Israeli practices/letter from PLO Permanent Observer – Letter from Libya

LETTER DATED 23 MAY 1977 FROM THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I. OF THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

I have the honour to refer to the enclosed letter dated 19 May 1977 addressed to Your Excellency from the Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization, regarding the practices of the Zionist entity in the occupied territories, and request that it be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Letter dated 19 May 1977 from the Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

I am instructed by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization to bring the following to your attention, with the hope that you will give the matter serious and immediate attention and take the necessary measures to bring to an end the cause of the explosive situation, in particular, the prolonged occupation.

On 3 May 1977 the Israeli military forces of occupation opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in the town of Qabatya and killed a 15-year-old boy and a 55-year-old woman.  In their haste to bury the boy's body, the Israeli military forces denied him a humane, religious burial – an action which was confirmed by a report in The New York Times issue of 4 May 1977.

The Israeli forces of occupation pursue their persistent policy of expropriation of Arab property and encourage the establishment of Zionist settlements in the occupied territories in defiance of Security Council resolutions; and in violation.of the Geneva Conventions.  In the areas of Jenin and Qabatya, extensive territory was declared "closed" and farmers were prevented from tilling their lands.

In Qabatya, where the 15-year-old Palestinian boy and the 55-year-old, woman were killed, the inhabitants of the town demonstrated against the establishment of Zionist settlements in their neighbourhood.

In addition to the establishment of settlements, Qabatya's inhabitants were incited by the insistence of a U.S. citizen, named Meir Kahane, whose provocative activities had received the blessing and protection of the Israeli army and members  of the cabinet.

This crime resulted in a widespread reaction in the Palestinian towns of Nablus, Ramallah, and Jenin and a general strike was declared in protest against the practices of the occupation forces.  Approximately 70 Palestinians were detained.

I am instructed by the Executive Committee to ask you, once again, to take effective and immediate measures to put an end to the brutal practices of the Israeli occupation forces and to eliminate one of the main causes of the explosive situation – namely prolonged, illegal occupation.

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