Carter Administration’s Final Report on Human Rights Abroad Gives Israel Some High Marks

— In the general pattern of its findings in previous years, the Carter Administration’s final report to Congress on human rights practices abroad declares Israel is a “parliamentary democracy with high standards of justice and human rights” that are “applied fully inside Israel ” but that “sharply different politico-social environments” prevail in the “Arab territories Israel has occupied since the 1967 war.”

The 1140-page report on 153 nations for 1980, prepared by the State Department, includes sections on anti-Semitism in Argentina and the Soviet Union. It was made public today by the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees and is required under the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act.

A comparison of the findings on Israel’s governance in the administrative areas and government policy in neighboring countries toward their own people indicates that the inhabitants under Israel’s military authority apparently have much greater individual freedom and rights normally associated with democratic political philosophy than people in the Arab countries.

Such comparisons, however, are not attempted in the State Department reports. Israel has been frequently and strongly denounced by the State Department over the past several years on its administrative practices in the occupied areas while seldom making severe criticism of its neighbors on their treatment of their own nationals.

In its 19-page report on Israel and the territories, which is longer than for any other country– the Soviet Union is allocated 15 pages, including the Afghanistan situation–the Department observed that “the absence of peace treaties between Israel and its neighbors, with the exeption of Egypt, makes security a dominant concern and affects many facets of Israel’s national life.”

As of Oct. 1, 1980, the report said, about 2,190 “non-Israeli citizen Arabs” were in prison for security offenses in Israel or the territories.

While noting that under the Fourth Geneva Convention, administrative detention is not permissible beyond one year “from the general close of military operations, “the report said Israel maintains that “administrative detention is occasionally necessary to prevent terrorist operations when a court proceeding would jeopardize sensitive security information.” The report also said “residents of the occupied territories accused of non-security offenses receive fair public trials by local civilian courts.”

Without referring to the Palestine Liberation Organization, the report said responsibility for terrorist acts “is usually claimed by Palestinian organizations located outside Israel and the territories.” It noted “at least” 32 bombs were placed in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the first 10 months of 1980.

VIEW OF SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY

“Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories has adversely affected the livelihood of some Arab residents, particularly as the result of taking land for settlements,” the report said. It said that “in contravention of the generally accepted interpretation of the Fourth Geneva Convention Article 49, Israel has established more than 120 non-military settlements in the occupied territories with a total population of about 22,000 people, excluding East Jerusalem.”

The report noted “compensation for expropriated land is sometimes offered but is rarely accepted by Arab residents because acceptance might compromise any future claim for the land and because Jordanian law treats such transactions as a capital crime.”

ISSUE OF WEST BANK WATER RESOURCES

In a passage on West Bank water resources, the report said that use of water for the settlements have had “detrimental effects on Arab agriculture and livestock and on the rural population, “but the Israelis maintain that their “exploitation of West Bank water has been limited” to water sources discovered and developed by Israeli technology and they cite “substantial gains in Arab agricultural production–particularly in crops that are relatively heavy water users– as proof that the strict Israeli conservation measures have not been detrimental.”

Israel “meets the basic education needs of students in the occupied territories,” the report said. “Freedom of religion” is “generally unqualified” with Israel having “scrupulously protected Moslem and Christian holy places and has assured full freedom of access thereto.”

While “freedom of expression is restricted on security grounds,” the report noted that “the East Jerusalem press is subject to censorship but generally is allowed to operate freely and is frequently outspoken of Israeli policies.”

SITUATION IN SYRIA

In its eight-page report on Syria, the State Department spoke of “numerous credible reports” that Syria used torture “on a wide scale” against dissidents and summarily executed persons Syrian security forces considered to be terrorists– actions for from the Israeli handling of West Bank oppositionists who at worse were merely expelled from the area without physical harm.

Although the Syrian government “regularly participated in United Nations conferences on human rights” it “arrested some officers of its own Syrian League for the Defense of Human Rights,” the report stated.

Mentioning Syrian Jews, the report said “a formal ban on emigration exists on certain categories of citizens” and “members of the Jewish community.” It said “those Jews who attempt to emigrate from Syria illegally are subject to fines and detention.”

In contrast to Israel’s practices in all areas under its control, the report shows Saudi Arabia has “no political parties and no elected assemblies.” While “there is no evidence that physical torture is carred out” in Saudi Arabia, the Department said “there is a heavy stress on obtaining confessions.” There were 10 beheadings for premeditated murder in 1980 besides the 63 beheaded for attacking the Grand Mosque in Mecca. “A defendant in court is not represented by counsel,” the report said.

JORDAN, LEBANON, EGYPT ASSESSED

In a 10-page study of Jordan, the Department said that since 1970 “Jordan has remained under marshall law which is justified by pointing out the political instability of its neighbors and the generally tense situation of the region.” It noted Jordan “continues to receive large transfer payments from the Arab oil states.” Among the “rising number of foreign workers in Jordan” are 70,000 mostly unskilled Egyptian agricultural and construction workers.

In Lebanon, the report said, the de facto political and military authorities in place– whether Syrians, Palestinian or Lebanese militia–have the last word on the administration of justice. It noted that “Lebanese civilians also have lost lives and property as a result of Israeli military raids against Palestinian/guerilla forces located in southern Lebanon.”

In its eight-page report on Egypt that it generally treated with moderation, the Department said the country has “a strong presidency and a recently established multi-party political structure.”

It noted that “although the government does not directly control the print media–as it does the radio and television–it exercizes major influence on the press. The government appoints and can dismiss all editors on government-owned publications which includes all the daily newspapers.”

In its concluding passage, the report said “there are several Egyptian human rights groups but their focus is directed on human rights problems outside Egypt.”