Situation in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

Letter dated 21 September 1990 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I am instructed by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, to bring the following to your immediate attention:

For the second consecutive day, Breij refugee Camp/Gaza is still under siege by the Israeli occupying army; curfew has been imposed in the area. It is now clear that the current situation is the result of an apparently planned provocation. Again, Gaza district has witnessed yet another series of brutality at the hands of the Israeli soldiers. To the long list of human rights violations carried out against innocent Palestinian civilians by the occupying Power, Israel, more atrocities are being committed.  During the past two days alone, and in the Gaza area, 180 Palestinians were injured, 200 Palestinians in the age group of 12-45 are detained, 50 homes demolished and more than half of the Palestinian inhabitants of Breij refugee camp have been evicted from their homes.  Israel has prevented the International Red Cross, UNRWA and the media from entering the area.

This situation should no longer be tolerated by the world community.  Israel continues to occupy the Palestinian territory in defiance of all norms of international law, principles of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant resolutions.  Israel persists in escalating its aggression and human rights violations against innocent unarmed Palestinian civilians.

Palestine calls upon the world community to take immediate action ensuring respect for all relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and the principles of the United Nations Charter, and the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The Security Council in particular IS called upon to invoke the powers vested in it by the Charter in order to demand that Israel should respect and carry out the decisions of the Security Council.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of this letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under items 23, 35 and 75, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Zuhdi Labib TERZI

Permanent Observer of Palestine

to the United Nations