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| FROM THE OFFICE OF HRM JOSE IZZAGUERRA |
| OFFICIAL STATEMENT MADE BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS JOSE IZZAGUERRA REGARDING ISRAEL'S OPPOSITION TO THE UNITED NATIONS FACT-FINDING MISSION TO JENIN REFUGEE CAMP |
| OFFICIAL STATEMENT It brings me great pain to see that The State of Israel has been refusing to cooperate with the United Nations in an innitiative to send a fact-finding mission to the Jenin Refugee Camp. The people of both Israel and Palestine have suffered greatly from the hostilities in the region for several years. However, the escalation of violence seen in the past months has been especially worrysome to Eslonian foreign policy and for those in the humanitarian field of work. Israel has put obstacles barring the United Nations from sending a fact-finding mission to Jenin. Jenin refugee camp is a home to thousands of Palestinian men, women, and children. During the Israeli occupation of the camp, several homes were bulldozed with no previous warning to their inhabitants. Even of more concern is the fact that the Israeli military and civilian authorities refused access to the area to medical and humanitarian aid agencies. The PLO has alleged that a masacre took place at Jenin, but the press was also prohibited from entering. The Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which Eslo actively promotes and defends, were ignored by the State of Israel. Of gravest concern to my government is the denial of access to the conflict zone of the International Committee for the Red Cross. The Red Cross operates in Palestine through the Rec Crescent Society and in Israel as MAGEN DAVID ADOM. None of the humanitarian representatives were allowed access to the zone. The measures that have been implemented by Israel against civilian populations are disgusting and of great concern to the government of Eslo. We will not support any further action by Israel in the field of security, as the nation has repeatedly preved to be out of control in the area. My government recognizes the need for a high state of security against terrorism in both Israeli and Palestinian occupied areas. Nevertheless, war have limits, and it is the duty of nation states to observe those limitations and regulations with the utmost regard. When international law is ignored and global cooperation is abruptly halted, the results are not satisfactory to any parties. In deep disappointment by the failure of states to come to terms through standard and specialized means of diplomacy and monitoring, Eslo can only hope that the United Nations will take a firm stance in listening to the confidential reports of the International Committee for the Red Cross in this matter. |