Situation in the OPT – Letter from United Arab Emirates

Letter dated 12 April 1985 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of

the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour, in my capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group at the United Nations for the month of April 1985, to request that the two letter dated respectively 10 and 11 April 1985 addressed to you by the Permanent Observer for the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations be circulated as official documents of the General Assembly, under items 33, 75 and 79 of the preliminary list of items to be included in the provisional agenda of the fortieth regular session of the General Assembly, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Mohammad AL-MOSFIR

Chargé d'affaires, a.i.

Chairman of the Arab Group

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*A/40/50 and Corr.1

ANNEX

Letter dated 10 April 1985 from the Deputy Permanent Observer of the

Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

I am instructed by Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization to bring the following to your urgent attention.

Today, 10 April 1985, Israeli occupation forces and their fascist isolationist allies, continued their heavy artillery bombardment of the Tyre area including the city and the Palestinian refugee camps of Burj Al-Shamali, Al Bass, and Al Qasmiyeh.

Yesterday, in a series of assaults in the area directed against the Palestinian refugee camps of Burj Al-Shamali, Al Bass and Al Qasmiyeh, the fascist isolationist elements were supported by fire-cover from 80 Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles. These tanks and armoured vehicles were also used to destroy several houses in the Burj Al-Shamali camp.  Civilians in the area were herded into the main square, and a house-to-house search was carried out in the city and also in the camps. Hundreds of civilians including Palestinians, were arrested and taken to Israel.

For the 12th consecutive day, Israeli occupation forces and their fascist isolationist allies have directed artillery shelling on the Ein El-Helweh and Miyeh Miyeh Palestinian refugee camps. Today's bombardment has so far resulted in the killing of four little children, three men and the serious injuring of 15 others.

At this time, the fascist isolationist elements under fire-cover from Israeli occupation forces are attempting an assault on the Palestinian refugee camps of Ein El Helweh and Miyeh Miyeh, in the Arab Saleem and Al Zahrani area.

As a result of the relentless barbaric artillery shelling of the residential area of Tyre, daily life has been brought to a standstill.  Hospitals, mosques and churches where hundreds of civilians had taken shelter have been subjected to an endless barrage of artillery from Israeli occupation forces and their fascist isolationist allies.

The Palestine Liberation Organization believes the aims and objectives of the Zionist enemy and their fascist isolationist allies are now clear:  impose a military siege by land and sea against the Palestinian refugee camps in Saisa and Tyre in order to uproot the Palestinian presence in south Lebanon, as a pre-requisite and essential condition for the success of their plan to establish a so-called "safe border zone", which in turn announces the fulfillment of their aspiration to establish a sectarian, fascist mini-state In south Lebanon.

Again, the fascist junta in Tel Aviv has shown disregard for the Geneva Conventions and norms of international law.

Chairman Arafat once again calls upon the United Nations to take adequate measures to put an immediate end to Tel Aviv's crimes against humanity, and to provide adequate protection for the safety and security of Palestinian refugees in south Lebanon.

(Signed)  Zuhdi Labib TERZI

Permanent Observer

ANNEX II

Letter dated 11 April 1985 from the Permanent Observer of the

Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

Pursuant to our letters of 1, 3 and 10 April 1985, I am further requested by Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization to inform you that at dawn today, 11 April 1985, Israeli occupation troops in south Lebanon and their fascist isolationist allies resumed heavy artillery bombardment of Palestinian refugee camps in the Sidon area.

Radio Israel in its noon broadcast today, announced that Israeli occupation troops had surrounded and besieged the Rashidiyeh and Burj Al-Shamali Palestinian refugee camps, and that units of Israeli soldiers had entered the camps and were in the process of carrying out search and arrest operations.

(Signed)  Zuhdi Labib TERZI

Permanent Observer

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