A/39/PV.72 General Assembly

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General, for his valuable reports to the Assembly. I should also like to thank the Chairman and the members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. I wish to thank, too, the Chairman and members of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories for their valuable and objective reports, which have informed us all of the facts of what is currently taking place in the occupied Arab territories and the efforts to bring back the lost peace in Palestine and the Middle East. 2. I wish to express my condolences to the Yugoslav delegation and Government on the death of Mr. Becir Meholjic, former representative of Yugoslavia in the Special Committee, which has saddened me very much. 3. The Secretary-General, in his report on the work of the Organization, says: "After the Second World War there was admit- tedly a certain over-confidence in the capacity of international institutions, born of a desperate desire to build a new and better world. It then seemed possible to establish, as a first priority, a system for maintaining international peace and security under the provisions of the Charter. If such a system could become effective, the main obstacle to disarmament and arms limitation, the insecurity of nations, would be removed, and the rule of law rather than the rule of force would at last begin to come into its own on the international level." [See A/39/1.] The Secretary-General also states that: "There is also, on occasion, an apparent reluctance to make the effort required to use international organizations effectively." [lbid.] 4. Two principles have become enshrined in inter- national relations: the principles of the non-use of force in solving international disputes and the neces- sity of creating an international institution to estab- lish the laws, organize them and ensure their effective use and implementation in human relations. These principles were established by mankind after the suffering in many wars, which led to the death or Monday, 26 November 1984, NEWYOAK dispersal of millions of people. Therefore, the League of Nations was set up, followed by the United Nations. ' 5. The principle of the non-use of force for the settlement of international disputes became one of the most irnportant principles of the United Nations. Beginning in 1948, the year in which Israel was created, and continuing to this day-that is, for 36 years-the Organization has been attempting to ensure implementation of a resolution adopted in 1947 [resolution 181 (II)] which called for the cre- ation of two States on the land of Palestine, one for Israel and the other for Palestine. Throughout all that time, Israel has derided and flouted the United Nations, which created it in the first place, and has disregarded the Organization's resolutions and deci- sions. 6. The first principle on which the United Nations was based, the principle of the non-use of force in solving international disputes, became the first prin- ciple, but in reverse, of the Israeli State created by the Organization; resort to force became Israel's main method of settling its disagreements with the neigh- bouring Arab States. The international Organization which established Israel became, according to Israel-and has been so declared by Israel's leaders and presidents-merely a group of poor and weak developing countries which have fallen under the influence of Arab money and blackmail. Right, in its opinion, has become something that can be bought with money and weapons, not decided by the rule of law and legitimacy. There are dozens of examples of what has been said and written by Israeli leaders and representatives concerning their opinion of the coun- tries of Asia and Africa. 7. The most important principle in the Charter of the United Nations, that pertaining to the non-use of force, became the most important principle in Israeli practices but in a thoroughly distorted way. Israel's security, in its opinion, can be achieved only by force. Peace can be achieved only by force. It was witchcraft, therefore, turned against the witch; the innocent lamb which saddened the world because of its suffering at the hands of the Nazis and the Fascists during the Second World War turned into a ferocious wolf which eats everything in its way; force became the basis of everything and the Arabs were unable to understand anything else. That is the Israeli logic, and it has tried to convince the world of this logic. Whoever understands such logic becomes the wise man who sympathizes with Semitism; whoever does not accept such a principle and believes in something else becomes an anti-Semite who is subjected to Arab blackmail and money. Nazi sadism applied to Jews became Israeli sadism applied to Arabs. The Nazi ovens built for Jews have been turned by the Israelis into ovens for the Palestinians. In this respect, I !ogl~ that Israel presents to the world community to Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Justify Its a~gres~lOn. Israel occupies the lands of Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the others and kills,pillagesand perpetrates ~assacres to Occupied Territories the Chairman wrote: protect Its security and borders, Then It refuses to ". .'