Israeli practices/Settlements – Letter from Jordan

Letter dated 11 February 1987 from the Permanent Representative of Jordan

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I am sending you the most recent information on Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Arab territories during the last four months of 1985 (September, October, November and December).  This activity, which violates the principles of international law relating to military occupation and, in particular, the Hague Convention of 1907 and the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, includes the confiscation of Arab land.

I need not stress the danger of the continuation of such a policy for peace and security and for the prospects for peace in the region.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter and its annex circulated as an official document of the General Assembly under the item entitled "Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the occupied Territories", and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Abdullah SALAH

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

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ANNEX

Israeli settlement during the months of September, October,

November and December 1985

1. During the months of September, October, November and December 1985, the Israeli occupation authorities confiscated 46,479 dunams of land in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, broken down as follows:

2. The Israeli authorities also established four settlements during this period.  They are:

3. It appears from a report published in the Jerusalem newspaper Al-Sha'b on 9 November 1985 concerning a statistical bulletin published by Meron Benvenisti, a sociologist and former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, that:

(a) The number of settlers in the West Bank increased during 1985 by 9,165.  This figure represents an annual increase of 21.5 per cent;

(b) During October 1984, the number of settlers in the West Bank reached 42,500;

(c) The number of settlers in the West Bank increased during the months of November and December 1984 by approximately 15,000. This increase exceeds by 65 per cent the percentage increase during 1985;

(d) By mid-1985, the number of apartments in settlements where construction work had not been completed reached 4,583.

(Signed) Tahir KAN'AN

Minister for Occupied

Territory Affairs

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