UN agent: Apartheid in territories worse than S. Africa

[ If someone can find this report, I'd be interested. -d ]

w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m
Last update - 13:46 24/08/2004

UN agent: Apartheid in territories worse than S. Africa
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

South African law professor John Dugard, the special rapporteur for the United 
Nations on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, has 
written in a report to the UN General Assembly that there is "an apartheid 
regime" in the territories "worse than the one that existed in South Africa."

As an example, Dugard points to the roads only open to settlers, from which 
Palestinians are banned.

In his report, presented early this month, Dugard is highly critical of Israel 
for its "continuing violations of human rights in the territories." He said 
Israel is blatantly violating the International Court of Justice's ruling on 
the separation fence, and has declared it will not obey it.

The report was disseminated among the member countries ahead of the September 
General Assembly session meant to discuss the fence.

Dugard was a member of a Truth Commission at the end of the apartheid regime, 
and was appointed by the UN in 2001 as special rapporteur for human rights in 
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He called for a general arms embargo against Israel in May, in response to the 
IDF operations in Rafah, similar to the arms embargo imposed on South Africa 
in 1977.

According to government sources in Jerusalem, Israel is currently leaning 
toward cooperating with the various rapporteurs of the UN, and responding to 
their questions and requests.

But there are two exceptions to that rule: Dugard, and the special rapporteur 
for food, Jean Zigler. Israel refuses to cooperate with them because of the 
language of their mandates, and what it regards as their unfair approach. 
According to the sources, Dugard's assignment was phrased in a way that 
discriminates against Israel.

But the government does not prevent Dugard from traveling in the territories 
and Israel, to meet people and to report as he wishes.

_______________________________________________
heads mailing list
[email protected]
http://your.ballistichelmet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/heads/
http://ballistichelmet.org/donate/