which we indulge in the Council. It seems to me, however, that we have already reached the point at which to follow your suggestion would itself be a very considerable dis- courtesy. Accordingly, my delegation salutes you; we con- gratulate you; we will endeavour, to the best of our ability, to co-operate with you. 28. We should like also to place on record our admira- tion for the manner in which the business of the Council was conducted by Mr. Amega during the past month and, since this is, I think, the first occasion on which my delega- tion has spoken in the Council this year, we should also like to join others in greeting our new colleagues on the Council, the representatives of Malta, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. 29. We have met to resume consideration of Israel’s settlements policy. This is only one aspect of the Arab- Israel dispute, but it is a very important one. I propose to begin by addressing directly the question of settlements and then to go on briefly to the wider aspects of the dispute. 30. I have listened carefully to the concerns about Israeli settlements which have been expressed by the previous speakers. The concerns were not new. But they were expressed, I believe, with a renewed urgency. The reason for this urgency is obvious. It lies in the Government of Israet’s expressed determination to promote a policy of rapid settlement in the occupied territories and the very visible evidence of how that policy is being implemented on the ground. 31. My Government’s position on this matter is quite clear. We consider that the Hague Convention of 19072 and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12August 1949,’ are applicable to all the Arab territories occupied by Israel 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a diplomatic statement discussing a specific issue related to international relations and conflicts. The topic of "Israel's settlements policy" and the reference to international conventions suggest that it is a political or diplomatic issue rather than a topic related to economic development, natural resources, or health.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief