Illegal Israeli actions in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 15 May 2001 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

Today, the Palestinian people solemnly commemorated the day of Al-Nakba, marking the date 53 years ago when the Palestinian people were dispossessed and uprooted from their homeland in 1948 amidst massacres, destruction and devastation of war. Demonstrations were held today, which included the observance by the Palestinian people of three minutes of mournful silence, throughout Palestinian villages, towns, cities and refugee camps in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem.

Today, the Israeli occupying forces also continued to pursue the bloody military campaign that has been waged against the Palestinian people since 28 September 2000. Following a typical and recurrent pattern, the Israeli occupying forces confronted Palestinian demonstrators with a disproportionate and excessive use of force, including live ammunition, rubber bullets and the use of snipers. These violent actions by the occupying forces resulted in the killing of 4 Palestinians and the wounding of more than 130 people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. Furthermore, in addition to the barbaric executions committed yesterday by the Israeli occupying forces, of which we informed you in our letter of 14 May 2001 (A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479), two xmore Palestinians were killed by the occupying forces yesterday in Gaza.

In follow-up to my previous letters to you on this grave matter, dated from 29 September 2000 to 14 May 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/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/2001/471and A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479), it is my deep regret to inform you that since my letter to you yesterday, a total of six more Palestinians were killed by the Israeli occupying forces. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.) These killings bring the total number of Palestinian martyrs since 28 September 2000 to 461 people. Further, as evidenced by today’s tragic events, the number of Palestinians injured as a direct result of actions of the occupying forces also continues to rise.

It is inconceivable that the international community can continue to stand by idly while daily military assaults, human rights violations and war crimes continue to be perpetrated by the Israeli occupying forces against the Palestinian people living under occupation. Rather, the international community must take urgent measures to bring an end to this bloody Israeli military campaign and to provide protection to the Palestinian civilians. This must begin with necessary and immediate action by the Security Council, which has been long overdue.

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, under agenda item 5, 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 15 May 2001 from the Permanent Observer

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

and the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces in the

Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem*

(Monday, 14 May 2001 to Tuesday, 15 May 2001)

Monday, 14 May 2001 (in addition to the 5 martyrs included in the letter of 14 May 2001)

1. Mohammed Yussef Al Qassas

2. Arafat Talal Abu Kuweik

Tuesday, 15 May 2001

1. Abdel Hakim Al Mana’amah

2. Mohammed Jihad Abu Jaser (17 years old)

3. Abdel Jawad Shehadah

4. Burhan Al Shakhsheer

___________

* Total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 equals 461.