Situation in the OPT/Expulsion – Letter from Palestine

Letter dated 18 December 1992 from the Permanent Observer

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

I am instructed by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which retains the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, to bring the following to your immediate attention.

Following my letter of 17 December 1992, regarding the Israeli deportation orders against Palestinian civilians, I am informing you that Israel, the occupying Power, has effectively deported 383 Palestinians from their own land across the northern border of Israel towards the territory of Lebanon.  This has been done in complete disregard of all contacts and appeals made by several high-level officials from around the world, which aimed at the prevention of the implementation of the deportation orders.

We condemn this action of the Israeli Government in the strongest possible way, and we reiterate our position that such an action constitutes a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.  In addition, it will have a very detrimental effect on the peace process currently under way.  We also repeat our request for immediate action by the international community to guarantee the safe return of those deported on 17 December 1992, as well as all other Palestinian deportees.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter, as well as that of my letter dated 17 December 1992 (see annex) distributed as an official document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 30, 35, 73 and 74, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Dr. Nasser AL-KIDWA

Permanent Observer of

Palestine to the United Nations

ANNEX

 Letter dated 17 December 1992 from the Permanent Observer

 of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the

Secretary-General

I am instructed by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which retains the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, to bring the following to your immediate attention.

The Israeli Government, acting in violation of its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which is applicable to all the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem; and acting in opposition to relevant Security Council resolutions, issued deportation orders against approximately 400 Palestinian civilians.  The Israeli authorities have already amassed these civilians near the Israel-Lebanon border in the north.

Such an unprecedented mass deportation will be detrimental to the peace process currently under way and will certainly further cause the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory to deteriorate.

We call upon the Secretary-General to undertake immediate efforts to prevent the actual implementation of the above-mentioned Israeli decision and to prevent further violation by Israel, the occupying Power, of international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions.

(Signed)  Dr. Nasser AL-KIDWA

Permanent Observer of

Palestine to the United Nations

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