1F Førstesekretær Evy...

1F Førstesekretær Evy Buverud Pedersens innlegg i spesialsesjonen

I would like to thank the Director-General for his valuable report. We do, however, regret that the report came so late, a fact which was mainly due to the Israeli obstacles with which the mission was met when they applied for authorization to travel to the occupied territories. We cannot stress enough that such a lack of cooperation is unacceptable.

Recent developments have made it urgently important to highlight the situation in the Middle East. The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway) therefore welcomes the reinstatement of a special sitting. At the last special sitting in 1995, we were all optimistic, hoping that the situation of the Palestinian people would improve and that the peace process would continue. After three years we find that the situation has got worse.

The Israeli closure policy has continued. Fewer work permits have been issued. Palestinian workers have been replaced by foreign workers. Work permits have been confiscated by Israeli soldiers at the checkpoints. There is discrimination in wages between Israeli and Palestinian workers employed in the same type of work. There is discrimination in social rights. The Palestinian trade unionists are still suffering under the lack of freedom of movement. They are unable to perform their legitimate work as trade union representatives.

The Israeli Government maintains that the closure imposed on the Palestinian territories is for security reasons. In our view, it has become a collective punishment against the Palestinian people. In addition to its economic effect, the closure has also had unsocial and psychological impacts. It has created a state of depression among the Palestinians. The isolation has resulted in a general feeling of frustration and anxiety.

In addition to this, the Israeli Government has refused to implement the agreements signed with Palestinian authorities and has also continued to build and expand Israeli settlements, both in East Jerusalem and in other Palestinian areas.

All these hostile and inhuman measures can only be interpreted as a lack of will on the part of the Israeli Government to promote peace and coexistence between the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples. I refuse to believe that this is in accordance with most of the Israeli people, and it is the opposite of a positive development for both populations.

It is therefore urgently important to follow up the agreed commitments, such as redeployment, release of prisoners, safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank, the operation of Gaza Airport and the construction of Gaza Port, with a view to entering into final status negotiations to resolve problems concerning Jerusalem, the settlements, refugees and borders.

Donor countries must increase their allocation of resources to Palestine for further investments on the West Bank and in Gaza.

The international community must escalate its pressure on the Israeli Government, which must respect international law and standards and implement all agreements signed with the Palestinian authorities in order to put the peace process back on the right track.

The international community must also increase its support to the democratic labour forces and peace movements inside Israel, to assist in their struggle for peace, and to counteract the obstinacy of the present Israeli Government.

It is, in this context, important to note that Histadrut is now facing serious problems. It seems that the organization suffers from attempts made by the Israeli Government to weaken its role and position.

LO-Norway will continue its long-standing cooperation with both Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federations of Trade Unions of the West Bank and of the Gaza Strip. We will support them according to their needs so that they can fulfil their role as trade unions and remain as a strong democratic force in their societies.

It is time for the Palestinians and for the Israeli people to live side by side in security and peace within independent States.