Returning to its consideration of promotion and protection of the rights of the child, the Third Committee took up the draft on the Situation of and Assistance to Palestinian Children by which it would have the General Assembly express deep concern about the negative consequences, including psychological consequences, of the Israeli military actions for the present and future well-being of Palestinian children. The text has the Assembly demand that Israel respect relevant provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and comply fully with the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  It also calls upon the international community to provide urgently needed assistance. Read more about Third Committee adopts resolution on Palestinian children 

Meeting formally this morning for the first time since President Yasser Arafat’s death, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People approved four draft resolutions, including one by which the General Assembly would demand the immediate cessation of all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory as well as Israel’s withdrawal from Palestinian territory occupied since 1967. The Committee also considered recent developments in the Middle East. Read more about Acting on four draft resolutions, Palestinian Rights Committee urges action to end Israel's settlement activities 

Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territories and its destruction and exploitation of their resources had brought the Palestinian economy to the brink of collapse, the Observer for Palestine said this morning as the Second Committee began its discussion of permanent sovereignty of Arab peoples in occupied lands over their natural resources. She said Israel had continued unlawfully to confiscate Palestinian land, build and expand its illegal settlements and bypass roads and raze agricultural land and productive trees. Israel had diverted water, destroyed irrigation wells and flattened, since 2000, more than half of the fertile land in Beit Hannoun, a major agricultural area in northern Gaza. Read more about Israel bringing Palestinian economy to brink of collapse 

The Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is deeply saddened by the death of Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian people have lost a leader who, for decades, has been a powerful symbol of national aspiration, unity, steadfastness and courage, and who devoted most of his life to the struggle against the occupation and for the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. In the last decade, President Arafat has embarked on a historic journey towards achieving what he often called the “peace of the brave” and realizing the goal of establishing the State of Palestine. Read more about UN Committee for Palestinian rights deeply saddened by death of Arafat 

During the past year not a single minute had passed during which Israel had not deliberately engaged in the violation of international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, the Permanent Observer of Palestine told the Fourth Committee this morning, as it began consideration of the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. She said the violations included the killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians, destruction of homes, confiscation of land, construction of the wall, settlements, and restrictions on movement. Read more about Fourth Committee takes up report on Israeli practices in occupied territories 

Nasser Al Kidwa, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed identical letters to Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council. In his letter he referred to the Israeli raid of northern Gaza. “The bloodletting in the Occupied Palestinian Territory persists as Israel, the occupying Power, continues to commit war crimes, State terrorism and systematic human rights violations against the Palestinian people. In absolute disregard for the international outcry and in grave breach of international law, the occupying Power continues to order its forces to launch violent military attacks against the Palestinian population in the Northern Gaza Strip area.” Read more about Palestinian UN observer sends letter to Kofi Annan and Security Council 

The International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People concluded its work today by hearing a presentation of the “2004-2005 Plan for Action to support Palestinian rights through international law and the United Nations”. According to the draft plan of action, adopted by the Conference Steering Committee, internationally coordinated action would be developed to escalate pressure to end the Israeli occupation and achieve the realization of Palestinian rights. To that end, NGO’s participating in the Conference would work together to educate people and to pressure Governments to move towards strict enforcement of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. Read more about Civil Society Conference presented with action plan to support Palestinian rights through international law 

Drawing on the success of similar events in 2002 and 2003, the United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People opened at the United Nations Headquarters this morning. Unless a peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians was reached — and that could only be achieved through official political negotiations resulting in an agreement between the parties — both sides would face the grim reality of a never-ending stalemate and continued violence, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today at the opening of a two-day United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People.Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People. Read more about Without peace settlement, both sides face continued violence, UN civil society conference told (2/2) 

Drawing on the success of similar events in 2002 and 2003, the United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People opened at the United Nations Headquarters this morning. Unless a peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians was reached — and that could only be achieved through official political negotiations resulting in an agreement between the parties — both sides would face the grim reality of a never-ending stalemate and continued violence, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today at the opening of a two-day United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People. Read more about Without peace settlement, both sides face continued violence, UN civil society conference told (1/2)