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Statement by Mr Fadl Nacerodien on behalf of Ambassador Dumisani S. Kumalo, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations, on behalf of The Non-Aligned Movement, 15 March 2001
Mr President, I would like to congratulate Ukraine on its assumption of the Chair of the Security Council for March 2001. On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement I would like to express our sincere appreciation to you for convening this important discussion in the Security Council. It is essential that we as the United Nations take action to address the pressing situation in Palestine. Just last month, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Rod-Larsen, issued a report on the impact of the repressive measures on the Palestinian people. According to Mr Rod-Larsen, the Palestinian economy has suffered GDP losses of over $900 million since the onset of the crisis, and labour income losses of over $240 million. Based on World Bank data, the report estimates that 32% of the population is now living in poverty -a 50% increase since the onset of the crisis. Closures, blockades, and restrictions on the movement of goods, persons, and resources imposed by Israel have resulted in the economic suffocation of the Palestinian people. By any standards these figures clearly show the devastating impact the closures have on the Palestinian economy, fuelling and fomenting dangerously high levels of frustration and violence. The international community, much less the Security Council, cannot remain silent whilst a militarily superior occupying force violates international humanitarian law. How many more innocent lives must be lost before we take action? The Non-Aligned Movement repeats the call on the Security Council to pass a resolution mandating the immediate deployment of a force to protect Palestinian civilians against the impact of the military campaign of the Israeli armed forces. The United Nations, and in particular the Security Council as the custodian of international peace and security, must adopt measures to bring an immediate end to the suffering of the Palestinian people. Mr President, The recent closure of Palestinian towns by the Israeli Defence Force, and in particular the ongoing blockade of Ramallah, has further undermined the already precarious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Territories. Palestinian civilians are not only being prevented from reaching their places of work in Israel, but they are also being denied access to essential food and medicine supplies. Such a heavy-handed and disproportionate response by Israel constitutes an affront to the most basic rights of the Palestinian people. These actions contravene Security Council Resolution 1322, which calls upon Israel to meticulously abide by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. As members of this Council well know, the Fourth Geneva Convention expressly prohibits the collective punishment of a civilian population. The Non-Aligned Movement therefore reiterates its call on Israel to act with restraint, and to meticulously abide by its legal obligations with respect to the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. The conference of High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention held in Geneva in July last year stated its readiness to reconvene should the need arise. The High Contracting Parties had, in common article 1, agreed to "undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances." Clearly the time has come for the High Contracting Parties to meet urgently on the situation in Palestine. Mr President, The NAM has long affirmed that the question of Palestine constitutes the nucleus of the Middle East conflict. The achievement of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital, is pivotal to the achievement of a sustained and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The Movement believes that peaceful negotiation is the only means of ensuring lasting peace, security and stability in the region. We urge the parties to take the required steps to ensure the cessation of hostilities, to restore calm, and adopt measures to reestablish mutual trust. It is only then that an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of negotiations, can be created. We firmly believe that the condition of land for peace is essential if meaningful progress in the peace process is to be attained. For a durable, just and comprehensive peace, negotiation towards final status issues has to be in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and international legitimacy. Once more the NAM wishes to repeat our firm belief that it remains the permanent responsibility of the United Nations to stay fully engaged in the Palestinian question until a definitive solution is achieved.
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