Situation in the OPT/Holy places – Letter from Jordan

LETTER DATED 2 AUGUST 1968 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF JORDAN THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Upon instructions from my Government I have the honour to refer to the letters addressed to Your Excellency by the Israeli representative on 28 July 1968, S/8696), and 1 August 1968 (A/7160, S/8711).

One look at the map circulated among the participants of the twenty-seventh World Zionist Congress, held in Jerusalem during the month of June, and which was attached to my letter of 18 July 1968, shows clearly that the Israeli settlements in occupied Arab territories further exceed fourteen as the Israeli representative alleged.

The map mentioned above does not even cover all the new Israeli settlements. In place of the villages Of Zeita, Beit Nuba, Yalu (subject of my letter of 18 June 1968 (A/7109, S/8642)) Imwas and others which were razed to the ground by the Israeli forces immediately after the cease-fire resolution, new Israeli settlements are being built.  The inhabitants of these villages were not allowed to go back to the sites, where had once stood their homes. Many quarters and pieces of land were illegally expropriated within and around Jerusalem by the Israeli Government.  Thousands of Arabs were expelled to accommodate new Israeli settlers.  These were the subjects of long deliberations in the Security Council. A group of Orthodox Jews were encouraged by high Israeli officials to settle in Hebron without the acquiescence of the Arab inhabitants (my letter of 3 June 1968 (A/7103, S/8609)).

All these Israeli settlements mentioned above cannot be of the nature which the Israeli representative tried to portray when he said that they were "designed to assist in ensuring security of the area".

It has now become obvious that the Israeli Government is trying by all means to consolidate the gains and spoils of its June 1967 aggression. It has also become clear how Israeli tactics and propaganda try to evade their systematic policies of aggression and colonization. The double-talk and euphemism became the norms of Israeli official statements.  Israeli aggression and murder become "self-defence" and "retaliation"; the occupied Arab territories become "liberated areas" of "Greater Israel" and expulsion of the indigenous Arab population from their homes and lands become "free movement".  It so happens that this "free movement" which the Israeli officials boast about has only one direction – to  the East and never to the West, thereby "ensuring the security of the area" by having fewer and fewer Arab people.

The Israeli plans follow a chain of events that has become obvious: aggression, territorial acquisition, expulsion of indigenous population and demolition of their villages and towns and Israeli settlements coupled with aliya (Jewish immigrants).  Speaking to a conference of Kibbutz Muhad in the Baisan Valley on 17 April, Labour Minister (now Deputy Prime Minister) Yigal Allon urged immediate agricultural and urban settlements (and not para-military settlements as the Israeli representative claimed) in all the areas from the Jordan to the Negev.

The commercial centre' to be constructed in Bethlehem and mentioned by the Israeli representative was not much to boast of.  It is primarily meant to  serve as a marketing centre for Israeli products in the West Bank of Jordan.

In his letter of 1 August 1968 (A/7l60, S/87ll), the Israeli representative tried to find justifications for his Government's failure to implement the Security Council and General Assembly resolutions calling upon the Government of Israel to facilitate the return of those inhabitants who fled the areas.  Neither the so-called agreements nor any other distortions and fabrications we justify the obstacles put by Israel against the return of these inhabitants at its failure to carry out its obligations embodied in the resolutions.

I request that this letter be circulated as official documents of the General Assembly and Security Council.

Please accept etc.

(Signed) Muhammad H. EL-FARRA

Ambassador Permanent Representative

*    Also  issued under the  symbol A/7162.

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