Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 13 February 2001 from the Permanent Observer

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

and to the President of the Security Council

The Israeli occupying forces continue the bloody military campaign against the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. Yesterday, Israeli soldiers wilfully killed two Palestinian civilians in two different locations, in both instances without any provocation or disturbance. In the first case, the soldiers at a makeshift checkpoint shot at a taxi, killing the driver and critically wounding others. In the second case, the Israeli occupying forces shot a person who was sitting in a minibus transporting workers after the bus had actually turned around upon the instructions of the soldier.

Yesterday, the Israeli occupying forces also bombarded Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza, using heavy weaponry and injuring at least 50 people. Furthermore, the Israeli occupying forces continue with the wanton and extensive destruction of Palestinian homes and properties. Yesterday, Israeli bulldozers destroyed two more Palestinian homes. This recent increase in the intensity of the brutal Israeli military campaign cannot be separated from the unfortunate election of Mr. Ariel Sharon as the new Israeli Prime Minister.

Today, the Israeli occupying forces committed yet another assassination, killing Mr. Massoud Ayad, a 60-year-old security police officer, by using helicopter gunships to fire missiles at his vehicle. Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Barak sent his “heartfelt congratulations” to the army for killing Mr. Ayad, officially confirming the policy of assassination and taking personal responsibility for the decision to commit such a crime. Also today, the Israeli occupying forces shot and killed a 14-year-old, without any warning, while he was walking with a group of friends along a main road in Gaza about 500 metres from an army outpost.

In follow-up to my last letters to you, dated from 29 September 2000 to 2 February 2001 (A/55/432-S/2000/921; 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/55/760-S/2001/98; and A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101), seven more Palestinian civilians, including the martyrs mentioned above, have been killed by the Israeli occupying forces bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs to 348 (the names of the seven martyrs are contained in the annex). In addition, the number of Palestinians wounded and injured (many of them severely and permanently) by the Israeli occupying forces continues to rise.

I would also like to refer to the letter from the Israeli Ambassador addressed to you, dated 9 February 2001, in which he repeated the ludicrous claim about incitement by the Palestinian Authority. This letter is just another example of Israeli insistence on ignoring the real reason for the conflict, as well as for the more recent tragic events since 28 September 2000, namely the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and Israeli attempts to colonize this land through the illegal presence of Israeli settlers. This is in addition to Israeli oppressive measures and practices against the Palestinian people, many of which, like those mentioned in this letter, constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and violate relevant Security Council and other United Nations resolutions.

Israel must be held accountable for its actions and the international community must act to ensure a halt to such actions.

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, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 13 February 2001 from the

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the

Secretary-General and to the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by Israeli security forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,

including Jerusalem (Saturday, 3 February through Tuesday, 13 February 2001)

Saturday, 3 February 2001

1. Abdullah Abu Karsh

Sunday, 4 February 2001

1. Shadi Abdel Raheem Al-Kahlot

Friday, 9 February 2001

1. Ayman Abdel Razek Abu Holah (16 years old)

Monday, 12 February 2001

1. Atef Ahmed Al-Nabulsi

2. Zyad Abu Sway

Tuesday, 13 February 2001

1. Massoud Ayad

2. Bilal Tawfiq Awad Ramadan (14 years old)

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