text: the Israeli officials continue to adhere to their usual tactic of blaming others and considering them to be responsible. The least that can be said about such a policy is that it is the policy of burying one’s head in the sand and failing to face up to reality. Persistence with such a policy leads to obstruction of the peace endeavours under way and the creation of tension and turmoil in the region, which serves only the enemies of peace and the forces of extremism and terrorism. 86. I shall not recount Israel’s practices of oppression, which have escalated recently in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Previous speakers have spoken about them, and the details of those practices are to be found in numer- ous letters distributed to members of the Council. But I wish to point out that the Security Council and the Gen- eral Assembly have already adopted a number of resolu- tions on the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and on the Israeli practices. Those resolutions emphasize the following points and principles: first, the illegality and illegitimacy of the Israeli actions aimed at altering the demographic and geographic status of the occupied territo- ries, including the building of Israeli settlements, which were declared to be a grave obstacle on the path to peace; secondly, the necessity of Israel’s fully complying with the ,* Q&ted in English by the speaker. provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Pro- tection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949:; thirdly, the preservation of the safety and security of the civilian population; and, fourthly, the rejection of Israeli practices based on the policy of collective punish- ment, administrative detention and the expulsion and deportation of citizens. 87. We believe that if the Council had insisted on Israel’s 
analysis: The text appears to be a speech or statement from a diplomat or representative of a country, criticizing the policies of the Israeli government and urging the United Nations Security Council to take action. The language used is formal and diplomatic, with references to international law and resolutions. The focus is on the political and human rights situation in the occupied territories, rather than on economic or social issues.