Studyguide

IsraelandPalestineAtwostate
solution?

DearDelegates,

November 2015is,fortworeasons,aspecialmonthforthe
Model United Nations of the University of Southern
Denmark. Firstly, in the right corner of this page you will,
for the first time ever, see our new logo. Secondly, in the
last few weeks the MUNSDU team has been, and still is,
working hardonthe preparationsforthe
firsteditionofthe
MUNSDUconference.

On the 28th of November, here at Syddansk Universitet, the conference will host 90 delegates
from 8 different educational institutions from Denmark. The conference will include both high
school and university students divided over three councils/committees. Inthethree councilsthe
delegates will debate on three differing topics. The Security Council will debate on the South
Sudanese issue, while the UNFCCC will debate on climate change and the first committee of
the General Assembly, the Disarmament and International Security Committee will debate on
theenforcementoftheArmsTradeTreatyinSouthAmerica.

However, before the conference, there will be one more moment to practice our debating,
negotiating and public speaking skills. The debate on the 16th of November will debate on the
Israel and Palestine issue. On the 22th of October, New Zealand came with a speech and a
corresponding draft resolution on the reintroduction of a two state solution to the issue. On the
16thwewillcontinuewiththeintroductionoftheNewZealandishdraftresolution.

Before you lies the newstyle study guide on the Israel and Palestine debate. After our last
sessionwegotfeedbackregardingthestudyguide. We hopeweimplementedthefeedbackina
helpful manner. Apart from this wewouldliketostressthattherearestillpositionsopenasboth
delegates and volunteers for the MUNSDU conference. For more information on any of the
positionssendanemailto
mun.sdu@gmail.com
.

Thankyouandwehopetoseeyouonthe16th!

TheMUNSDUBoard

Generalinformation
For thissessionwewillsimulatethe UnitedNationsSecurity Council(UNSC).Alsoinvitedtothe
council will be Israel and Palestine. Palestine as a nonmember Observer State is not capable
of voting in any of the substantive voting procedures, neither is Israel as a nonmember of the
Security Council. When going into voting procedure regarding the draft resolution, both Israel
and Palestine have to leave the room. According to UNSC protocol China, United Kingdom,
United States of America, France and Russian Federation have veto power. All the other
memberswillhavenormalvotingrights.

Backgroundinformationonthetwostateapproach
The start of the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be traced back to the middle of the
20th century. The conflict involves a large number ofstateandnonstateparties. Thefocuslies
on the so called two state solution. You should nevertheless get an overview ofthesituationin
general.Whichcanbefoundbygooglingtheissue.

The two state solution calls for two independentandsovereignstatesalongsideeachother,the

state of Palestine and the state of Israel, two states, for two groups of people. General

Assembly Resolution 32361 is the basis of the approach. In this resolution the General
Assembly (UNGA)recognizes thePalestinianpeoplesrighttoselfdetermination,officializedthe
UN contact with the Palestine Liberation Organization and added theQuestionofPalestineto
the UN agenda. The resolution was adopted on the 29th session of the UNGA on the 22th of
November, 1974. Security Council (SC) Resolution 2422 lays out the by the UN recognized
borders. Resolution 242 got unanimously accepted by the UNSC on theNovember22th,1967.
It was a resolution after the six day war in which it states that Israel has to return all occupied
territory to its rightful owners. The borders which exist today do not represent the borders
demanded by SC Resolution 242, also called the UN partition plan. The UN partition plan can
beseeninthefigureabove.

Therehasbeenalargenumberofdiplomaticeffortstryingtoimplementthetwostatesolution:
1991MadridConference
1993OsloAccords
2000CampDavidSummit
2001Tabanegotiations
2002ArabPeaceInitiative
201314IsraeliPalestinianpeacetalks

The council has not adopted a resolution on the IsraeliPalestinian peace process since 2009.
The newest initiative got introduced by NewZealand in the United Nations Security Councilon
the22thofOctober2015.3

TheNewZealandDraftResolution
The New Zealand Draft Resolution isnot publiclyavailableyet.Scanthenewsabout itscontent
to get an idea about it. We will tryveryhardto provideyouwiththeDraftResolutionassoonas
possible.

