For the first time in a long time, Israel (yes, Israel) is introducing a draft resolution before a committee of the U.N. General Assembly.
The Situation of and Assistance to Israeli Children
58th Session
Draft Resolution
Agenda Item 117(b)
The Situation of and Assistance to Israeli Children
The General Assembly,
Recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Recalling also the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and Plan of Action for Implementing the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children in the 1990s, adopted by the World Summit for Children, held in New York on 29 and 30 September 1990,
Recalling further the Declaration and Plan of Action adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh special session,
Concerned that Israeli children suffering from the effects of Palestinian terrorism are deprived of many basic rights under the Convention,
Concerned also about the continuous grave threat to Israeli children from Palestinian terrorism, and about the severe consequences of continuing terrorist attacks by Palestinian terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade directed against Israeli civilians, including children,
Expressing its condemnation of all acts of violence and incitement to violence and terrorism, resulting in extensive loss of human life and injuries, including among Israeli children,
Deeply concerned about the severe consequences, including psychological consequences of Palestinian terrorist attacks on the present and future well-being of Israeli children,
1. Stresses the urgent need for Israeli children to live a normal life free from terrorism, destruction and fear;
2. Demands, that the Palestinian Authority respect its obligations to undertake effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and the dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure, and to guarantee that those responsible for terrorist acts are brought to justice;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to report on compliance with paragraph 2 above within one month and upon receipt of which further actions should be considered, if necessary, within the United Nations System.
The resolution is intended as a balance to this one, offered last year by the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine (and to be offered again this year) -- just another in a amazingly long string of anti-Israel resolutions introduced at the UN.
Does a Resolution on The Situation of and Assistance to Israeli Children have a shadow of a chance at adoption? Yeah, dream on. Still, it's a good move. A very good move, I think.
