Mideast situation/Palestine question – Letter from the Arab Group

Letter dated 26 October 2001 from the Permanent Representative

of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations

addressed to the President of the Security Council

  As the Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of October 2001 and on behalf of the States members of the League of Arab States, I have the honour to inform you that the Arab Group wishes to draw the Security Council’s attention to the continuing grave deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the continuation of the bloody military campaign conducted by the Israel occupation forces against the Palestinian people, which has caused more than 37 deaths and the wounding of dozens of persons since those forces reoccupied the towns and villages which are under the total control of the Palestinian Authority. These forces have not halted their occupation of these regions. It should be pointed out here that the total number of Palestinian martyrs that have been killed by the occupation forces since the beginning of the great Intifadah exceeds 720 persons.

  The Arab Group also draws attention to the request by the States members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference that the Security Council hold a meeting on an urgent basis in order to take the necessary measures to ensure the immediate and complete Israeli withdrawal from the areas that they have reoccupied recently.

  In this context, the Arab Group considers it regrettable that the Security Council has not taken immediate measures in accordance with its obligations with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security and is most displeased with the weakness of the position expressed in the press communiqué, in particular because it was issued more than two days after the request was made that the necessary measures should be taken immediately.

  In view of the foregoing, the Arab Group urgently requests the Security Council to consider on an urgent basis the current situation and to adopt the necessary resolution on the matter, particularly with regard to the immediate and complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces.

  I should be grateful if you would draw the attention of the members of the Council to this letter and have it distributed as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Abuzed Omar Dorda 
Ambassador
Permanent Representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
to the United Nations
Chairman of the Arab Group

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