USA,
UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia
US backs Mid-East observers
Thursday, 19 July, 2001
Foreign ministers of the G8 countries, which include the United States,
have said they back the deployment of outside monitors to help end Israeli-Palestinian
violence. Palestinians have long been calling on the United Nations Security
Council to send a 2,000-strong force of UN military peacekeepers to protect
Palestinian civilians. The proposal for an unarmed military observer force,
rather than a UN peacekeeping force, has been raised separately by Russia,
France and the United Kingdom, and by foreign ministers at the G8 summit.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1453047.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1446806.stm
UN
General Assembly
Near Unanimous UN Vote For International Observers In Region
December 21, 2001
"Five days after the United States vetoed a Palestinian-backed Security
Council resolution calling for monitoring Israeli actions, Palestinian
supporters put their case to the larger General Assembly and won overwhelming
approval. The assembly vote on Thursday has no binding authority but carries
the weight of international opinion. The resolution, vetoed by the United
States on Saturday, passed Thursday in the 189-nation Assembly by a vote
of 124-6, with 25 abstentions."
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/israel-palestine/2001/1221unanim.htm
Arab
League
"The conference requests the UN security council, in its
capacity as the international body chiefly responsible for the maintenance
and restoration of international security and peace, to shoulder its responsible
for the maintenance and restoration of international security and peace,
to shoulder its responsibilities in ensuring an immediate end to the Israeli
aggression. It invites the Security Council to expeditiously dispatch
international observers to ensure the necessary international protection
for the Palestinian people and to oversee the institution and maintenance
of security in conformity with the international resolutions, agreements
and recommendations already agreed in the framework of the Peace-Process."
http://www.arableagueonline.org/arableague/english/
details_en.jsp ?art_id=656&level_id=239
Mary
Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
The United States rejected Tuesday the proposal from the United Nation's
top human rights official to immediately send observers to the Palestinian
territories to obtain information and make recommendations about the "severe
deterioration" of the situation there. Mary Robinson presented the
initiative for sending a humanitarian mission to the occupied Palestinian
territories and a report on the situation there during debate by the Commission
on Human Rights
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0403-04.htm
China
China Supports Sending International Observers to Mideast
"China supports the proposal to send international observers to the
region where Israel and Palestine have conflicts." Spokeswoman Zhang
Qiyue made the remark when asked to comment on a recent statement released
by the Group of Eight (G-8) summit upon its conclusion, which endorses
the idea of sending international observers to the region. Zhang said
that China has taken note of the statement, which supports sending international
observers to the region, and the Chinese side welcomes and supports it.
She said that since the Israel-Palestine conflict broke out, the Chinese
side has always stood for dispatching international observers to the region
and has voted twice for relevant draft resolutions when they were deliberated
by the United Nations Security Council.
http://www.china.org.cn/english/16559.htm
Egypt
Egypt Reiterates Call for Israeli Withdrawal, International Observers
and Protection Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Maher stressed the need
for two essential points to bring into effect the recently adopted Security
Council Resolution calling for the cessation of Israeli aggression against
the Palestinian people and against their leader President Yasser Arafat.
First, the implementation of the resolution while providing an international
protection for President Arafat, at his headquarters, and international
observers to monitor the ongoing Israeli violation of all agreements and
laws. Second, a new reinvigorated international intervention to enforce
Israeli withdrawal and implementation of Security Council resolutions.
He underlined, in this context, the need for both international protection
and monitoring.
http://www.mfa.gov.eg/getdoc.asp?id=1899&cat=0404
India
Solidarity with the Struggle of the People of Palestine
"The 17th Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) calls
upon the international community to ensure the protection of the Palestinian
people through the deployment of international observers." http://www.prajasakti.com/17th_congress/conferencenews
_page8.htm
United
Nations Non-Governmental Organization Meeting in Solidarity with the Palestinian
People
...Particular attention should be given to mobilizing support for the
protection of the Palestinian people. Governments should be encouraged
to support the deployment of international observers throughout the ccupied
Palestinian territory to monitor the ceasefire...
