REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
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QUESTION OF PALESTINE
THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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Letter dated 23 September 1977 from the Permanent Representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations addressed to
the Secretary-General
As current Chairman of the Islamic Conference, I have the honour to enclosed herewith the text of the resolutions of the Eighth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Tripoli from 27 Jumad Al Aval to 3 Jumad Al-Thani 1397 (16 to 22 May 1977). These resolutions are as follows:
Upon the request of the Secretary-General of the Islamic Conference, I should be grateful if the enclosed resolutions be circulated as a single official document of the General Assembly under agenda items 12, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 51, 74, 86, 91, 92, 94, 116 and 121.
(Signed) Mansur R. KIKHIA
Permanent Representative
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE EIGHTH ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
Held at Tripoli from 16 to 22 May 1977
CONTENTS
Annex I: Political resolutions
Annex II: Economic and social resolutions
Annex III: Administrative and financial resolutions
Annex IV: Cultural and Islamic resolutions
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RESOLUTION NO. 4/8-P
THE PALESTINE CAUSE
The Eighth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Tripoli, the Socialist People's Libyan Arab-Jamahiriya, 27 Jumada-Awal – 3 Jumada-Thani, 1397 (May 16 – 22, 1977).
Acting upon the principles and provisions of the Islam Conference Organization Charter and the United Nations Charter,
Guided by the Resolution adopted by the Islamic Summit, the Heads of States and Governments Conferences, and by the Resolutions adopted by the Islamic States Foreign Ministers regarding the Palestine cause,
Considering that it the support of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization to restore their land and enjoy their national established rights, is the responsibility and obligation necessitated by Islamic solidarity which should be manifested by more practical and effective means,
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the Palestinian people's struggle for liberating their land and restoring their full national rights, and
Having discussed developments in the Palestine cause and the serious situation arising from the continued occupation of Palestine by Israel and its usurpation of the Palestinian people's rights, its refusal to commit itself to the United Nations Resolutions on this subject, especially the General Assembly's Resolution No. 3236,
Taking into consideration the discussions and explanations heard by the Conference regarding Israel's refusal of United Nations Resolutions concerning the Palestine problem and its continued violation of the United Nations Charter and the International Declaration of Human Rights; and its continued non-recognition of the most elementary principles of international law, which have increased the probability of the situation in the Middle East exploding and threatening world peace and security
Expressing its deep sorrow that the United States of America has used the veto in the Security Council on the draft Resolution regarding the rights of the Palestinian people which are indisputable and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly at its Session No. 1338 held 29 June, 1976 in its Resolution No. 3236 (D-29),
Considering that the method of using the veto in the Security Council is being exploited to a great extent by one State against the international will and the aspirations and rights of people,
Confirming the Palestinian people's national rights which are indisputable as mentioned in General Assembly Resolution No. 3236 (D-29), and their right for establishing their National State on their home-land,
1. Decides to work in the different bilateral and international forums for the purpose of providing all necessary potentialities to enable the Palestinian people to liberate their country;
2. Calls upon all States of the world, to support Palestinian people by all means, in their just struggle against the racist Zionist colonialists to restore these firm nation 1 rights which form an inalienable principle condition for creating a just and permanent peace in the Middle East;
3. Calls upon the United Nations Organization, especially the Security Council, to apply General Assembly Resolution No. 3236 (D-29) concerning the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, and to implement the recommendations of the concerned Committee for exercising the rights of the Palestinian people, as adopted by the General Assembly in its 31st Session;
4. Calls upon the Security Council to re-consider its position with regard to the Report and recommendations of the concerned Committee to grant the Palestinian people their inalienable rights in accordance with the General Assembly's recommendations. The proposed recommendations will be a manifestation of the international will against the oppression of these people which if disregarded will be tantamount to depriving them of their inalienable rights, and will endanger international peace and security;
5. Re-emphasizes Muslim attachment to the Holy City Jerusalem, and re-affirms decisions taken by Member Governments for its liberation and for restoring Arab sovereignty there, as well as the R solution of these Government that Jerusalem should not become an object of bargaining or surrender. Decides to render financial support for enhancing the Islamic Arab presence in the Holy City;
6. Condemns Israel for repeated violation of human rights in the occupied territories since 1948 and 1967, and its refusal to implement the Geneva Agreements of 1949 concerning the protection of civilians in time of war, as well as its policy of annexation of territory and the forced expulsion of the Palestinian people and its endeavours aimed at putting an end to their cultural heritage in the Palestinian cities. The Conference deems that such policies and actions constitute war crimes, and challenge humanity as a whole;
7. The Conference considers that all arrangements made by Israel in the occupied Arab territories since 1948 and 1967, in changing the political, geographical, social, cultural and economic features, including the measures of annexation, Judaization, are deemed null and void, and cannot be recognized either laterally or consequent ally;
