General Assembly enhances Palestine privileges: UNIFIL, UNDOF extended.

• Position: UN Interim Force in Lebanon; UN Disengagement Observer Force

The General Assembly on 7 July voted, by 124 to 4, with 10 abstentions, to confer additional rights and privileges on Palestine, in its capacity as Observer, within the United Nations and the conferences it convenes. Under the enhanced arrangements, Palestine was granted the rights to participate in the General Assembly's general debate and be inscribed on the list of speakers at any meeting of the plenary. It was also granted the right of reply, the right to raise points of order related to the proceedings on Palestinian and middle East issues, and the right to co-sponsor draft resolutions and decisions on those issues. Such draft resolutions and decisions can be put to a vote only at the request of a Member State.

On 13 July, the Security Council, recognizing the importance and sensitivity of the issue of Jerusalem to all parties, said that the 21 June decision by the Government of Israel to broaden the jurisdiction and planning boundaries of Jerusalem was "a serious and damaging development". In a statement read out on its behalf, Council President Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation called on the Government not to proceed with that decision and not to take any other steps that would prejudice the outcome of the permanent status negotiations.

UNIFIL: The Security Council on 30 July extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) through January 1999. Through resolution 1188 (1998), the Council also urged the parties to put an end to all acts of violence, particularly those committed against UNIFIL, and requested the Secretary-General to continue consultations with the Government...