WASHINGTON – The U.N. Security Council rejected a request Thursday by Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa to debate the West Bank security fence, saying the Gaza disengagement plan trumps all other issues in the region at the moment.
France and Russia joined the United States and Great Britain in rejecting both al-Kidwa’s proposal to hold an emergency debate on the subject, and his request to raise the fence issue during the council’s monthly debate about the Middle East.
Al-Kidwa, the Palestinians' long-time U.N. representative, requested the debate to mark one year of the decision by the International Criminal Court at the Hague declaring the fence illegal.
The Palestinians were further dismissed when the Security Council expressed support for the Gaza withdrawal, and called on the Palestinians to fight terrorism.
Bigger picture
Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, said the nations of the world must look at the “bigger picture” of Israel’s Gaza pullout, and said the fence was a security necessity.
“(It is) a critical device to thwart terrorism and save hundreds of Israeli lives,” he said.
Hope, danger
The U.N. Envoy to the Middle East, Alvaro de-Soto of Peru, told council members the intenational community must support the disengagement program in order to bring about a renewal of talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
“There is great hope that this move (disengagement) could bring about a renewal in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
“It is a moment in time of great hope and great danger.”
Britain’s U.N. representative spoke in the name of the European Union, spoke about the importance of international support for the disengagement program.
France’s representative denounced Palestinian Qassam rocket attacks on Israel and the suicide bombing in Netanyah, but also criticized the security fence.
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