Security. Council postpones (Israel) separation fence hearing to Tuesday

Ha'aretz ^ | 10 October 2003 | Shlomo Shamir and Agencies

[anotherview]

Last Update: 10/10/2003 21:06
Sec. Council postpones separation fence hearing to Tuesday
Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent and Agencies

The UN Security Council on Friday agreed to a U.S. request to postpone to next Tuesday an open discussion on the separation fence Israel is building in the West Bank and around Jerusalem.

The decision was reached during a closed dicussion of Security Council members on the fence, which marked the first time the UN has addressed the issue.

All UN member states will have the right to speak at Wednesday's hearing.

During Friday's discussion, Syria presented a draft resolution condemning Israel.

The Palestinians warned Washington on Friday that the Middle East peace process would be doomed if a U.S. veto allows Israel to continue building the fence.

If Israel is allowed to continue construction, "this will mean the end of the two-state solution, and that will take us to either a more drastic and radical solution or perpetual conflict. It should be looked at that seriously," Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al-Kidwa said.

Al-Kidwa called for a UN Security Council vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution seeking to bar Israel from building the fence on Palestinian land and denouncing plans for more than 600 new homes in Israeli settlements.

After initial closed-door talks on the Palestinian request, diplomats said there was broad support in the 15-nation council for a resolution on the security barrier, although changes in the Palestinian draft were likely.

Most members feel the wall "is illegal, and they want to say something about it," Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said.

But U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte suggested Washington would use its veto to kill the measure.

"We don't think that one-sided resolutions of this kind serve any useful purpose even though we also recognize that we have our own reservations about Israeli actions with respect to construction of the wall," Negroponte told reporters.

"We think that both sides should avoid actions to escalate the situation, and we have said we don't think that building this fence is consistent with the vision of a Palestinian state living side by side at peace with its neighbor Israel."

Negroponte has said a resolution would have to denounce, by name, the militant groups that have taken responsibility for suicide bombings in Israel and also condemn last Saturday's deadly attack in Haifa, Israel, to win U.S. backing.

"I don't see our Syrian colleagues rushing forth to propose resolutions in those regards and those are utterly and totally reprehensible acts," he said. Syria, a council member, has formally sponsored the Palestinian text.

Earlier, a government source in Washington also said that the the United States was expected to veto any resolution that may follow the Security Council discussions.

The request for the Security Council session was initiated by the Palestine Liberation Organization and was followed by an official request by the Arab member-states. The meeting was the first time the UN has addressed the fence issue.

Israel says the barrier - which consists of a sophisticated electronic fence in most areas and a concrete wall in specific locations - is needed to keep out suicide bombers who have killed hundreds of its citizens during the past three years of violence. Palestinians call the project a land grab.

[anotherview]

UN: OK, we won't condemn you Israelis today. We'll do it on Tuesday instead.

[Support Free Republic]

The Free Republic Lifeform

"... This is a wonderful description of what Free Republic really is. It is a living and evolving Life Form to battle the left wingers and those who would destroy this country!

The Free Republic Life Form enables us to discover the truth about what is happening. We can avoid the spin of the major mediots as they work 24/7 to weaken this country. We come to the Free Republic Life Form to find the truth! ...

Free Republic needs a constant infusion of cash to keep the Free Republic Life Form alive, viable and to grow. If we believe in Free Republic, we must donate each month or quarterly to keep this incredible life form alive...

Good stewardship is what this world needs, not good intentions. Good conservative stewards will insure that the Free Republic Life Form continues to grow, be viable and thrives!"

Thank You for your support!

Click The Logo To Donate

Or mail checks to

FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794

or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com

[goldstategop]

We will condemn Israel for not allowing Jews to be sitting ducks in a homocide bombers' gallery.

[Tai_Chung]

Al-Kidwa called for a UN Security Council vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution seeking to bar Israel from building the fence on Palestinian land

The Palestians don't have a country so they don't have any land. This resolution violates Israel's sovereignty.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Let's see if I've got the international position straight. Israel shouldn't control Palestine, and should give it statehood. However, it shouldn't have a fence in the place where such a new Pali state's border would be. Further, this is more important than defending Israel's own populace against terrorism, because it cause hardships for Palestinians who might wish to shop and work in Israel. This is wrong because not all Palestinians are bombers. Preserving the rights of the Palestinians who aren't bombers is imperative, and therefore it is irrelevant that all Israelis suicide bombers are Palestinian (or their sympathizers).

There, I think I've got it now.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Security Council meets on (Israel's) security fence

We think that both sides should avoid actions to escalate the situation, and we have said we don't think that building this fence is consistent with the vision of a Palestinian state living side by side at peace with its neighbor Israel.

Ambassador John Negroponte

--------------

Sure, it’s the fence that’s caused all the trouble the last 50 years or so.

[af_vet_1981]

If Israel is allowed to continue construction, "this will mean the end of the two-state solution, and that will take us to either a more drastic and radical solution or perpetual conflict. It should be looked at that seriously," Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al-Kidwa said.

Okay, door number one : the "more drastic and radical solution."