http://www.escwa.org.lb/information/press/un/2001/20july_ngo.html
A
Call for Palestine from European Citizens
We,
the undersigned, citizens of the European Union, declare that we refuse
to watch in impotence the atrocities against the Palestinian people that
are taking place before our eyes. We demand from the European leaders
a decisive action in the face of a crisis of these proportions. We demand
urgent and efficient action, according to international law...
http://www.petitiononline.com/ecfp/petition.html
President
Yasser Arafat
President
Arafat Calls for International Observers in OPT "President Yasser
Arafat called Wednesday on the Quartet Committee to immediately move and
send International observers to Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Arafat emphasized the need (for) dispatching international observers to
the OPT, leading to an Israeli withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 borderlines."
http://www.pna.gov.ps/subject_details2.asp
http://www.ipc-ps.info/ipc_e/ipc_e-/e_News/news2004/2004_03/120.html
Palestinian
Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
July 29, 2003
"Israel’s occupation and settlement system in the OPT is a
form of de facto apartheid that is the root cause of instability in the
region. As most of these policies violate Israel’s existing legal
obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, it is clear that the enforcement
of international humanitarian law presents a clear, consistent, and effective
means of addressing violence in the region. By compelling Israel to dismantle
settlements, refrain from attacks against civilians, end its policies
of collective punishment, and ensure judicial accountability for suspected
war criminals, the international community can create a stable environment
in which Palestinians and Israelis can resolve outstanding political issues
and conclude a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace."
http://www.pchrgaza.org/facts/Fact.pdf
Gush
Shalom
August 8, 2001
"The occupation is killing us all. Israeli occupation of the West
Bank and Gaza Strip is the root cause
of the violence and hatred. As long as the occupation continues, bloodshed
will continue and increase. Gush Shalom (the Israeli Peace Bloc), calls
upon the United States and the other permanent members of the UN Security
Council, to cease their hesitations for which a price is exacted in human
lives, and with no further delay dispatch an international observer force
to the Occupied Territories, in order to enforce a cease-fire. That is
the only way to stop the escalation and prevent an all-out war which may
set the whole region aflame."
http://www.flwi.ugent.be/cie/Palestina/palestina37.htm
Pope
John Paul II
Sunday, 11 August, 2002
"Pope John Paul ll has lent his support to the creation of an international
peacekeeping force to try to bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In one of his strongest denunciations of the continuing violence, the
Pope said the international community should take "a more determined
role on the ground" to help bring about peace."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2186922.stm
Ambassador
Afif Safieh, Palestinian General Delegation in London
September 13, 2001
...joined the unheeded call for international protection and the deployment
of international observers in Palestine
http://www.intifada.com/s6.html
Palestine National Liberation Movement, Fatah
"...expediting the dispatch of international observers to supervise
the implementation of the agreed-upon terms of reference of the peace
process in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy
with the objective of achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace
in the region."
http://www.bitterlemons.org/docs/fatahhudna.html
Bimonthly
Jewish & Interfaith Critique of Politics, Culture & Society
But that doesn't mean the Palestinians have no alternative to the current
Intifada. We have repeatedly called on the Palestinian leadership to learn
from the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson
Mandela. Palestinians should follow the path of nonviolence, doing whatever
is necessary to assure people in the camp of the occupiers that they see
Israelis as human beings too, that Israeli needs must also be taken seriously,
and that all attacks on civilians are deplorable. This may be the only
hope for Palestinians to unfreeze the hearts of the Israelis.
Demand immediate military intervention from the United Nations to separate
the two sides. We must protect the Palestinian people from further assault
and the Israeli people from terrorist attacks. Do not settle for "international
observers" who will have no power and will merely allow the slaughter
to continue as they did in Bosnia for many years.
http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/index.cfm/action/tikkun/mode/
printer _friendly/issue/tik0109/article/010903.html
Amnesty
International & Human Rights Watch
Amnesty Calls for International Observers in Palestine
"It is imperative that international observers with a human rights
monitoring component be introduced into the Occupied Territories in order
to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected and every killing
is investigated," Amnesty International said.
In July,
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued a joint statement
calling for the urgent deployment of international observers to monitor
Palestinian human rights and humanitarian law violations.
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2001-09/23/article3.shtml
Dr.
