Ambassador Jacob Doren, Israel’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, refuted charges by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that “grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention committed by Israel in the occupied Arab territories constitute war crimes and an affront to humanity.” The commission adopted the revolution on May 23 by a vote of 12-8 with 10 abstentions.
Addressing the UN’s Economic and Social Council, Doron said Thursday the very notion of using the expression “war crimes” in any form or manner with reference to actions of Israel in the areas administered by it since 1967, should be “repugnant and abhorrent” to anybody who has preserved a minimal sense of fairness and decency.
The fact is, Doron said, life is progressing normally. “The very fact that last year some 110,000 Arabs from neighboring and other countries came over to visit their relatives and friends” and to tour the areas, speaks for itself, Doron stated. He added that Judging by applications for entry permits received so far, the figure of Arab visitors to the areas in the next few months of 1972 will be about 150,000.
CONDITIONS IMPROVE FOR ARABS
“Has anyone ever heard of tourists going as visitors to places where war crimes were being committed against their brethren?” he asked. Doron pointed out that the Arab residents of the areas, including the Gaza Strip, can travel freely inside Israel and go abroad. He stated that about 100,000 persons from the administered areas have visited Israel, Jordan and other countries. Arab and non-Arab, and then “returned to the areas.” How, he asked, can “allegations of war crimes, supposedly being committed in the areas against these very same people, stand up against these simple facts.”
Doron spoke of development programs, including health programs, instituted by Israel for the Arabs in the administered areas and added that instead of being kept in “veritable concentration camps” and not allowed “either freedom of movement or a chance of obtaining employment” as was the situation during Egyptian rule in the Gaza Strip, the Arab residents of the Strip, in addition to freedom of movement, are also free to take up employment in Israel or in the West Bank and many or them are availing themselves of this opportunity.
“It is this enormous change for the better in the Gaza Strip,” Doron continued, “which apparently is the cause for Egyptian complaints against Israeli policy and actions there,” which – as pointed out on previous occasions – have been, at all times, directed towards ensuring “the safety, welfare and security of the inhabitants of the areas” in accordance with the tenets of international law and Security Council Resolution 237 of 1967.
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