United Nations General Assembly 58th Session

Statement by
H.E. Mr. Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat
Secretary-General of the Department of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Indonesia

Before the Tenth Emergency Special Session of
the General Assembly
on Illegal Israeli Actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

New York, 20 October 2003

Mr. President,

Allow me, at the outset, to express the appreciation of my delegation to you for convening the 21st plenary meeting of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly on Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This meeting is indeed both very urgent and timely in preventing the region from plunging into a deeper cycle of violence.

Mr. President,

As we all recall, the United Nations Security Council last week failed to adopt a draft resolution containing, among other things, a declaration by the Council that Israel’s construction of the wall in the Occupied Territories is illegal under international law. The failure of the Council to adopt the draft resolution has raised the resentment of Palestinians who had already been disappointed by the Security Council last month, particularly in connection with a similar fiasco on the draft resolution regarding the Israeli Government’s decision to expel President Yasser Arafat from Palestinian territories. Time and again, we have witnessed the fact that the Security Council is unable to take necessary measures to force Israel to come to terms that would lead to a just and fair solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Therefore, my delegation wishes to register its deep regret over the failure of the Council to adopt draft resolution no. S/2003/980 on the construction of the wall. We believe that it has conveyed a wrong message to the Government of Israel.

The general debate prior to the voting on that draft elucidated the menace of the recent policies by Israel that have affected the well-being of Palestinian society and the prospect of establishing the Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The construction of the wall clearly goes beyond security measures. It is an illegal, de facto annexation of expansive areas of the occupied Palestinian land. Continuing and inconsiderate Israeli policies of this nature constitute a serious threat to the Quartet’s “Performance-based Road Map To A Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” which was published last year.

In this regard, my Government would like to reiterate its support for the idea of ending the conflict on the basis of the Road Map, and relevant Security Council as well as General Assembly resolutions. For the avoidance of doubt, my delegation would like to reiterate that the destination of the Road Map, in its own words, is a “final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict by 2005.” This settlement, to be negotiated between the parties, would result “in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors.” Towards that end, Israel must cease its ill-practices, including the construction of the wall, as these are in contradiction with, and endanger the Road Map. In addition, the completed portions of the wall must be demolished. It is important that Israel recognizes this vital responsibility in the process.

Finally, let me express my Delegation’s sincere hopes that the 21st plenary meeting of the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory adopts the draft resolutions before us. Their adoption provides a new ground for the parties concerned to return to the negotiating table.

I thank you Mr. President.