Situation in the OPT/Expulsion of Palestinian mayors – Communiqué of NAM – Letter from Cuba (excerpts)

NOTE VERBALE DATED 23 DECEMBER 1980 FROM THE PERMANENT MISSION

OF CUBA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF

THE SECURITY COUNCIL

The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations presents its compliments to the President of the Security Council and has the honour to request him to have circulated as an official Security Council document the communiqué adopted at the plenary meeting of the non-aligned countries held in New York 23 December 1980 in order to consider the situation of the two Palestinian mayors of Al-Khalil (Hebron) and Halhoul expelled by the Israeli occupation authorities, and the situation of the three South African members of the African National Congress sentenced to death by the Pretoria racist régime.

Annex

COMMUNIQUE

The Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the Non-Aligned Countries was held in New York 23 December 1980, to urgently consider the situation of the Palestinian mayors of Al-Khalil (Hebron) and Halhoul, expelled by the Israeli occupation authorities, and the situation of the three South African freedom fighters, members of the African National Congress (ANC) sentenced to death by the Pretoria régime.

The meeting noted with great satisfaction that the Security Council has unanimously adopted resolution 484 (1980) on 19 December 1980, determining that it is imperative that the expelled Palestinians, Fahd Qawasmi, Mayor of Al-Khalil (Hebron) and Mohammed Milhem, Mayor of Halhoul, be enable to return to their homes and towns and resume their responsibilities for which they were elected and appointed.  The meeting expressed its solidarity with the two Mayors, at present on a hunger strike at the United Nations.

The meeting condemned Israel’s violation of human rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law as well as its defiance and refusal to carry out the decisions of the Security Council.

The meeting declared its full support for the Mayors and the Sharia judge of Al-Khalil (Hebron) and called upon the Security Council to take all measures to ensure the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 468 (1980), 149 (1980) and 484 (1980).

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