Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
The U.S. State Department announced its
intentions to stem the number of resolutions against Israel passed in the United
Nations General Assembly, Israel Radio announced early Saturday morning.
The statements by senior State Department officials come as the United
Nation's main deliberative body opens its 59th session at its New York
headquarters.
American representatives partially succeeded in blocking
such resolutions during the last session.
The statements follow a
resolution adopted at a non-governmental conference committee meeting Wednesday
at UN headquarters calling for UN member nations and international bodies to
increase their pressure on Israel to put an end to the occupation.
The
resolution included an explicit threat that "if Israel does not comply [and end
the occupation], sanctions will be leveled and an arms embargo will be put in
place." The resolution also threatened economic divestment from
Israel.
The NGOs vowed they would "pressure [international] governments
to meticulously enforce decisions concerning Palestinian rights" and added it
was the "responsibility of the international community to provide serious
protection, particularly of women and children, to Palestinians living under
Israeli occupation."
The "2004-2005 Plan for action to support
Palestinian rights through international law and the United Nations" was
presented to the International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the
Palestinian People after being adopted by its Steering
Committee.
According to the draft, if Israel continues to violate
international obligations, the NGOs would initiate divestment and other targeted
sanctions and would urge governments to impose restrictions including arms bans,
withdrawal of economic privileges, bans against products manufactured in Israeli
settlements and travel restrictions on violators of international
law.
The draft approval was given added weight when it was announced just
one day after the official opening of the UN General Assembly's 59th session.
The NGOs' diplomatic move was also seen as a special effort to influence UN
debates on Middle East issues expected to be held in the newly-opened
session.
The NGO council is considered a pivotal international
organization with significant influence in the UN.
Analysts in New York
believe the NGO threat of sanctions was in step with opinions now being voiced
in the UN. Palestinian representatives are planning to submit a draft
resolution on the West Bank separation barrier to the General Assembly that
would for the first time include the threat of sanctions against Israel if it
does not comply with the ruling issued by the International Court of Justice in
The Hague.
In message sent to conference participants, UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan called for prompt implementation of the road map peace
plan.