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Arab American Leaders Meet with Annan To Discuss U.N. Mission To Jenin
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ADC President Ziad Asali heads delegation to discuss Jenin with Kofi Annan
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By
Neveen A. Salem, Staff Writer, IOL Washington D.C.
WASHINGTON,
April 30 (IslamOnline) – While Israel Tuesday delivered its second
refusal to allow the United Nations fact-finding mission in to
investigate the Jenin refugee camp, leaders from the American Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) met with U.N. Secretary General
Kofi Annan at U.N. headquarters Monday to emphasize concerns over
Israel’s continued aggressions against the Palestinian people and
its refusal to cooperate with the fact-finding mission.
Annan
responded to reporters' questions Tuesday about Israel's decision,
announced earlier in the day, to refuse to allow the mission to start
work until certain "crucial conditions" were satisfied by
saying he would wait until he had been officially informed of the
Israeli decision before commenting on it.
He
also went on to state that Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told
him in a telephone call that “Israel had nothing to hide.”
"Not
just Mr. Peres but also the defense minister, [Binyamin] Ben Eliezer,
who told me we were welcome, we have nothing to hide," Annan
said, news agencies reported.
However,
the delegation of leaders from ADC implored Annan to take the
necessary steps towards ensuring that the mission charged by the U.N.
with investigating the events in Jenin be allowed to enter and perform
their task undeterred. Israel has twice refused to allow the mission
to enter, resulting in questions arising over whether Israel is trying
to cover up a more brutal operation than it has publicly claimed.
Human
rights organizations and aid workers in the region have commented that
conditions in the refugee camp were “deplorable” and that “the
stench of death lingered everywhere.” Part of the U.N. mission’s
mandate is to investigate Palestinian claims that hundreds of refugees
were brutally massacred during Israel’s invasion into the camp and
that Israel’s claims that only a few dozen “gunmen” were killed
are false.
The
ADC delegation included ADC President Ziad Asali, Executive Vice
President Khalil Jahshan, National Board Secretary Albert Mokhiber,
New York Chapter President Nick Khoury, and New York Board Member
Sarah Leah Whitson. The delegation was also joined by Archbishop
Phillip Saliba, a member of the ADC National Advisory Board and
commented in a statement that they were “particularly honored by his
participation in this important meeting.”
Secretary
General Annan expressed his confidence that the fact-finding mission
to Jenin will be heading there “as soon as he receives a positive
response from the Israeli government,” ADC stated.
He
described the members of the U.N. team as “credible and respectable
individuals who will pursue the truth.” He also confirmed that the
mission would include a military, police, and a legal advisor in
addition to a team of medical experts.
Annan
also emphasized that the mandate of the fact-finding team is limited
to Jenin at this time, and denied that the U.N. has granted immunity
to any party or persons.
Annan
briefed the ADC delegation about a letter he sent to the Palestinian
and Israeli sides setting the parameters of the mission and confirming
the composition of the fact-finding team. The Secretary General also
emphasized that the team will be reporting its findings back to him.
In turn, the Secretariat will submit the final report to the U.N.
Security Council after consulting with both parties.
The
ADC delegation expressed “support for the multinational force
proposed by Secretary General Annan to extend protection to the
Palestinian people, to make room for political negotiations, and to
begin serious reconstruction efforts in Palestine.”
ADC
leaders emphasized to Annan “the need to deny Israel veto power over
the composition of the fact-finding team, its mandate and the contents
of its findings.” Israel has repeatedly expressed concern that the
internationally composed fact-finding mission is “anti-Israeli.”
The
delegation also urged the United Nations to “protect its own
credibility by providing enforcement mechanisms to guarantee the
implementation of U.N. resolutions.”
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