." withdraw from the occupied territories, using the The information contained In this report, reflects same arguments and rather strange logic in defining the continuation of the policy of annexation and security. We still ask, as we have always asked: who settlement which the, Government of Israel has needs security-the aggressor or the victim of aggres- followed with increasing vigour m the terntones sion? occupied In June 1967. Settlements that were , . .. established in earlier years have been enlarged and 11. In response to Israel s policy ,of l~tran~lgence, consolidated, new settlements have been establish- hegemony and force, as well as It.S. false Idea of ed and plans for further settlements have been security, there are two schoolsof political thought In announced extending into the next century. The the Arab.world. The first, which my cou~try emb- number of Israeli settlers continues to in- r~ces) believes that hope of a political solution to our crease ... " [A/39/591 p, 5]. disputes With Israel has not been completelylost.We. . ' . . believe that there is still a chance to avoid war and I? SIncethe ~epo~t, which lists hundreds of contin- the evils of war in our region and the world. That is umg Israeli violations of the most fundamental why we have always sought peace through a compre- human rights in the occupied territories, is before the hensive international solution acceptable to all par- Assembly, I WIll not go into ItS details, but I should ties. like to draw attention to the following passage in the . . letter of transmittal: 12. There IS anothe~ group that has ceased seekIng" " " peace WIth Israel. This group has become convinced The Specia! Committee cannot but reiterate ItS that Israel, which was established by force, can only hope that this report may serve ~s the base upon understand the logic of force. We still say to our which the international community can assess the brothers who have become exhausted by Israel's plight of the civilian population an~ the urgent intransigence and continued aggression: "Remain need to Improve their condition. Without mean- patien!: as we do. There ls still some justice in the ingful and effective action in this .respect the world. 'j'Ve have always said, and we continue to say international community IS allowing itself ,to get to our fnends and allpeace-lovingStates as wesay in nearer to a situation m the region which It WIll find the United Nations: "Help us to ~toP. I~raeli aggres- eventually very difficult to resolve." [Ibid., p. 6,] ~Ion. Help us to change t.he Israeli 10~IC of force and 18. In a letter to the Secretary-General, the Chair- ItS mistaken understanding of security. Help us to man of the Committee on the Exercise of the attain peace so as not to lose the hope of convincing Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People writes: ~armongers, as Israel tries to portray them. They are States, in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territo- like all other people m the world. They want to hve III nes; Israel must therefore accept the territory allocat- pea<:e, without war and destruction, Israel must,. in ed to it by this international Organization. It must particular, become aware of this fact and must grve give up the policy of greed which in the long run will them as well as its own people the opportunity of achieve nothing. ' achieving this objective. The second lesson is that . . force is not a solution to international problems. 29. The seventh reality that we hope Israel will Force cannot lead to peace and security. Occupation become aware of-and the world IS convinced of of the lands of others by force cannot provide thIS-IS. that .no peace process. can succeed without security. As long as there is occupation there will the participation of representatives of the Palestinian always be resort to force and violence on both sides. people. In the first place, the aggression has beep The existence of such occupation, under any slogan a~amst Palestine, not the Arab States, and ,the baSIC used to justify it, be it "self-rule" or another name, disagreement IS an Israeli-Palestinian one. 1 herefore, will continue to be faced by rebellion, mistrust and ill there .c,!-n be no peace Without the presence of intentions on both sides and in turn will lead to force Palestinian representatives at the negotiating table. and violence. The third lesson that we must accept, Since there. is international unanimity between Arabs and particularly Israel, is that genuine peace is one and Palestinians that the only. repr~sent~tlve of the that creates good intentions and trust between the Palestinian people IS the Palestme Liberation Organi- two warring parties and that any treaties or agree- ~atlOn [PLO], Israel must heed the international will; ments arrived at through force cannot produce good It must recognize the PLO-and vice versa-and It intentions and mutual trust which are the real bases must drop the claim, which has been rejected for any international or bil~teral peace process. The throughout the world, that the PLO is a terrorist fourth reality is that security guarantees must either orgamzation and the. demand that it delete from its be international or have international blessing so that charter the idea of driving Israel into the se~. Of what their success and effectiveness can be assured. The use would It be for the PLO to say that It was no United Nations has succeeded every time it has been longer. a threat to. Israel and to delete that phrase entrusted with maintaining security based on trust from .Its charter If that were done without good and mutual goodwill. The important fifth factor mtentlO~sand Simply to embarrass Israel and force it which has been proved true and is clear to all is that to negotiate] We have already said that the basic pre- the two super-Powers have interests and concerns in condition of real peace IS the existence of good faith the Middle East, whether strategic or economic and and mutual trust under international guarantees. thismeans-s-because, if the peace ~rocess is to .be 30. The last point that I wish to mention concerns realistic we cannot hide our heads m the sand like an erroneous theory based on the false idea of eace ostriches-a-that .a comprehensive, npt a unilateral, to which I have already referred According tg this solution IS required. Unilateral solutions that do not erroneous theory, Israel must be ~ilitarily superior if take.Into account the mterests and concerns of other peace is to be achieved. But what peace could there partIes cannot succeed, because those other part.les, be in the region achieved through super-armament? 