UN: Concluding General Debate, Speakers Call for Modernization of Fourth Committee’s Approaches to Western Sahara, Israeli-Palestinian Issues

UNITED NATIONS, New York, Nov 3 – As the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate today, several delegates called on the Committee to revise its outdated approaches to the questions of Palestine and Western Sahara, while others voiced varying assessments of the work of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The representative of Israel, referring to the raft of agenda items taken up annually on issues related to the Palestinian people, said is time for the Committee to revise its practices and rhetoric on the Middle East and join the region’s growing positive momentum. The work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting Human Rights of Palestinian People and Other Arabs of Occupied Territories — which reports to the Fourth Committee each year — damages the prospect for peace in the Middle East and promotes one-sided propaganda, ignoring Israeli efforts to achieve peace. Turning to UNRWA, he warned that no United Nations agency should pursue a politically motivated agenda and urged the Committee to hold the Agency accountable.

The representative of the United States also expressed his delegation’s opposition to the annual submission of several Committee resolutions biased against Israel, stressing that such a one-sided approach undermines trust between the parties and fails to create the positive environment critical to achieving peace in the Middle East. Highlighting United States $318 million contribution to UNWRA in 2021, he pledged to continue working with the Agency to strengthen its accountability, transparency and adherence to the principles of neutrality and impartiality.

Striking a different tone, the observer for the League of Arab States said the various reports before the Committee confirm the pursuit of unilateral measures by Israel aimed at imposing a new reality on the ground, in violation of Security Council resolutions.

In a similar vein, Turkey’s representative pointed to the disastrous impact of Israeli actions on the economic and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially the Gaza Strip. She rejected allegations made against UNWRA’s educational programme, describing it as an “antidote to hatred and intolerance in the region” and calling on the global community to ensure predictable and lasting funding for the Agency.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the observer for the State of Palestine dismissed Israel’s attempts to libel UNWRA as “shameful” and noted that Israel has become “addicted to believing it is above the law”. Turning to the comments made by the Israeli representative regarding the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices, he stated that the latter’s reports are neither biased nor anti‑Israel, while its findings are corroborated by numerous human rights organizations.

Among other topics addressed during the meeting was the longstanding question of Western Sahara. Addressing the Committee, the representative of Morocco described the body’s approach to the conflict as “anachronistic” and at odds with the Security Council’s recently adopted and forward-looking resolution 2602 (2021). Noting that Algeria’s responsibility in the conflict has been established at all levels, he accused that country of investing $375 million in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO Front).

In response, the representative of Algeria said Morocco’s attempts to present Algeria as a protagonist in the situation are part of a “far-fetched and hollow narrative”, aimed at diverting attention from its own colonizing activities. A simple reading of relevant United Nations resolutions shows that the POLISARIO Front is a democratically elected representative of the Sahrawi people, she added.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Mozambique, Grenada, Gabon, Panama, Eritrea, China, Dominica, Comoros, Papua New Guinea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Azerbaijan, Guyana and Madagascar.

An observer for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also participated.

Also speaking in exercise of the right of reply were representatives of the United Kingdom, Iran, Japan, Armenia, Argentina, Lebanon, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Morocco.

The Fourth Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 November, to take action on draft resolutions.

JEFFREY DELAURENTIS (United States), noting that his Government has prioritized its commitment to fight COVID‑19, detailed its significant funding to its overseas territories — the United States Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. That support included life-saving medical equipment, protective gear, food security and paycheck protection, among other things. Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said his country continues to oppose the annual submission of several Committee resolutions biased against Israel. That one-sided approach undermines trust between the parties and fails to create the positive environment critical to achieving peace. Emphasizing the United States $318 million contribution to UNWRA in 2021, he noted that the Agency still faces a huge budget shortfall and requires additional financial and material assistance. Reiterating his country’s view that UNWRA needs reforms, he pledged to continue working with the Agency to strengthen its accountability, transparency and adherence to the principles of neutrality and impartiality. On the issue of outer space, he welcomed the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space, noting that his country co-sponsored the recent adoption of the Space 2030 Agenda.

GENG SHUANG (China), speaking on the issue of decolonization, said the legacy of colonialism is hindering development in the world’s remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories. In that context, he called upon the administering Powers to take effective measures to promote development, protect the environment and safeguard human rights, as well as to compensate for the negative consequences of colonialism. On the question of Palestine, he expressed support for a two-State solution, calling on Israel to facilitate the entry of humanitarian supplies and reconstruction materials and put an end to the expansion of settlements. Voicing his support for the Palestinians’ pursuit of an independent State, he lauded UNWRA’s work guaranteeing such basic services as education and medical care for over 5 million Palestine refugees and called upon the international community to scale up is political and financial support for the Agency. On peacekeeping, he noted that China has deployed personnel to 26 United Nations peacekeeping operations and advocated for the formulation of clear, feasible and focused mandates. With regard to atomic radiation, he voiced support to the work of the Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and called for a comprehensive assessment of the disposal of the nuclear-contaminated water in Fukushima, Japan.

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