UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs Mary Robinson today called off a planned fact-finding mission to the Middle East after Israel failed to cooperate, her office announced.
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Mrs Mary Robinson
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Mrs Robinson's office said the she would now prepare a report to the UN Human Rights Commission on the "deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory" based on reports from "all concerned organisations" there.
The proposed mission to Israel and the occupied territories would also have included former Spanish prime minister Mr Felipe Gonzalez and the former secretary general of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party (ANC), Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.
"Following a telephone conversation between Felipe Gonzalez and the Israeli Foreign Minister, the members of the mission have learned that the visiting mission will not be facilitated by the Israeli authorities", Mrs Robinson's office said in a statement.
Earlier, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Mr Yaakov Levy, had told reporters that the proposed human rights fact-finding mission was still under "active consideration", but that Tel-Aviv had warned Mrs Robinson "that she should not take unilateral action".
In an Arab-sponsored resolution adopted April 5th, the 53 member UN Human Rights Commission called on Robinson to lead a mission which would travel urgently to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
It also called on her to report back to the UN's top human rights forum before its annual session ends on April 26th.
Mrs Robinson said at the time that she would only lead the effort if it had full cooperation from Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinians have endorsed the visit.
AFP