Topic: The Situation in Israel/Palestine
Country: Russia
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
Throughout world history, few conflicts have resulted in the dire situation that we are witnessing between the State of Israel and the State of Palestine. With borders that lack true meaning and civilian harm that has resulted in the death of thousands of civilians, the crisis has turned into a situation that needs to be resolved imminently. Not only has the violence caused a chaotic atmosphere in both Israel and Palestine, it has also caused an increase in tension and fear across the entire Middle East, creating a hostile environment for all entities in the region. Russia fully understands that in order to create a more prosperous and peaceful Middles East, we must resolve the crisis in Israel and Palestine.
Throughout the numerous efforts to create peace, Russia still firmly believes in a two-state solution. The State of Palestine is recognized by 193 nations, more than 70% of the international community. To obliterate or silently dissolve Palestine is an act that would not only disrespect the international community's clear opinion, it would be a process that would disregard the Palestine people’s basic right to a self-governed and legitimate society. Past and now present efforts to destroy Palestine will lead to the suffering and dislocation of the Palestinian people, further intensifying the refugee crisis in Palestine and the Middle East as a whole. Along with this, violence in the region will increase in all sectors leading to a Middle East which will remain more violent than before. Because of these dire consequences, a plan towards a peaceful solution must be dealt with in this committee and Russia is ready to work with the committee to implement foundational actions to begin the process towards peace.
Thankfully throughout this conflict, Russia has had wonderful relations with both Israel and Palestine. Russia and Israel share an especially close relationship. Russia was the second country in the world to recognize Israel as a state, only after the United States of America. The population also soared in Israel due to Russian migration, further exemplifying that Russia and Israel share a heritage bond that has existed for decades. Russia also has tremendous support for the state of Palestine, providing monetary support to progress the education of children and to establish mutual economic interaction. Along with this, Russia has worked and agreed with the Arab League to help progress Palestine’s reputation and status in the region and has helped resolve conflicts and violence in the Gaza Strip. Russia is also a pillar member of the Middle East Quartet, a group of international bodies comprised of Russia, the United States of America, the United Nations, and the European Union, all working together to solve the crisis in Israel and Palestine. As a part of this coalition, Russia has worked with both parties to create mutually beneficial agreements that allow for a two-state solution to succeed.
In dealing with this crisis, Russia would like to act as a mediator in order to resolve the situation in an unbiased and cooperative manner. Throughout the countless negotiation attempts to solve this conflict, no meaningful progress has been reached and the process has been filled with inadequate agreements, bias negotiations, and suffocating international entanglement. Russia believes that its beneficial history with both Israel and Palestine allows us to properly act not as a forceful negotiator, but as a neutral friend. Russia, along with its fellow member nations, understand the only way towards creating a stable solution to any problem is an impactful and agreeable foundation. This foundation will only be achieved through realistic and manageable first steps, and not a full, hastily organized solution. Because of this principle, Russia looks forward to collaborating with other member nations to properly plan and distinguish these beginning plans in order to ignite a process that will lead to peace. In order to establish this foundation, 3 goals must be achieved.
Firstly, In order for any solution to work, international legal agreements must be respected and upheld. This principle is especially true in the current crisis. This situation must be handled on an international legal basis with both Israel and Palestine effecting previous international agreements, specifically United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1515, 1850, and 2334, all of which contain specifics on how borders will be regulated, how violence must be stopped, and the legal validity of settlement actions. As a clear and already agreed upon goal, Israel must bring an immediate halt of future Israeli settlements on the West Bank in compliance with resolution 2334, where it is clearly stated that the Security Council has a “grave concern that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines”. Along with this, Israel must comply with Security Council resolution 1515, which Russia proposed and passed, which requires Israel to comply with the guidelines established in the “Road Map for Peace”, which requires an to end discriminatory violence against Palestinians along with the freezing of new settlement development and dismantling of current settlements. These actions are all necessary in order for Israel to respect the borders of the State of Palestine that has been occupied since 1967.
Secondly, Russia believes that the committee should consider requesting support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other non-governmental organizations in order to establish safer environments for children in the region along with creating better educational opportunities and systems within Palestine. Throughout the crisis, children across Palestine have become victims of this terrible war and children of all ages have faced numerous casualties and injuries. In order to prevent this situation from becoming a larger disaster, Russia urges the international community to act now and prevent a problem that can continue to grow and affect the entire country for decades.
Thirdly, this committee should consider actions to give Palestine a fair and equal voice. Only then will the process for peace be started. While Palestine has been given the rights to join multiple international organizations such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Police (INTERPOL), Russia urges all states that support a two-state solution to unite together and confront the Security Council on giving Palestine a permanent membership to the United Nations along with recognizing Palestine statehood. Russia, along with a majority of the international community, already recognize Palestine as a state and comprehend their legitimacy as an international entity. Russia believes the committee must unite to send a clear set of action plans as a symbolic statement to the other Security Council members that we support the State of Palestine and that Palestine needs to be given a fair and equal voice in the peace process. In our committee’s resolution, there must be a clear set of plans for the Security Council to begin the Palestine membership implementation process and the process to officially recognize Palestine as a state, in order to give Palestine the role it deserves.
Russia looks forward to working with the committee to establish clear and manageable foundational steps that will make a real impact on solving this crisis for the future.
