Situation in the OPT incl. Jerusalem – Letter from Saudi Arabia

LETTER DATED 26 SEPTEMBER 1996 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

OF SAUDI ARABIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT

OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

In my capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of September 1996, I have the honour to convey to you the Group's position with regard to the action recently taken by the Israeli Government in opening an entrance to the tunnel extending under the Western Wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and the shooting by Israeli Army forces of civilian Palestinian demonstrators protesting against that action, as a result of which there have been hundreds of dead and wounded.

The Arab Group at the United Nations strongly condemns this Israeli action, which is to be regarded as a flagrant violation of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and of the relevant Security Council resolutions and as being incompatible with the agreements concluded by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Israeli Government, and which reverses the course of the entire peace process in the Middle East.

The Arab Group further condemns in the strongest terms the assault by the Israeli forces of occupation on the masses of the Palestinian people, including the shooting and the infliction of a large number of casualties, both dead and wounded.

The Arab Group at the United Nations affirms the Arab character of the City of Jerusalem and the special significance of the Holy City for the Arab and Islamic worlds.  It further affirms that Israeli measures purporting to alter the legal status and demographic composition of Jerusalem are null and void.

On behalf of the Arab Group at the United Nations, I officially request the Security Council to meet its responsibilities with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security by convening an immediate meeting of the Council and to take the necessary measures, including the closing of the aforesaid tunnel, to address this extremely serious situation and to put an end to the Israeli violations.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Ja`far AL-LIQANI            

Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia

to the United Nations          

Chairman of the Arab Group       

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96-25479 (E)   260996