under ECOSOC General Segment Agenda Item 14(a) “Social and human rights questions: Advancement of Women” resolution contained in E/2011/27 entitled “Situation of and assistance to Palestinian Women”

Geneva, Palais des Nations,
July 26, 2011

Mr. President,

The United States takes the floor to express our disappointment with the draft resolution entitled “”Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women” which is contained in the report of the Fifty-Fifth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (E/2011/27) and to explain why we are voting against it.

The United States, along with so many of our international partners, remains committed to supporting the Palestinian people, including Palestinian women, in practical and effective ways.  Our deep interest in advancing humanitarian conditions of the Palestinians is clearly reflected in our ongoing support of vital programs that continue to break ground in integrating gender into the public reform and development process, and in creating environments to enable Palestinian women to advance and lead.

The United States is the largest bilateral donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).  The United States also contributes significant amounts to bilateral assistance and other UN programs providing assistance to Palestinian women and the entire Palestinian population.

We remain deeply engaged regarding the situation in Gaza.  The United States will continue to work with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and international partners to improve the lives of ordinary people.  To that end, we note with concern that Hamas authorities have undertaken efforts to narrow women’s freedom of public appearance and movement, and that enforcement of “ethical” crimes in Gaza appear to be on an upward trend.

In light of this, we remain troubled at the CSW’s insistence on adding political elements and one-sided condemnations that detract from the real challenges at hand.  As these elements are unhelpful to all involved, we call on this Commission to refocus its future energy more effectively towards our shared goals.

The United States continues to pursue a comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on a two-state solution and an agreement that establishes a viable, independent, and contiguous state of Palestine alongside a secure state of Israel.  We are committed to working with the Quartet and regional states to return both parties to direct talks on the core issues that will resolve their differences and lead to an agreement that produces a just and lasting peace.
(end text)

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

June 18, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced today that the United States will be making an additional contribution of $60.3 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to support UNRWA’s core budget and special projects in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

The $60.3 million contribution will provide critical services, including health, to 4.7 million Palestinian refugees. Of this contribution, $5.7 million will support nine special projects, including reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools in Jordan, Syria, and the West Bank, an afterschool program for refugee children in Lebanon, and a referral system to help refugees facing gender-based violence.

UNRWA currently faces a shortfall of $161 million, including $91 million for core expenses such as salaries for teachers educating nearly 500,000 Palestinian refugee children across the region.

With this contribution, the U.S. will have provided more than $225 million to UNRWA in 2010, including $120 million to its General Fund, $75 million to its West Bank/Gaza emergency programs, $20 million to emergency programs in Lebanon, and $10 million for the construction of five new schools in Gaza.

The U.S. commitment to the welfare of the Palestinian people was further underscored by the President’s June 9 announcement that the United States will move forward with $400 million to increase access to clean drinking water, create jobs, build schools, and address critical housing and infrastructure needs in the West Bank and Gaza. As UNRWA’s largest bilateral donor, the U.S. recognizes the critical role UNRWA plays in assisting Palestinian refugees and maintaining regional stability and calls upon other donors to enhance their support for UNRWA.

(end text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

May 31, 2010

STATEMENT BY PHILIP J. CROWLEY,

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The United States deeply regrets the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered among those involved in the incident today aboard the Gaza-bound ships. We are working to ascertain the facts, and expect that the Israeli government will conduct a full and credible investigation.

The United States remains deeply concerned by the suffering of civilians in Gaza. We will continue to engage the Israelis on a daily basis to expand the scope and type of goods allowed into Gaza to address the full range of the population’s humanitarian and recovery needs. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, along with international NGOs and the UN, to provide adequate access for humanitarian goods, including reconstruction materials, through the border crossings, while bearing in mind the Government of Israel’s legitimate security concerns. However, Hamas’ interference with international assistance shipments and work of nongovernmental organizations, and its use and endorsement of violence, complicates efforts in Gaza. Mechanisms exist for the transfer of humanitarian assistance to Gaza by governments and groups that wish to do so. These mechanisms should be used for the benefit of all those in Gaza.

