VZCZCXRO3020
PP RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #1120/01 3361351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011351Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5443
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KPAL KWBG UNGA IS
SUBJECT: UNGA: 63RD UNGA ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS ON ISRAEL AND 
THE MIDDLE EAST 
 
¶1.  The 63rd UNGA held its debate on agenda item 16, "The 
Question of Palestine," and agenda item 15, "The Situation in 
the Middle East," from November 24-25.  Over 50 countries 
spoke; paragraph 8 gives a complete list.  The President of 
the General Assembly (PGA), Miguel D'Escoto opened the debate 
with a statement calling for Member States to launch a 
campaign of sanctions to rectify the situation in Gaza. 
Notably, D'Escoto said that Israel cannot ignore the United 
Nations' call for the creation of two states, even though it 
has the United States as "a protective shield in the Security 
Council."  Most of the interventions supported a two-state 
solution, called for Israel to end blockades and the 
detainment of Palestinians, and recognized the legitimacy of 
the Palestinian people's exercise of self-determination. 
Israel asked whether resolutions that criticized Israel 
tangibly contributed to peace in the region. 
 
"ISRAEL'S SHIELD" AND OTHER RHETORIC AGAINST THE U.S. 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  PGA D'Escoto gave a statement when introducing the two 
topics, which lamented the fact that the United Nations was 
celebrating a day of "Solidarity with the Palestinian 
People," instead of the creation of a Palestinian state. 
D'Escoto compared Israeli policies to apartheid in South 
Africa and noted, "the United Nations should consider 
following a similar non-violent campaign of boycott, 
divestment and sanctions to pressure Israel to end its 
violations."  Notably, D'Escoto called the United States 
Israel's "protective shield" in the Security Council (UNSC), 
but emphasized that no amount of "arm twisting and 
intimidation" would change UNSC resolution 181, which calls 
for the creation of two states. 
 
¶3.  Several countries reiterated D'Escoto's use of the term 
"protective shield."  Although no delegates used this 
language on November 24 (the day D'Escoto spoke), Cuba, 
Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Syria referenced it on the 
following day.  Syria additionally called for the United 
States to go beyond "negligence and indifference" in its 
policies toward the situation in the Gaza Strip.  Syria and 
Cuba condemned the "acts of aggression by U.S. forces in Iraq 
on Syria in October." 
 
SPEAKING UP FOR ISRAEL 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Israeli Permanent Representative, Gabriela Shalev, 
asked whether General Assembly resolutions condemning Israel 
brought any tangible relief to Palestinians.  She also said 
that the real problem in the Middle East was that of 
spreading extremism.  Shalev said Iran continues to develop 
nuclear capacities and fund terrorism, while calling for 
Israel's destruction.  Israel's Permanent Representative 
highlighted the need for a two-sided solution to a two-sided 
conflict and rejected the day of solidarity with the 
Palestinian people as biased.  In closing, she urged the 
international community to strengthen moderates in the region 
and discard the "politics of blame."  During its 
intervention, Iran insisted on the peaceful characteristics 
of its nuclear program and accused Israel of having the truly 
dangerous nuclear force. 
 
¶5.  Canada voiced concern about the number of resolutions 
that singled out Israel, and the disproportionate emphasis on 
the Middle East.  Speeches by the European countries went a 
little further in condemning both Palestinian and Israeli 
actions that promoted conflict.  The European countries and 
Japan insisted, however, that Israeli settlement activities 
must cease. 
 
THE REPEATED CALL: WITHDRAWAL, NO WALL 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  In its intervention and a right of reply to Israel, the 
Palestinian observer emphasized that Israel needed to comply 
with UN resolutions and argued that the problem stemmed from 
Israel's demarcation of "sides."  In reality, the observer 
continued, there is only one side, the side of justice and 
international law, with which Israel refuses to comply. 
During the right of reply, the speaker said that instead of 
asking whether resolutions in the General Assembly contribute 
to peace in the Middle East, the Israeli ambassador should 
ask whether Israel's own actions promote peace. 
 
¶7.  Many delegates commended the work of the Annapolis 
Conference and urged parties to continue talks.  The majority 
of the interventions, particularly from the Arab States and 
non-aligned movement (NAM) countries, included: objections to 
Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people as a violation 
of international law, the UN charter, and principles of human 
rights; calls to end the blockade and construction of a wall 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001120  002 OF 002 
 
 
in Gaza; notice of the economic disadvantages of the 
Palestinian area due to the blockades; requests for Israel to 
completely withdraw from Palestinian areas; and arguments for 
a two-state solution.  The Arab States and NAM member 
countries emphasized the legitimacy of the Palestinian 
people's right to self-determination and the defense and 
exercise of the same. 
 
LIST OF SPEAKERS 
---------------- 
 
¶8.  The following delegations made interventions on the 
"Question of Palestine": Senegal (to introduce draft 
resolutions A/63/L.32-A/63/L.35), Malta (to introduce the 
report A/63/53), France (on behalf of the EU), Cuba (on 
behalf of the NAM), Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada, 
Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, 
Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Palestinian 
Observer, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, 
Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, 
Vietnam, and Yemen.  These countries spoke on "The Situation 
in the Middle East": Egypt (to introduce draft resolutions 
A/63/L.36 and A/63/L.37), Cuba (on behalf of the NAM), 
Australia, China, India, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, 
Norway, Switzerland, Syria, and Turkey. 
Wolff