Situation in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

Letter dated 27 February 1990 from the Permanent Observer

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

I have been instructed by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, to bring the following to your immediate attention:

For the past few weeks, the Gaza district and, in particular, the Rafah area, have witnessed systematic attacks by the Israeli army resulting in the wounding and killing of many civilians living in the area.  On 25 February 1990, a recurrence of such aggressive action took place.  The Israeli army opened fire on a crowd of Palestinian civilians, who were marching towards the military authority headquarters demanding the release of the body of Iyad Al Homss, resulting in the wounding of 52 unarmed Palestinian civilians, whose only crime was to demand the release of the body of Iyad, who had been shot dead by the Israeli army the night before.  Iyad's family requested the body of their son a number of times from the military authority who, in turn, refused the request and denied the family access to their son's body.

This behaviour by the occupying Power Israel is brutal and is in direct violation of the internationally recognized human rights principles.  The international community should act immediately condemning Israel for the killing and wounding of innocent Palestinians on such a massive scale, as well as demanding the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Palestinian territory in order to bring about peace to the region.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under items 23, 35 and 78 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Zuhdi Labib TERZI

Permanent Observer of Palestine

to the United Nations

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*A/45/50.

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