Ultimately, this incident underscores the need to move ahead quickly with negotiations that can lead to a comprehensive peace in the region.

(end text)

Palestinian entrepreneur Wad Taweel

14 April 2010

Palestinian Youth Sees Business Opportunity in Entertaining Peers

This article is part of a series on delegates to the April 26–27 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship.

By Phil Kurata
Staff Writer (Department of State)

Washington — A Palestinian youth who was named “Best Student CEO in the Arab World” a few years ago has her sights set on studying entrepreneurship in the United States in preparation for becoming an independent businesswoman. Considering what she has already accomplished, perhaps she should be teaching entrepreneurship.

When 20-year-old Wad Taweel was in high school in Ramallah, she started Teen Touch, a company that organized special events, such as birthday parties. Taweel hired 28 classmates to staff her business that, for example, sent out invitations, rented facilities and arranged for catered food.

“We took care of all the arrangements from A to Z. We made all kinds of cakes for children’s birthdays and other holidays. We decorated people’s houses, schools, buildings and banks in Ramallah at Christmas,” Taweel said.

After six months in operation, Taweel sold her business and distributed profits to investors, as the rules for the INJAZ student entrepreneurship competition required. INJAZ, which means “achievement” in Arabic, is a program launched by Jordan’s Queen Rania in 1999 to develop leadership and entrepreneurship skills in young people. The INJAZ program has spread to 11 other Arab countries.

Teen Touch won the local INJAZ competition in Ramallah, and then entered the inter-Arab competition in Amman, Jordan, where student entrepreneurs from other countries displayed their businesses. “At the Amman awards ceremony, I was selected the best student CEO [chief executive officer] in the Arab world. My company took the honor of best student company,” Taweel said.

Taweel now is in her second year at Birzeit University in Ramallah, where she studies accounting and business. After completing her degree, Taweel hopes to earn an advanced degree in entrepreneurship from a U.S. university. President Obama has invited her to the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, which he will host in Washington April 26–27. Taweel will be a featured speaker on the panel on youth entrepreneurship.

She has already identified her next business venture. She wants to build a recreation and entertainment center for Palestinian youth in the West Bank. “I want it to be a unique gathering place where fun, amusement, laughter and personal growth with friends and family are the primary focus,” Taweel said. She envisions that the center will have a bowling alley, a skating rink, a miniature golf course, and a library, with books and magazines from abroad and from within the Palestinian Territories. Such a center is badly needed, she said, because of the grim lives that many Palestinian youths lead.

Taweel has no illusions about the difficulty in launching the center. “The economic situation in Palestine has been deteriorating day by day. Starting a new business requires high financial support. This is a big obstacle that many entrepreneurs with great business ideas are facing. It is preventing them from starting their businesses early on,” she said.

Taweel wants to lead the life of an entrepreneur. “I want to have my own business, where I can work at my full potential and put all my energy and time into making my business a successful and lasting one. I want to help other people in my community and give them job opportunities,” she said.

Office of the Spokesman
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC

The United States announced today that it is making an initial contribution of $40 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to support UNRWA’s regular budget and emergency programs in the West Bank and Gaza.

The $40 million contribution will provide critical health, education, and humanitarian services to 4.7 million Palestinian refugees across the region. Of this contribution, $30 million will support UNRWA’s core services in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza. An additional $10 million will support UNRWA’s emergency appeal for the West Bank and Gaza, including emergency food assistance, and job creation programs.

The United States is UNRWA’s largest bilateral donor. In 2009, the United States provided over $267 million to UNRWA, including $116.2 million to its General Fund, $119.5 million to its West Bank/Gaza emergency programs, $30 million to emergency programs in Lebanon, and $2.2 million to assist other Palestinians in the region.

The Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem

Explanation of Vote

Statement by the United States of America

Delivered by Charge d’Affaires, a.i., Douglas M. Griffiths

Geneva, October 16, 2009

Thank You Mr. President.