1D defence of then interests, will exert every possible Those who advocate that theory say that as Ion a~ effort to thwart such unilateral attempts and again we there was Israeli superiority Israel Id f 1 g shall return to the VIClOUS CIrcle that we have d hi' . w0l;l ee more mentioned of lack of trust, bad faith and resort to secure an t at wou d mcrease It~ desire for peace, force. There would be opposition to that force and and that, as Arabs saw that Israel! supenority, they thus the avalanche of violence and instability would would feel the need for peace. Facts and events have be set off again. proved. how wrong that theory IS. Indeed, the cop- . trary IS true, because while Israel Increases ItS 27. In hIS report on the work of the Organization, armaments it feels stronger, more intransigent and the Secretary-General says: more hegemonistic; it does not feel any need for "The strongest peace-keeping operation would be peace. It knows that it is superior, that it can attack o~e which had the unreserved support, political, others and that it can depend on an endless flow of dlp!omatIc and financial, of all the Members of the ~eapo~s and money? On the other hand, with United Nations and even the actual participation mcreasmg Israeli armaments the Arabs feel a need of the permanent members of the Security Council for weapons-weapons which have become very easy under the mandate of the Council. This may be to obta~n-so as to protect themselves against Israeli unrealistic at present, but it is also the political aggression. And thus, again, we start that vicious truth which indeed applies across the whole range circle of armaments at the expense of the poor people of the activities of the Organization." [See A/39/1.} who are being killed, spending large su~s. of money 28. The sixth lesson which we must draw is one that for that purpose while development activities cease. we hope every Jew living inside Israel ~ill be made ~ 1. Tht: Secretary-General, in his report, states that: a~are of-everyJew who desires for ~IS family, hIS ' In the light of the deep tension in the Middle East children and hIS. grandchildren a. life of pe.ac~, and the emergence of new factors in the situation, WIthout threats, VIOlence, mutual killing-s-that It IS nothing could be less realistic than to expect the propo~al, made on 15 September 1982;4 and the Egyptian-French proposal submitted to the Security Council as a draft resolution on 28 July 1982.5 Israel has refused all those proposals, and thus we come back to the question of what Israel wants. Those peace plans all have one common denominator-the need for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories and for security guarantees for all the parties in the region. There is a second fundamental question: if the world is unanimous on the matter of Israeli withdrawal, why has withdrawal not yet taken place? 33. Before concluding, I should like to quote from two important r~ports beforeus which give some facts about the painful realities m our countries while the international community continues its tortuous search for peace in the Middle East and Palestine. The Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People states the following: "The Committee feels that, at this critical junc- ture, a concentrated effort to find a just solution to the question of Palestine. and to end the unaccept- able plight of the Palestinian people is long over- due. "The Committee is convinced that the Interna- tional Peace Conference on the Middle East, recommended by the Geneva Conference and endorsed in General Assembly resolution 38/58 C, will provide an opportunity for all parties con- cerned to participate in negotiations which should lead to a just solution of the problem. The Com- mittee, therefore, strongly recommends that inter- national action should henceforth concentrate on the preparations necessary for the convening of this Conference and contribute to its successful and peaceful outcome." [A/39/35 paras. 159 and 160.] , 34. The Secretary-General also says in his report: "It seems obvious that the Middle East conflict involving as it does complex interrelated issues' can ultimately be fully resolved only by a compre~ hensive settlement covering all its aspects. This fact needs to be kept firmly in mind by the parties concerned, since all the agreements that have been reached in the past, whether within the United Nations framework or outside it, were clearly intended as interim steps in the search for a comprehensive peace. I continue to believe that a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East will have to meet the following conditions: the with- drawal of the Israeli forces from occupied territo- ries; respect of and acknowledgement of the sover- eignty, territorial integrity and political indepen- dence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized bound- aries, free from threats or acts of force; and, lastly a just settlement of the Palestinian problem based on the recognition of the legitimate rights of the ~e find ourselves examining the Palestinian ques- tion; that IS why what we today call "The situation in the Middle East" reconfirms that the Palestinian questi<?n is the essence and the core of the problem of the Middle East. Any attempt to resolve the crisis witho':lt dealing with its central element, namely, Palestme, or to resolve it at the expense of that central element, would be an insidious and mislead- ing attempt, leading us nowhere. It is impossible to resolve the problem of the Middle East without facing the core of the matter and without resolving the question of the Palestinian people in such a way as.to restore to it all of its usurped rights. The Arab rejection of the Camp David agreements is evidence of Arab determination to preserve their inalienable rights. 