SUMMARY STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MATTERS OF WHICH THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS SEIZED AND ON THE STAGE REACHED IN THEIR CONSIDERATION
Pursuant to rule 11 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, the Secretary-General is submitting the following summary statement.
The list of items of which the Security Council is seized is contained in documents S/20370 of 11 January 1989, S/20370/Add.16 of 2 May 1989, S/20370/Add.23 of 21 June 1989, S/20370/Add.29 of 3 August 1989 and S/20370/Add.30 of 10 August 1989.
During the week ending 11 November 1989, the Security Council took action on the following items:
The situation in the occupied Arab territories (see S/11935/Add.18, S/11935/Add.19, S/11935/Add.20, S/11935/Add.21, S/11935/Add.44, S/11935/Add.45, S/13033/Add.9, S/13033/Add.10, S/13033/Add.11, S/13033/Add.28, S/13737/Add.7, S/13737/Add.8, S/13737/Add.18, S/13737/Add.20, S/13737/Add.22, S/13737/Add.50, S/14326/Add.50, S/14840/Add.1, S/14840/Add.2, S/14840/Add.3, S/14840/Add.4, S/14840/Add.12, S/14840/Add.13, S/14840/Add.15, S/14840/Add.16, S/14840/Add.45, S/15560/Add.6, S/15560/Add.7, S/15560/Add.20, S/15560/Add.30, S/15560/Add.31, S/16880/Add.36, S/17725/Add.3, S/17725/Add.4, S/17725/Add.48, S/17725/Add.49, S/18570/Add.49, S/18570/Add.50, S/18570/Add.51, S/19420/Add.1, S/19420/Add.2, S/19420/Add.4, S/19420/Add.5, S/19420/Add.13, S/19420/Add.15, S/20370/Add.5, S/20370/Add.6, S/20370/Add.22, S/20370/Add.26 and S/20370/Add.34)
In a letter dated 3 November 1989 addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/20942), the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, in his capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group at the United Nations for the month of November 1989, requested that an immediate meeting of the Security Council be convened to consider the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The Security Council resumed its consideration of the item at its 2887th meeting, on 6 November 1989, on the basis of the above request.
The President, with the consent of the Council, invited the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, at their request, to participate in the discussion without the right to vote.
At the 2887th meeting, held on 6 November 1989, the President drew attention to the request contained in the letter dated 6 November 1989 (S/20949) from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the debate. He said that the request was not made pursuant to rule 37 or rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council but that, if it was approved, the Council would be inviting the Permanent Observer of Palestine to participate, not under rule 37 or rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, but with the same rights of participation as under rule 37.
Following discussion, the Security Council adopted the proposal by 11 votes in favour, to 1 against (United States of America), with 3 abstentions (Canada, France and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).
In response to the request dated 3 November 1989 from the Permanent Observer of Algeria to the United Nations (S/20950), the Security Council, at its 2887th meeting, extended an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. Clovis Maksoud.
At its 2887th meeting, the Security Council had before it the text of a draft resolution (S/20945), submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal and Yugoslavia, which reads as follows:
The Security Council,
Having considered the letter dated 3 November 1989 from the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, 1/ in his capacity as Chairman of the Group of Arab States for the month of November,
Recalling its relevant resolutions on the situation in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, in particular resolution 605 (1987) of 22 December 1987,
Taking note of General Assembly resolution 44/2 of 6 October 1989,
Bearing in mind the inalienable rights of all peoples recognized by the Charter of the United Nations and proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2/
Recalling also the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 3/
Alarmed by the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem,
Having heard the statements concerning the policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, and the conduct of its troops and agents in those territories, as manifested in the town of Beit Sahur, other towns and refugee camps,
Taking into account the immediate need to consider measures for the impartial and international protection of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation,
Considering that the current policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, in the occupied territory are bound to have grave consequences for the endeavours to achieve comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,
1. Strongly deplores those policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, and in particular the siege of towns, the ransacking of the homes of inhabitants, as has happened at Beit Sahur, and the illegal and arbitrary confiscation of their property and valuables;
2. Reaffirms once again that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, is applicable to the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;
3. Calls once again upon Israel, the occupying Power, to abide immediately and scrupulously by the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and to desist forthwith from those policies and practices which are in violation of the provisions of the Convention;
4. Calls upon all the High Contracting Parties to the fourth Geneva Convention to ensure respect for it, including the obligation of the occupying Power under the Convention to treat the population of the occupied territory humanely at all times and in all circumstances;
5. Calls upon Israel to desist from committing such practices and actions and lift its siege;
6. Demands that Israel return the confiscated property to its owners;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to conduct on-site monitoring of the present situation in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, by all means available to him, and to submit periodic reports thereon, the first such report no later than 15 November 1989.
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1/ S/20942.
2/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
3/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973.
At its 2887th meeting, the President drew attention to the revised text (S/20945/Rev.1), submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal and Yugoslavia, which reads as follows:
The Security Council,
Having considered the letter dated 3 November 1989 from the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, 1/ in his capacity as Chairman of the Group of Arab States for the month of November,
Recalling its relevant resolutions on the situation in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, in particular resolution 605 (1987) of 22 December 1987,
Taking note of General Assembly resolution 44/2 of 6 October 1989,
Bearing in mind the inalienable rights of all peoples recognized by the Charter of the United Nations and proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2/
Recalling also the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 3/
Alarmed by the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem,
Having heard the statements concerning the policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, and the conduct of its troops and agents in those territories, as manifested in the town of Beit Sahur, other towns and refugee camps,
Taking into account the immediate need to consider measures for the impartial and international protection of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation,
Considering that the current policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, in the occupied territory are bound to have grave consequences for the endeavours to achieve comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,
1. Strongly deplores those policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, and in particular the siege of towns, the ransacking of the homes of inhabitants, as has happened at Beit Sahur, and the illegal and arbitrary confiscation of their property and valuables;
2. Calls upon Israel to desist from committing such practices and actions and lift its siege;
3. Urges that Israel return the illegally and arbitrarily confiscated property to its owners:
4. Reaffirms once again that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, is applicable to the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem.
5. Calls once again upon Israel, the occupying Power, to abide immediately and scrupulously by the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and to desist forthwith from those policies and practices which are in violation of the provisions of the Convention;
6. Calls upon all the High Contracting Parties to the fourth Geneva Convention to ensure respect for it, including the obligation of the occupying Power under the Convention to treat the population of the occupied territory humanely at all times and in all circumstances;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to conduct on-site monitoring of the present situation in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, by all means available to him, and to submit periodic reports thereon, the first such report as soon as possible.
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1/ S/20942.
2/ General Assembly resolution 217 A (III).
3/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973.
The Security Council then proceeded to vote on the revised draft resolution, which received 14 votes in favour to 1 against (United States of America), with no abstentions, and was not adopted, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the Security Council.