12th Special Session of the HRC

We take the floor to express our disappointment at the outcome of this session. The United States joined the Human Rights Council because of our deeply held belief that this institution can be a key forum for constructive and honest discussions on important human rights issues. This belief shaped our engagement on the Goldstone Report. In support of this, the United States participated actively in debate over the Report at the 12th Session of the Human Rights Council. We regret that the Council chose precipitous action rather than judicious deliberation regarding a 575 page report that has far reaching implications.

Special Sessions of the HRC should be used primarily to deal with urgent human rights crisis situations that require immediate action. We find it unfortunate that this Council agreed to this Special Session without giving the parties to the conflict adequate time to study the report and, in accordance with the principle of complementarity, to conduct their own domestic investigations and follow-up of alleged violations of international law.

Prior to this deferral, the United States discussed elements of a balanced resolution– one that focused on accountability– that would encourage those involved to investigate and address allegations in the Report thoroughly through credible domestic processes. We had worked for a Resolution that recognized the right of a state to take legitimate action to protect its citizens in the face of threats to their security while also condemning violations of international law regardless of the actor.

Regrettably, this is not the resolution that is before us today.

This resolution goes far beyond even the initial scope of the Goldstone Report into a discussion of elements that should be resolved in the context of permanent status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The United States outlined its concerns about the Goldstone Report in Assistant Secretary Posner’s remarks to the Council two weeks ago: namely, its unbalanced focus on Israel, the overly broad scope of its recommendations, and its sweeping conclusions of law. We voiced our serious concerns about many of the Report’s recommendations, including that these allegations be taken up by the UN Security Council and then possibly referred to the International Criminal Court. Moreover, we reiterate that the Report and this resolution fail to deal adequately with the asymmetric nature of this conflict. While Justice Goldstone acknowledged Hamas’ crimes, in examining Israel’s response sufficient weight was not given to the difficulties faced in fighting this kind of enemy in this environment.

The United States has continued to stress the importance of holding all parties to this conflict, and indeed to all conflicts, accountable under international law. We were prepared to accept a resolution that did so in a balanced and constructive manner. Israel is a democracy with strong, independent institutions capable of addressing allegations through credible domestic processes, and we have encouraged it to use those institutions.

The Goldstone Report also called on the Palestinians to launch credible investigations to address allegations of Hamas’ abuses and to demand that Hamas stop its clear violations of law. Hamas, a terrorist group, has neither the democratic structures, nor an independent judiciary, nor any demonstrated willingness to examine its violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Yet these failings should not divert our attention from Hamas’ own culpability.

The final, and most important point, I would like to make today is that the United States continues to focus our attention on our main goal: working with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to re-launch successful permanent status negotiations as soon as possible. Resolutions like the one before us today can only exacerbate polarization and divisiveness. The United States joined the Council with the goal of pursuing balance and true accountability.

The United States will vote no on the text of this resolution, but this in no way diminishes our deep concern about the suffering caused by the violence in Gaza and Southern Israel. We continue to call on all parties to protect innocent lives. Israeli children and Palestinian children deserve to grow up in a world free from violence and warfare, and in which a just and lasting peace in the Middle East is a reality.

What the Human Rights Council needs now is a serious and measured response, one that moves the Council’s efforts forward, one that focuses on the future, upholds the rule of law, demands accountability, and respects the rights of democratic states.

For the reasons outlined above, the United States calls a vote on this resolution and urges others delegations to join us in voting no.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Statement by Michael Posner
United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

Geneva, Switzerland
September 2009

As prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Mr. President.

I appreciate the opportunity to address the Council with respect to the report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. This is my first appearance before the Human Rights Council representing the United States as the new Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. I want to set my comments about this report in a broader context. Earlier this year President Obama expressed his deep concern over the loss of life and humanitarian suffering in both Israel and Gaza. He has also made clear his abiding commitment to comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in which two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security.

We have approached this report applying broad principles. First, we are ready to engage in the discussion of this report and the broader issues relating to Israel and the Palestinians in a fair and honest way. Although we believe that the document is deeply flawed and disagree sharply with its methodology and many of its recommendations, including their extraordinarily broad scope, we recognize Justice Goldstone’s distinguished record of public service in his own country, South Africa, and in the larger global efforts to promote justice – in the former Yugoslavia, in Rwanda, and elsewhere.

