Israel hints it may consider peace-keeping force in Palestine
UNITED NATIONS—Israel may be changing its mind about an observer force that
would serve as a buffer in the Palestinian occupied territories according to
its UN ambassador. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Yehuda Lancry
told the press on Nov. 28 that an observer force was "possible," if the
parties returned to the peace talks.
Mr. Lancry had told an emergency Security Council meeting on Nov. 22 that
Israel would not even consider conversation concerning an observer force.
After the Nov. 27 emergency meeting Ambassador Lancry said, "maybe some
possibilities will emerge which must be agreed upon by the Palestinians and
Israelis, but first I reiterate the need for all parties to return to the
peace table."
Again a reporter asked the Israeli Ambassador, had Israel softened their
position? He said Israel is not changing its position at this time, "but a
change in position is our option."
Arab nations, led by Libya, requested an emergency Security Council meeting
on Nov. 22 to spotlight the Palestinian death toll and rally support for a
2,000 strong UN military observer force to protect civilians.
Speaking first in a debate, which involved representatives of over 20
countries, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, Dr. Nasser
Al-Kidwa, stressed that the meeting had been requested in response to the
intensified violence on the part of Israel.
"While we abhor the loss of over 250 lives, mostly Palestinians, since the
fighting began in September, we must call attention to the 10,000
Palestinians who have been injured. Many of them have permanent
disabilities," he said.
"The two parties can not put an end to this situation, a third party is
needed. We fail to understand why anybody is objecting to this," Dr. Al-Kidwa
said. He questioned why there had been procrastination in response to the
request for the establishment of the observer force, stressing that as an
occupying power Israel’s approval could not be a requisite condition for the
Council to act.
"The Security Council must assure necessary international protection for
Palestinians under Israeli occupation," Dr. Al-Kidwa added.
Israel repeated its objection at that time to any kind of outside observers.
"We are not convinced of the usefulness of these observers," Israeli
Ambassador Yehuda Lancry said. He said Palestinian lives were endangered only
when they violently attacked Israeli soldiers, while Israelis were targeted
"for the simple fact that they are Israeli."
There is no call for an inquiring commission to investigate Palestinian
wrongdoing, he said. "There are no resolutions passed in condemnation of
Palestinian violations or even a clear call for the Palestinians to
relinquish the path of violence," the Israeli representative charged.
U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, speaking after the Israeli representative,
said the Nov. 22 emergency Council meeting should not have been held in the
first place because it was "designed only as a place to exchange verbal
barbs, which are best left to different forums." Nonetheless, the United
States participated in the meeting because the UN is the central organization
of the world and the Security Council is its most important committee, he
said.
Mr. Holbrooke stressed that the United States continued to support the work
of the international fact-finding committee, which was proposed and agreed
upon at the Sharm el-Sheikh conference in Egypt, held in October. Israel
reportedly does not want the fact-finding committee to begin its work until
the level of violence subsides. The United States says the committee "could
help reduce the violence."
While there seems to be an impasse on this issue between the United States
and Israel, UN observers believe that the U.S. will not buck Israel. They
point to the rhetoric during the presidential election as President Bill
Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush, which
repeatedly emphasized the point that the U.S. would never pressure Israel to
do anything against Israel’s interest.
"That is the American double standard," Cuban Ambassador Bruno Rodriguez
said. "Cuba calls on the Security Council to take action without delay, and
Israel must withdraw to the borders prior to June 4, 1967," he said. This was
agreed upon in the Oslo Accords.
Agreeing with Cuba was the representative of Malaysia: "Israel is the
occupying force and must remove all military forces and settlers to the
pre-1967 border."
Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty
with Israel, recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv after the Israeli
escalation of retaliatory violence, explained its position through the
statement of Ambassador Ahmed Aboulgheit: "We recalled the ambassador in
hopes that Israel would hear this message that we cannot remain silent on the
issue of military occupation. Israel represents an unlawful and illicit
presence."
But, perhaps the strongest condemnation came from the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
representative, Ambassador Abuzed Omar Dorda, when he said the priority for
the international community was to protect the Palestinians. "There is no
hope for peace for the Palestinian people as long as they are under
occupation. You stop the occupation, you stop the violence," he said.
No decision was taken on a protection force and it is still not clear how
many nations would support one if the issue came to a vote.
The Final Call spoke with Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa after the emergency session.
"What would you want the American people to understand?" he was asked.
"The problem is the lack of accurate information. We are a people fighting
for independence and self-determination. We believe that the American people,
if told the truth, will join us in asking their government to come forth with
a more balanced, more reasonable position," Dr. Al-Kidwa said.
http://www.finalcall.com/international/mideast12-05-2000.htm