37: Any constructive discussion of any aspect of this problem that is threatening international peace and s.ecurity. must go back to the very roots of the question which the General Assembly is considering. The roots of the Middle East crisis-which has given rise. to, the Arab-Israeli conflict-s-go back to the beginning of the century, to the conflict ofinterests of the colonialist Powers and their frenzied race in which they tried to divide the region of the Middle East and parcel out among themselves territories having great strategic importance and immense natu- ral resources, as well as shipping lanes and air and land routes, of vital interest to the whole world. These colonialist designs completely overlooked the interests of the peoples of the region and even trampled underfoot the most sacred right of all namely, the right of peoples to self-determination.' 38. Thus the conflict was born when Palestine was partitioned, not to make out of it a homeland for its 3~. In the .same report, the Secretary-General pro- vides some ideas which could be of help in finding a framework for a comprehensive and durable peace in Palestine and the Middle East. He says: "Earlier this year, both in the Middle East and elsewhere, I discussed with a number of Govern- ments concerned the possibility of using the ma- chinery of the Security Council in a new way to work with the parties concerned on various aspects of the MIddle East problem and to distil from the vanous proposals and plans that have been put forward in recent years the common elements that could help to work out the basis of a negotiating structure. I beheved that such a process, if it could be initiated, might still have served to clear the ground and to prepare for a full-fledged effort to negotiate the problem." [Ibid., para. 45.] 36. ¥r. EL-FATTAL (Syrian Arab Republic) (inter- pretation from Arabic): The item under consideration today, entitled "The situation in the Middle East" should in fact be entitled "The question of Pales~ tine", because it is the result of the first Israeli aggression that J:1as now expanded to encompass the whole of the Middle East. We debate this item we submit texts and ideas, we engage in rhetoric: we acquamt ourselves WIth the reports of the Secretary- General on the Middle East, and we note that everything proceeds from the question of Palestine. We listen to statements on the question of the Middle East, we adopt resolutions one after another, and still co~tmumg to occul?Y large are~s. of that c~l;lntry, 81. Now, I am happy, even eager, to discuss the while at the sa~e time. undermining the legitimate Arab-Israeli dispute, but, if we are asked here to role of the United Nations, discuss the general situation in the Middle East then 77. We cannot better express the Syrian attitude by all means let us do so' let us look at the conditions than ~o repeat the words of President Hafez al-Assad, that obtain in the many ~ountriesof the region, let us who, m addressing the Seventh Conference of Heads ponder what drives the various conflicts let us of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, consider the level of violence and its sour~es. held at New Delhi m March 1983, spoke about the 82 Th b I I'd' .. difficult situation with which Syria has to cope owing . e Ara ~ srae I ispute, ~ven If considered to the Israeli invasion: ~nder the dehberat~!y misleading rubric of .the " . " Palestinian problem , certainly ments appropnate What Israel and the United States are seeking !S attention. I intend to have my say on this matter in a myth. The aspirations of the people to their our upcoming debate on this topic. But at this time I homeland and legitimate nghts. c~nnot be buried should hke tOIfocus on the broader question which is by force of arms. The Palestinian people Will the subject of today's discussion: the situation in the continue tobe a strong people defending ItS rights, Middle East. The Palestinian cause Will continue to be our '" . cause-a cause that we shall defend with honour 83. I pial). ~o examme a single proposition that has without accepting compromise, without accepting been" uncn~IC~lly accepted by many-namely, that its liquidation the Palestinian problem" lies at the heart of the "A f h b h I present unrest in the Middle East Even many of remafn f~i~hfulr~ o~l;bR ~ti~~e~anon, w~ shall those. who know enough not to r~duce the Arab- people and help it with ill avail~bihat fnendly Israeh. dispute to the much n.arrower question of the defend its freedom, independence andela~daSs ri~ Palestinian Arabs still subscribe to the notion that m will be the fortress on which all the efforts'olthe onefl~a~ or another It drives or exacerbates ap American imperialists and Zionists towards ex an- con ICt m the region. We are frequently told that If sion and for the subjugation and oppression otthe ~e solve this problem, however It IS defined! w~ shall Arab people will be dashed ave peace m the area, or at least a significant " . . . reduction In the level of violence and conflict. hi Despite all appearances, I have confidence m a However plausible this idea may appear, it breaks s mmg. future and victory over the aggressor." down under closer examination. r· h For I~S part, the General Assembly has constant- 84. In recent decades virtually every Arab State has y s own ItS awareness of the situation and under- been in conflict-in border disputes, subversion, NOTES