In engaging in discussions over this report, we must step back and take issue with the grossly disproportionate attention the Council pays to one country, Israel. When the United States decided to seek a seat on the Council, we stated our clear intention to address this lack of balance in the Council’s proceedings. We urge our fellow members to join us in firmly rejecting this double standard. This is a high priority for us, one which we believe needs to be addressed now. Israel is the only country that has its own agenda item at this Council. In the past 5 years, the Council and its predecessor organization, the UN Commission on Human Rights, have commissioned more than 20 reports on Israel, far more than any other country in the world. Since the Council was created in 2006, it has passed 20 resolutions on Israel, more than the number of resolutions for all 191 other UN members combined. The Council also has held 11 special sessions, 5 focused exclusively on Israel. This is unfair, and it prevents the Council from devoting adequate time and attention to many other situations around the world that deserve our attention. We hope that Council members will join us in approaching the important work of this Council in a new, constructive spirit that does not seek to vilify any particular UN member nation.

Second, we are guided by our commitment to the universal application of international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, in assessing the findings and recommendations of this report, but that cannot be understood to imply a moral equivalence between Israel, a democratic state with the right of self-defense, and the terrorist group Hamas, that responded to Israel’s pull-out of Gaza by terrorizing civilians in southern Israel. The report includes a number of very serious allegations charging Israel and the Palestinians with violations of human rights and humanitarian law. We take these allegations seriously. We are confident that Israel, as a democracy with a well-established commitment to rule of law, has the institutions and ability to carry out robust investigations into these allegations. We note that Israel has stated publicly it has already investigated at least 100 complaints related to the Gaza conflict, including about some incidents mentioned in the report, and is currently pursuing action in 23 individual cases. The findings from each of its investigations is subject to multiple independent layers of review. We encourage Israel to utilize appropriate domestic review procedures and meaningful accountability mechanisms to investigate and address all credible allegations of misconduct or violations of international law. Hamas, a terrorist group that has seized control of a territory, has neither democratic structures, nor an independent judiciary, nor willingness to examine its own violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. Nevertheless, this body should certainly demand from Hamas that it do so, as well as demand an end to Hamas’ deliberate targeting of civilians and its use of its own population as human shields. This body also should ask the Palestinian Authority to carry out its own investigation into Hamas’ violations of international law.

Third, a genuine commitment to the truth should compel this body to discuss the weaknesses of the report. Those weaknesses will appear clearer to those who actually have read the full report and understood its implications. The report makes extraordinarily negative inferences about the intentions of Israeli military commanders, senior political leaders, and the entire Israeli criminal justice system on the basis of a limited factual record and from those inferences draws condemnatory conclusions of law, treating accusations and inferences as fact. One example is the report’s call for UNGA to establish an escrow account to which only Palestinians could make compensation claims and which only Israel is required to fund. The report further calls on Israel to undertake a moratorium on the use of certain munitions; it makes no such demand of Hamas with regard to its use of indiscriminate rockets. These unbalanced recommendations taint many of the report’s suggestions for international action.

Another significant problem with the report is its failure to deal adequately with the asymmetrical nature of this conflict or assign appropriate responsibility to Hamas for its decision to base itself and its military operations in heavily civilian-populated urban areas. The conflict in Gaza is emblematic of a new kind of conflict in our world, where some of those engaged in combat use civilian spaces – schools, hospitals and religious institutions – to store weapons and as staging grounds for rocket attacks and armed combat. National militaries engaged in asymmetrical warfare must remain bound by humanitarian law, but it is a stark and tragic reality that terrorists systematically ignore these laws. Actions by terrorist groups that have the effect of employing civilians as human shields put enormous pressures on militaries that are trying to protect civilians and their own soldiers, an issue faced by many militaries today. Although the Goldstone report deals briefly with these issues, its findings of fact and law are tentative and equivocating.

