Commission on Human Settlements – Resolution

The Commission on Human Settlements,

Recalling its resolutions 13/6 of 8 May 1991 and 14/9 of 5 May 1993, on housing requirements for the Palestinian people,

Recalling also its resolution 16/18 of 7 May 1997 on illegal Israeli human settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories,

Taking note of General Assembly resolutions ES-10/3 of 15 July 1997, ES-10/4 of 13 November 1997, ES-10/5 of 17 March 1998 and ES-10/6 of 9 February 1999, adopted at its tenth emergency special session, on the illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the call in the latter to convene on 15 July 1999 at the United Nations Office at Geneva a conference on measures to enforce in the occupied Palestinian territory the Geneva convention relative to the Protection of civilian persons in Time of War of 12 August 1948 1/

Taking note also of the General Assembly resolution 53/55 of 3 December 1998 on Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem,

Concerned at Israel’s continued illegal actions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the construction of the new Israeli settlement at Jebel Abu Ghneim, the building of other new settlements and the expansion of existing ones, the construction of bypass roads and the confiscation of lands, and the demolition of Palestinian houses,

Also concerned at the serious continuous deterioration in living conditions and instability of human settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, as a result of the Israeli occupied Palestinian territory, as a result of the Israeli occupation practices,

Considering that the issue of housing for the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, falls within the mandate of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat),

Recalling paragraph 25 of the Habitat Agenda, in which it is stated that alien and colonial domination and foreign occupation are destructive to human settlements and should therefore be denounced and discouraged by all States, which cooperate to achieve the elimination of such practices,

Noting that the Executive director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) has not presented a comprehensive report on his contribution in compliance with commission resolution 16/18,

1. Calls upon the Israeli authorities to implement the following measures in order to enable the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory to secure their housing needs:

(a) Provide dignified (appropriate) physical conditions in their human settlements where needed;

(b) Put an end to the confiscation of Palestinian lands and the establishment of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory;

(c) Restore those occupied lands which have been altered before and during the recent illegal actions to their original state;

(d) Refrain from applying policies that prevent and hamper the issuance of building permits to the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem;

(e) Accept the de jure applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War to the occupied Palestinian territory;

2 Insistently requests Member States and all multilateral financial institutions to halt all forms of assistance and support for illegal Israeli settlement facilities in the occupied Palestinian territory;

3. Calls upon the international donor community and all financial institutions, in co-ordination with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), to increase financial assistance to alleviate the housing problems facing the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory;

4. Requesting the executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) to organize a meeting on the establishment of a human settlements fund for the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory;

5. Also requests the Executive Director to cooperate with the Secretary-General in facilitating the organization of a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of civilian Persons in Time of War, on measures to enforce the convention in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, to be held at United Nations Office in Geneva;

6. Further requests the Executive Director to prepare the comprehensive progress report requested by the Commission in its resolution 16/18 and to present it within three months to the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat);

7. Invites the Commission at its eighteen session to take appropriate measures against the Israeli authorities in accordance with the findings of the comprehensive progress report.

8. Requests Executive Director to present to the Commission at its eighteen session a report on the implementation of the present resolution and, in particular on the housing situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the problems posed by the Israeli illegal actions in that respect.

14 May 1999

9th meeting

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* Adopted by 25 votes to 1, with 23 abstentions.