Mustafa Barghouthi
"For fifteen months now we have been waiting for an international
observer/protection force to be sent to the Occupied Territories to provide
some kind of security for Palestinians."
http://electronicintifada.net/features/articles/020108mustafa.shtml
Daoud
Kuttab
The need for international observers, View From The East
November 9th, 2000
"An end to the occupation is certainly the fastest and shortest way
to end the protests, unrest and violence. But short of that, a permanent
international force that can observe and, if needed, intervene to protect
civilians is crucial."
http://home.mindspring.com/~fontenelles/kuttab11-9-00.htm
International
Press Centre
Steven Salaita
The trip, an excursion premised on promoting nonviolence, highlighted
the need for international observers in the region, something every involved
nation except Israel and the United States supports.
http://www.ipc-ps.info/ipc_e/ipc_e-1/e_Articles/ipc-articles
_15.html
Christian
Aid
Christian Aid today backed growing calls for an international force to
protect Palestinian civilians, following the fresh build up of Israeli
troops around the West Bank.
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/e8eb90d9ad3621d4c12
56acd 0030e7ef?OpenDocument
GIPP
- Grassroots International Protection for the Palestinian People
16th October 2001
"In light of the continuing attacks against the Palestinian people
and their property, and the dangerously escalating violence in the Occupied
Territories, the need for international intervention is becoming increasingly
urgent. Previous attempts to establish an official international observer
and protection force in Palestine have failed, partly due to the reluctance
of the international community to take such an action without Israel’s
consent. Therefore, NGOs have realized the urgent need for a grassroots
initiative providing international protection for the Palestinian people."
http://www.pngo.net/GIPP/profile.htm
Committee on Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian
People
An international presence must be established to protect innocent civilians
and to monitor the implementation of agreements and understandings reached.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/GAPAL872.doc.htm
Democracy
Now
Coordinated Actions Across the World Call for an end to the Israeli Occupation
and for Immediate Deployment of International Observers in the Occupied
Territories. Israeli peace activist Simona Sharoni: “It’s
imperative that the international community faces up to its responsibility
to bear witness and protect the Palestinian population in the West Bank
and Gaza.”
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/06/05/1829229
Christian
Organisations
International peacekeeping forces should be deployed to the Palestinian
territories to ensure security...
http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/OIAHR/
Documentation/ International_Fieldworkers_05-04-2002.pdf
Jordanian NGOs
...send international observers and an international force to protect
the Palestinian people as in other cases of recent conflicts.
http://www.jordanembassyus.org/04052002005.htm
Israel-Palestine Update: Calling for International
Monitoring
John Rempel
Two months ago our NGO Working Group on Israel-Palestine concluded that
our best contribution to the violence between the two peoples was to add
our voice to those calling for an international monitoring presence at
crisis spots in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
http://www.mcc.org/respub/un/2001/09_Sept/monitor.html
International
Women’s Peace Service
16 March, 2003
We call upon the international community and all people of conscience
to pay attention to what is going on here. We call for international observers
and human rights organizations to be present in this area. Urgent action
is required in order to prevent these crimes from taking place.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/appeals/warning_of_ethnic_
cleansing.htm
PeaceworkersUK, Matt Robson
"We want to provide international observers who can act as a peaceful
presence. Certain parts of Israel and Palestine are very tense and people
from abroad provide independent eyes and ears."
http://www.peaceworkers.org.uk/newsletterwinter03p3.htm
American
Friends Service Committee
"Contact your Elected Representatives immediately and ask them to
urge a cessation of hostilities on both sides. Also encourage them to
urge the use of international observers..."
http://www.afsc.org/pwork/0205/020512.htm
Peace,
Justice Studies
June 5, 2003
"We must act now to ensure the official international observers are
sent to the Occupied Territories!"
http://www.peacejusticestudies.org//projects/palestine.php
Committees
of Correspondence for Democracy & Socialism
April 12, 2002
To guarantee the implementation of the relevant UN resolutions, an international
force should be dispatched to the region to prevent further military attacks
on Palestinian communities and to oversee the complete and prompt withdrawal
of Israeli military forces.
http://www.cofc.org/Discussions/D-
US%20Foreign%20Policy/CCDS%20statement%20palestine.htm
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