Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 5 October 2001 from the Permanent Observer

of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

Pre-dawn today (Palestine time), Israeli occupying forces invaded and reoccupied two neighbourhoods in Al-Khalil (Hebron), killing five Palestinians, injuring scores and destroying many homes and buildings. About 50 Israeli tanks and armoured personnel carriers rolled into the two neighbourhoods, Abu Sneineh and El-Sheikh, heavily shelling the neighbourhoods with tank fire, in addition to helicopter gunships. The occupying forces ousted Palestinian residents from at least 15 homes while demolishing many others. An Israeli spokesman said that the forces would remain on the site “as long as necessary”.

This new Israeli war crime comes immediately after the Israeli Government decided that the army could take all necessary measures, which practically meant that the Israeli Government had decided to put aside the agreement on ceasefire. This crime also comes after a blister of hostile, dangerous and erratic statements made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Ariel Sharon. The statements made by the Israeli Government and the actions taken by the Israeli occupying forces have taken the situation and the whole area to a new dangerous and explosive level.

The international community, specifically the Security Council, must step in immediately to ensure reversal of the illegal steps taken by Israel, the occupying Power, to prevent further deterioration and to push for the immediate and comprehensive implementation of Mitchell’s recommendations towards a final settlement.

I am writing this letter in follow-up to our previous 71 letters addressed to you regarding this grave and ongoing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 3 October 2001 (A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39-S/2000/1015; A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES-10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45-S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47-S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154; A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51-S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1215; A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33; A/ES/10/56-S/2001/50, A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131 A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156;  A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175; A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209;  A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226; A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255; A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284; A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314; A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372; A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447; A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479; A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504; A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508; A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586; A/ES-10/91-S/2001/605; A/ES-10/92-S/2001/629; A/ES-10/93-S/2001/657; A/ES-10/94-S/2001/669; A/ES-10/95-S/2001/686; A/ES-10/96-S/2001/697; A/ES-10/97-S/2001/708; A/ES-10/98-S/2001/717; A/ES-10/99-S/2001/742; A/ES-10/100-S/2001/754; A/ES-10/101-S/2001/783; A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785; A/ES-10/103-S/2001/798; A/ES-10/104-S/2001/812; A/ES-10/105-S/2001/814 and A/ES-10/107-S/2001/821; A/ES-10/108-S/2001/826; A/ES-10/110-S/2001/855; A/ES-10/111-S/2001/880; A/ES-10/112-S/2001/918; A/ES-10/114-S/2001/928; and A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932). I regret to inform you that since our last letter to you, dated 3 October 2001, Israeli occupying forces have killed 7 more Palestinians, including the martyrs mentioned above, bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs to 674. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.)

I would be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter and its annex distributed as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

Annex to the identical letters dated 5 October 2001 from the Permanent Observer of Plestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem*

(Wednesday, 3 October, through Friday, 5 October 2001)

Wednesday, 3 October 2001

Mohammed Awad

Thursday, 4 October 2001

Mohammed Imad Al-Sharabasi

Friday, 5 October 2001

1. Hazem Abdel Majeed Amr

2. Kasem Tawfiq Abu Afifah

3. Ra’ed Yussef Abu Seninah

4. Iyad Samir Kufeeshah

5. Nidal Mohammed Kufeeshah

____________

*Total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 is 674.