Discussionpoints
Here we willgoshortlyintowhatwethinkwouldbeapossibletopictodebateoninamoderated
caucusorunmoderatedcaucus.Thesetopicsarepurelyadvisory.

Moderatedcaucuson:
DemandingPalestinetostopaccusingIsraelinfrontoftheICC.
Assuringanimmediatestopofviolencebetweentheconflictparties.
BordersasproposedinResolution242.
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/3236(XXIX)&Lang=E&Area=RE
SOLUTION
1

http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/7D35E1F729DF491C85256EE700686136

http://www.nzembassy.com/unitednations/news/ministermccullyconcertedsecuritycouncilactionrequired
tojumpstartdirect


Unmoderatedcaucuson:
Probing for common ground concerning the peace process. (aka: alliance and strategy
building)

Whattoexpect

As a first timer it can be a little bit intimidating to discuss a difficult topic in a foreign language,
sticking to new rules. Therefor we lay out in the following paragraph what to expect at a
MUNDebate. You can also ask an experienced delegate if s/he wants to team up with you or
createatwomanteamandcodelegatethesamecountry.

After choosing a country you should familiarize yourself with the generaltopic.The studyguide
you are reading now is giving you a general overview butwouldnotbesufficientonitsown.As
thenextstepyoushouldresearchyourcountry'spositionregardingthetopic.Makesure youget
your head into your countrys rhetoric and way of thinking. Also try to imagine how to react on
possible attacks on your position. It can be an advantage ifyouknowwho sharesandopposes
yourposition.
A next step would be preparing a small general statement on your countrys position. Dont go
too much into detail,justlayoutthegeneralcornerstonesandmakesureyoupresentwhatyour
focus lies on. This statement should not take longer than a minute. Ifyoudontknowwhatkind
of language you should use, have a look at statements made in the security council by your
country.(YoucanfindthemasvideosorwrittendownontheUNWebsite.)

Once you arefamiliarwiththe topicandyourposition,havealookattherulesofprocedure.Itis

helpfultoprintthemoutandbringthemtothedebatesoyoucanalwayslookatthem.

The debate starts with the presentation ofeverycountrysposition(your1minstatementonthe

speakers list). During the debate, make sure you take notes about what other countries say.
Make sure you know your allies and your opponents and refer to theirpoints/attacktheirpoints
during the debate. To get a anideaabouthowadebateisgoingdown,have alookatthevideo
in the footnote4. Dont be afraid to make mistakes, also dont feel intimidated if the President
corrects you or reminds you of a rule. In general, never forget this is a simulation which is
supposed to be fun. Dont feel personally offended if another delegate attacks you you are
representing a country and iftheinsultisofthatgravelevel,thepresidentwillgiveyouarightof
reply.Attacksinthedebateareapartofthegameandshouldntbetakenpersonally.

So,tosumitallup
prepareanopeningspeechaboutyourcountrysgeneralviewonthetopic,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0XrpsyFKR0

research your country's position through UN statements (made by them), governmental

sitesornewsarticles
Thinkofwhatyourcountrywouldwantinaresolution
Thinkofwhowouldbeyourallies/enemies

Linksforcountryandtopicresearch

Pastresolutions
UNGA
resolution
3236
:
http://daccessddsny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/738/38/IMG/NR073838.pdf?OpenEl
ement
UNSCresolution242:

http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/242(1967)

News
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/05/israelpalestinenewzealandunitednationswellingtonsqui
xoticmideastpeaceplan/

http://www.bbc.com/news/worldmiddleeast34574958

http://americablog.com/2015/11/whoisresponsibleforthecollapseofthetwostatesolution.ht
ml

http://www.almonitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/05/israelpalestinianconflictnewparadigmunila
teralactions.html#

http://www.albawaba.com/news/bankimoonurgesisraelpalestinerefocustwostatesolution7
56948

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nationworld/world/article43361625.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkeycage/wp/2015/08/25/thinkingbeyondthetwost
atesolution/

Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2NE45i8R8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK37h9hTljw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aRGZ_KWRPw