Mideast situation/Palestine question – Commission of the African Union statement – Letter from South Africa

Letter dated 26 September 2002 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.
of the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations

addressed to the President of the Security Council

In my capacity as the Representative of the current chairman of the African Union, I have the honour to transmit a statement issued by the Commission of the African Union on 25 September 2002 in reaction to current events in Palestine.

I would be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Jeanette Ndhlovu 
Chargé d’affaires
Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa
to the United Nations

Annex to the letter dated 26 September 2002 from the Chargé d’ affaires a.i.

of the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations

addressed to the President of the Security Council

Statement on the destruction and the ongoing siege

of President Yasser Arafat’s compound in Ramallah

The Commission of the African Union is gravely concerned about current events in Palestine characterized by the Israeli policy of destruction and the continuing siege of President Yasser Arafat’s office compound in Ramallah, which has resulted in the deaths of many innocent Palestinian demonstrators.

The Commission of the African Union joins members of the international community in strongly condemning the use of military forces and massive attacks on the person and offices of the leader of the Palestinian people, despite repeated appeals to Israel to put a stop to such policies.

The Commission of the African Union calls upon the Government of Israel to forthwith put an end to its current policy of destruction and siege of President Yasser Arafat’s office compound and to heed to the appeal by the United Nations Security Council.

The Commission of the African Union wishes to reiterate that only a genuine and mutually acceptable political solution, recognizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and their right to sovereign independence, based on relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, can ensure lasting peace in the region.

The Commission of the African Union therefore calls upon Israel to end its military incursion and withdraw from Palestinian controlled areas so as to create the conducive atmosphere that will facilitate a return to the peace negotiations.

Addis Ababa, 25 September 2002

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