Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 14 January 2002 from the Permanent Observer

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

and the President of the Security Council

Today, Monday 14 January 2002, Israel, the occupying Power, committed yet another extrajudicial execution, killing Mr. Raed El-Karmi in the city of Tulkarem in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Mr. El-Karmi was killed by a bomb planted near his home and detonated as he was passing by.

Also today, Israeli police demolished nine Palestinian homes in the neighbourhood of Al-Eisaweyah in Occupied East Jerusalem. The demolitions took place in spite of the uproar over the Israeli demolition of more than 54 homes in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza on Friday, 11 January 2002, that left over 600 people homeless. In this regard, Israeli officials continued with their usual pattern of lying. The spokesmen for the army and the Prime Minister, as well as the Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister himself, partook in falsifying the facts by minimizing the number of houses destroyed, asserting that they were uninhabited, and finally also claiming that the houses hid smuggling tunnels. Furthermore, Mr. Sharon tried to use this horrible action to suggest the establishment of a buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt.

During the last two to three days, Israeli occupying forces shelled and destroyed several small vessels belonging to the Palestinian naval police while they were docked in a small harbour in Gaza City. Also, the Israeli occupying forces sent their tanks and bulldozers again to Gaza International Airport to ensure a huge amount of destruction of the airport.

All of the above-mentioned Israeli war crimes, State terrorism and other atrocities affirm once more that Mr. Ariel Sharon and his Government want only to pursue the military confrontation and to destroy any chances for real peace in the region. It is also highly regrettable that all of this is taking place without the necessary reaction by the international community and, even worse, with what could be considered as encouragement by some quarters. This must end, and the occupying Power must be held accountable before the Middle East region loses all hope.

In follow-up to my previous 89 letters to you regarding the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 11 January 2002 (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/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; 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; A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932; A/ES-10/116-S/2001/941; A/ES-10/117-S/2001/971; A/ES-10/118-S/2001/989; A/ES-10/119-S/2001/991; A/ES-10/121-S/2001/1007; A/ES-10/122-S/2001/1024; A/ES-10/123-S/2001/1036; A/ES-10/124-S/2001/1084; A/ES-10/125-S/2001/1092; A/ES-10/126-S/2001/1118; A/ES-10/128-S/2001/1149; A/ES-10/129-S/2001/1166; A/ES-10/133-S/2001/1239, A/ES-10/134-S/2001/1261, A/ES-10/136-S/2002/18, A/ES-10/137-S/2002/39) and A/ES-10/138-S/2002/48), I regret to inform you that the killing of Mr. Raed Karmi raises the total number of Palestinians killed since 28 September 2000 to 845 martyrs.

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

(Signed) Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations