Economic losses and damages to Palestinian people – Statement from Governor of Islamic Dev. Bank – Letter from League of Arab States

Letter dated 4 November 2003 from the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

In accordance with Article 54 of the Charter of the United Nations, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a statement from the Head of the Auditing Bureau and Governor of the Islamic Development Bank in Palestine addressed to the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. The statement makes clear that the total losses and damage inflicted on the Palestinian people by the Israeli hostilities during the past three years have amounted to 17,262,500 United States dollars.

  I should be grateful if you would be so kind as to bring this letter and its annex to the attention of the members of the Security Council and to have them distributed as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Yahya Mahmassani
Ambassador
Permanent Observer

Annex to the letter dated 4 November 2003 from the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Subject: Damage suffered by the Palestinian people

  I wish to convey to you my sincere thanks and appreciation concerning the noble and courageous stand you have taken with respect to the Palestinian people in their just cause in struggling against the Israeli occupation.

  You are well aware of the tragic situation being faced by the Palestinian people in terms of killing, destruction and displacement and the obliteration of everything that is Palestinian, giving rise to a deteriorating situation and the daily infliction of heavy casualties.

  The casualties and damage inflicted by the Israeli enemy on the Palestinian people during the past three years have totalled 17,262,500 United States dollars. Most sources of figures agree on the grievous nature of these losses, even though there are certain disparities resulting from accounting periods with differing start and end dates and, in some cases, the use of estimated figures. The damage is not definitive because the acts of bombing, bulldozing and destruction continue on a daily basis. There is also the difficulty of inventorying and assessing damage on account of the prevailing circumstances such as the ban on travel and the transport difficulty in most of the West Bank, together with the partition of the Gaza Strip into four areas. 

  We hope that you will be so kind as to urge the Arab States to continue to assist the Palestinian people to stand firm in their heroic struggle to preserve their identity and their homeland pending the adoption of a comprehensive Arab project to repair the destruction that has been inflicted on them.

  Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed ) Jarar Numan Al-Kudwa
Head, Auditing Bureau
Governor of the Islamic Development Bank in Palestine

Total losses of the Palestinian economy after three years of Israeli aggression

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