25 Oct 2012

UN / OPT SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR

A United Nations independent expert today (25 October) called on the world body's General Assembly, as well as civil society, to take action against Israeli and international businesses that are profiting from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. UNTV

Posted at: October 25, 2012 4:39 pm

Duration: 02:33

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / OPT SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR
TRT: 2.33
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 25 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

25 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Wide shot, dais
3.	Med shot, journalists
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories Since 1967:
"One of the things our report recommends is encouragement of the boycott of these named corporations and encouragement of civil society actors to join in that boycott. Again, this is an effort to see how to make more effective the conclusions reached by those of us who have been entrusted with the responsibility for judging Israel's behaviour in the occupied territory." 
5.	Med shot, journalists
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories Since 1967:
"Our effort is to encourage these companies not to be complicit in violations of human rights that we believe are taking place in the occupied territories. They've been making profits from those activities and we think that should be discouraged and we are trying to be as effective as possible in taking that step." 
7.	Med shot, journalists
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories Since 1967:
 "There is hardly ay responsible deviation from the view that settlements are unlawful under international law. And Israel's continued expansion of these settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is a very serious instance of persisting defiance of fundamental legal obligations." 
9.	Med shot, journalists
10.	SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories Since 1967:
"The longer that the process is delayed, the less realistic it is to believe that these settlements and the large settler population can be removed in such a way as to create a viable Palestinian State. So the whole issue of Palestinian self determination is at risk here." 
11.	Wide shot, audience

STORYLINE:

After briefing the General Assembly's Third Committee, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, told reporters that in his report he recommends "encouragement of the boycott of these named corporations and encouragement of civil society actors to join in that boycott."

Highlighting the activities of companies such as Caterpillar Incorporated of the United States, Veolia Environment of France, G4S of the United Kingdom, the Dexia Group of Belgium, Ahava of Israel, the Volvo Group of Sweden, the Riwal Holding Group of the Netherlands, Elbit Systems of Israel, Hewlett Packard of the USA, Mehadrin of Israel, Motorola of the USA, Assa Abloy of Sweden, and Cemex of Mexico, the Special Rapporteur noted that a wide range of Israeli and international businesses are involved in the establishment and maintenance of the Israeli settlements.

Falk said he wants to "encourage these companies not to be complicit in violations of human rights that we believe are taking place in the occupied territories" and pointed out that they have been "making profits from those activities and we think that should be discouraged and we are trying to be as effective as possible in taking that step."

The Special Rapporteur stressed that "there is hardly ay responsible deviation from the view that settlements are unlawful under international law" and added that "Israel's continued expansion of these settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is a very serious instance of persisting defiance of fundamental legal obligations."

He warned that the longer that the process is delayed, "the less realistic it is to believe that these settlements and the large settler population can be removed in such a way as to create a viable Palestinian State."

Falk said "the whole issue of Palestinian self determination is at risk here."

Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not United Nations staff, nor are they paid for their work.