We also have very serious concerns about the recommendations spelled out in this report, especially that these allegations be taken up by the UN Security Council and then possibly referred to the International Criminal Court. The role of the Human Rights Council would be dramatically different if this approach were to be applied in every conflict situation around the world where there are alleged violations of human rights or humanitarian law.

We urge members of this Council to commit with us to pass a consensus resolution that encourages Israel to investigate and address allegations in the Report thoroughly through credible domestic processes. It should also call on the Palestinians to launch credible investigations to address allegations of Hamas abuses and demand that Hamas stop its clear violations. If undertaken properly and fairly, these reviews can serve as important confidence building measures that will support our larger, essential objective, which is our shared quest for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Thank you.

###

Item 7
Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Special Rapporteur on
the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories

Statement by the Head of Delegation of the United States of America
Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Mark C. Storella
March 24, 2009

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United States takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, and we regret that the mandate of Special Rapporteur Falk extends only to reporting on Israel’s responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention.  The United States has, on many occasions, urged this Council to maintain a balanced, objective, and constructive focus on the situation in Israel and in the Palestinian Territories.  While we fully understand the mandate that Special Rapporteur Falk inherited, we remain concerned about the one-sided focus of the report and caution against premature legal conclusions.

The report draws attention to alleged violations of international law committed by Israeli forces, yet largely fails to acknowledge Israel’s right to self-defense and to protecting its citizenry and territory.  No government can be expected to tolerate violence against its citizens and territory, and the United States again condemns the use of Gaza as a base from which to attack Israeli civilians.  We encourage the Special Rapporteur to take note in future reports of the salient need to recognize Israel’s right to self-defense and the security situation it confronts.

Moreover, the United States urges caution when using terms such as “crimes against humanity” when describing Israeli actions taken in its own defense.  The characterization of Israel’s actions as crimes against humanity is biased and inappropriate.  The Government of Israel is investigating specific allegations of misconduct during the operations in Gaza, and we look forward to seeing the conclusions of those investigations.

The United States remains committed to independent, viable, democratic, and peaceful Palestinian and Israeli states where all citizens can live in security and dignity.  We look to the Human Rights Council to ensure that the world community addresses the salient human rights issues in this region with objectivity and balance.  We look forward to working with the international community to build a better future for the people of Palestine, Israel, and the greater Middle East.

Thank you.

]]> http://geneva.usmission.gov/2009/03/24/situation-of-human-rights-in-the-palestinian-territories/feed/ 0 http://geneva.usmission.gov/2009/03/23/interactive-dialogue-on-the-special-sessions-on-beit-hanoun-and-gaza/ http://geneva.usmission.gov/2009/03/23/interactive-dialogue-on-the-special-sessions-on-beit-hanoun-and-gaza/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:30:42 +0000 admin http://geneva.usmission.gov/?p=173 UN Human Rights Council Tenth Regular Session

Item 7 Interactive Dialogue on the
Follow Up of Special Sessions on Beit Hanoun and Gaza

Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
Delivered by Mark Cassayre
March 23, 2009

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United States remains concerned about the use of the Human Rights Council as a platform to single out Israel for criticism; the special sessions devoted solely to the human rights situation in Gaza and the Beit Hanoun incidents are examples of activities that undermine the credibility and balance that the Human Rights Council should enjoy and exercise.

We share the concerns of many of the delegations in Geneva that the resolution resulting from the Council’s special session only addressed one side of the conflict and made erroneous assertions regarding international law.  The United States remains very concerned about the situation in Gaza, and hopes that the appropriate organs of the United Nations can help support a solution that provides for a durable and sustainable cease-fire.

As for the special session and the report of the fact-finding mission on the situation in Beit Hanoun, we respect the work of Reverend Desmond Tutu and appreciate his efforts to ascertain the facts of what happened.  The report does dismiss, however, Israel’s internal investigation of the events in November 2006.  This internal investigation, conducted by the Israeli military, concluded that the shelling of civilians was unintentional.

We continue to urge this Council to exercise caution and balance when addressing the serious human rights issues in Israel and Gaza, and refrain from further unbalanced attacks on Israel.