Statement by
H.E. Mrs. Adiyatwidi Adiwoso Asmady
Deputy Permanent Representative
of the Republic of Indonesia
before the Plenary Meeting
of the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly
on Agenda Item 36:
the Situation in the Middle East
New York, 30 November 2004
Mr. President,
Let me first express the appreciation of my delegation to the Secretary-General
for his reports on “The Situation in the Middle East,”
the past year. My delegation takes note of the Secretary-General’s
contacts, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution
58/21 of 3 December 2003, of all parties to the conflict regarding
steps taken by them to implement the relevant provisions of the
resolution.
Unfortunately, as it had in the past, Israel responded to the Secretary-General’s
contact by dismissing the enabling resolution as unbalanced and
an undue interference in the matter, and as ‘counter-productive
to the very spirit of peace.”
We find it difficult to comprehend a situation where a state that
claims to be interested in peace would insist on the imposition
of its rules on all the other parties as a precondition for peace.
This is what Israel has continued to do, using its military might.
Israel’s high¬handed approach, indexed on its militarism,
has seen nearly one million Palestinians affected by its construction
of the separation wall, and Palestinians isolated from one another.
Israel’s insistence on playing by its own rules has seen a
tremendous worsening in the economic and humanitarian affairs in
the West Bank and Gaza. and a general disrespect for international
humanitarian and human rights law.
As a result of all this, the Secretary-General observes correctly
that the peace process in the Middle East has stalled. He also points
out that “the rising number of deaths and injuries is evidence
of the lack of progress in advancing the peace process over the
last year.”
The truth here is that progress is impossible in any endeavor if
individual entities are playing by different rules. It is in the
interest of peace, and of Israel. that the relevant resolutions
of the United Nations apply to everyone. Israel cannot continue
with the construction of the wall—and other serious concerns
such as Israeli military raids and assassinations, closures, curfews
and blockades, and expect Palestinians to believe that there is
indeed a peace process in effect. Israel must comply with the Geneva
Convention and, in addition to halting the construction of the wall,
comply with its obligations to protect civilians.
On the issue of the Syrian Golan. we would like to reaffirm the
absolute need for Israel to end its occupation, as stipulated in
General Assembly resolution 58/23, entitled “the Syrian Golan,”
and other relevant Security Council resolutions. Israel’s
decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on
the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and without any validity
whatsoever. Similarly, we call on Israel to terminate its illegal
activities and violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty
of Lebanon, and on the Security Council to assume its responsibility
towards ending this longstanding conflict.
We would also like to reaffirm General Assembly resolution 58/22
entitled “Jerusalem,” which calls upon the international
community to exert pressure on Israel to end its occupation of the
Arab territories occupied by it in 1967, including Jerusalem; Security
Council resolution 478 (1980) which did not recognize Israel’s
“basic law’ on Jerusalem and affirmed that Israel’s
decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on
Al-Quds al-Sharif was illegal and consequently null and void and
totally lacking in validity.
Mr. President,
Having said this, it is reassuring that during the period, the Security
Council continued to regard the situation in the Middle East as
one of the most important items on its agenda, receiving a variety
of briefings, as well as holding five open meetings and regular
informal consultations. It is also on record that the Council adopted
two resolutions. On 19 November 2003, in resolution 1515 (2003),
the Council endorsed the Road Map and called on the parties to fulfill
their obligations to it. Similarly, on 19 May 2004, the Council
adopted resolution 1544 (2004), in which it called on Israel to
respect its obligations under international humanitarian law.
While this is reassuring, we feel that there is need for the Council
to do more than adopt its resolutions and observe them being flouted.
Resolutions adopted by the body with the mandate for the maintenance
of international peace and security are not worth the paper upon
which they are printed unless they are implemented. It is the responsibility
of the Council to ensure that these resolutions are implemented.
It is impossible to imagine peace in the Middle East without a just
solution to the Palestinian issue, just as it is impossible to imagine
any progress on the road to peace without full implementation of
the relevant resolutions.
Mr. President,
Turning to Iraq, my delegation would like to stress the importance
of arresting the violence and insecurity as a matter of priority.
This is critical especially as the elections scheduled for January
2005 come around, and the need to create appropriate conditions
for the conduct of the polls cannot be over-emphasized. In this
process, Indonesia calls on the international community to recognize
and assert the independence and territorial integrity of the Iraqi
people. Conducting free, fair and orderly elections is of the utmost
importance to the future of this great country.
Mr. President,
Peace in the Middle East is within reach. However, Indonesia believes
that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East cannot be
achieved without a just and comprehensive settlement of the issue
of Palestine, which is the key to peace in the area. In this regard,
what is needed is for all parties to implement the Road Map. The
objective of the Road Map: two independent States living side by
side within internationally-recognized borders, is valid, and it
is achievable. We call on all the parties to approach the achievement
of that objective with a sense of realism; otherwise the concept
of peace in the Middle East might remain only a concept.
Before I close, permit me also to take this opportunity to call
upon the international community to support the work of the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East by helping to eliminate the obstacles to its work.
Thank you, Mr. President.
