 
undercut than to assist ongoing negotiations.  They 
undermine the credibility of the UN, which, as a member of 
the Quartet, must be seen by both sides as an honest 
broker in facilitating a resolution to the Middle East 
conflict. 
 
They have no positive effect in helping to achieve a just 
resolution of the conflict.  Indeed, they can have a 
serious corrosive effect both by convincing many on the 
Israeli side that they will be treated unfairly by the UN no 
matter what compromises they may offer, and by convincing 
extremist elements on the Palestinian side such as Hamas, 
that they will not be criticized no matter what they do, up to 
and including terrorist attacks intentionally targeting 
civilians.  Certainly, they add nothing to the far more 
detailed, up-to-date monthly discussions of the Security 
Council on the situation in the Middle East. 
 
Finally, these resolutions presuppose the outcome of 
permanent status issues, such as the return of refugees, 
checkpoints, and settlement activity, that properly belong 
in ongoing bilateral negotiations.  In their November 9 
briefing to the Quartet, the Palestinian and Israeli 
negotiators pledged to continue bilateral talks until they 
achieve their goal of a comprehensive agreement on all 
issues, without exception, as agreed at Annapolis.  Both 
sides attested the negotiating structure is effective and 
productive and they intend to keep it in place.  They 
noted, I wish to emphasize, that third parties should not 
intervene in the negotiations absent the joint request of 
both parties. 
 
Mr. Chairman, the United States is acutely aware of the 
suffering of the Palestinian people.  We have been and 
will continue to be at the forefront of international 
efforts to address the underlying causes.  But it is 
impossible to see how supporting resolutions so detached 
from the reality on the ground, and so intrusive into the 
substance of sensitive, ongoing negotiations, will either 
alleviate that suffering or contribute to a solution. 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
RICE