8. Condemns all countries which support Israel militarily and economically, and those providing it with manpower, and strictly solicits them to immediately abstain from such support;
9. Appeals once again to all member countries to work at the United Nations and international gatherings for the expulsion of Israel from the United Nations other international organizations;
10. Emphasizes the right of the Palestine Liberation Organization to be considered the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and to work for the rejection of all forms of American policy of surrendering settlements, and all plans of liquidation, and to bring to failure any settlement which endangers the established rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine;
11. Affirms the right of the Palestinian people to continue their struggle in all political and armed forms for the sake of regaining their national rights the foremost of which being their right to return to Palestine, and to self-determination, and to set up a national independent State on their national soil,
12. Affirms the right of the Palestine Liberation Organization to participate separately and equally in all international conferences and gatherings and endeavours I , dealing with the Palestinian question and the Arab struggle against Zionism, with the aim of establishing the national and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, as adopted by the General Assembly since 1974, and in particular Resolution No. 3236;
13. Requests the Member States to implement the Resolutions of the Islamic Summit meetings and the Foreign Ministers Conferences, at the earliest possible time, in particular those concerning severing all forms of relations with the racist Zionist entity, and opening Palestine Liberation Offices in their Capitals.
14. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up implementation of this Resolution and submit a report in this respect at the next Conference meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 5/8-P
THE MIDDLE EAST QUESTION
The Eighth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Tripoli, the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, from 27 Jumada-Awal – 3 Jumada-Thani, 1397H (May 16 – 22, 1977).
Motivated by the principles and provisions of the Charted of the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Charter of the United Nations,
Guided by the decisions of Islamic Summits and Foreign Ministers Conferences,
Noting with deep concern the continued deterioration of the situation in the Middle East resulting from the persistence of Israel's aggressive policies-, their refusal to implement the decisions of the United Nations, and their continued attacks on the Arab people inside and outside the occupied territories,
Rejecting all the attempts aiming at the continuation of the state of aggression and occupation in the Middle East considering that these constitute a definite threat to the possibilities of establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East and of international peace and security,
Rejecting also any attempt to impose a fait accompli and the policies of expansion, exploitation, domination, uprooting and dispersal which form the basis of Zionist policy in the Middle East,
Reiterating that a just and durable peace in the Middle East requires Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and the exercise of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among those being the right to return, of self-determination, and the setting up of an independent State in Palestine,
Considering that it is a responsibility and duty to insist the Arab States to recover their occupied lands and to support the people of Palestine in restoring their inalienable national rights in conformity with the principles of justice and peace, and Islamic solidarity, and that this solidarity must be expressed in a practical and effective way,
Noting Israel's persistence in flouting the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the violation of the very essential conditions on which she was accepted as a member of the United Nations Organization, by General Assembly Resolution No. 274 (D-3) dated 11 May 1949, which is, inter alia, unreserved undertaking to follow the Charter and respect those obligations since the day of its having become a member of the world body, obligation to implement the General Assembly Resolution No. 181 (D-2) dated 29 November 1947, and General Assembly Resolution No.194 (D-3) dated 11 December 1948, regarding permission to the refugees to return to their homes and belongings and providing for compensation to those not wishing to return,
1. Reiterates the obligation of the Islamic States to support the Arab cause and their commitment to extend political, national and military assistance to the Arab Confrontation States and the Palestine Liberation Organization in their legitimate struggle to restore the occupied lands and national rights;
2. Reiterates that the Palestine Question is the essence of the Middle East Question and a just and lasting peace in the Middle East can only be established on the basis of:
3. Calls upon the peoples and governments of the world to adopt a strong position against Israeli intransigence and. Israel's attempts to persist in its policies of aggression, expansion and continued refusal to implement the decisions of the United Nations and impediments to the efforts for a just and lasting settlement;
The Conference considers that this position constitutes a threat to international peace and security involving disastrous consequences;
4. Calls upon the States and peoples of the world to extend assistance to the Arab States and peoples faced with Israeli aggression, and who are struggling in order to put an end to this aggression;
5. Calls upon the States and peoples of the world to refrain from giving military, human or material support which only encourages Israel to continue her occupation of Arab territories and declares that, continued support of Israel by these States would compel the Member States to adopt policies about them;
6. Rejects the policy of States giving Israel aid and arms and considers that the real purpose of flooding the Zionist enemy with deadly and destructive weapons is to entrench Israel as a fortress of imperialism and racism in the Third World generally, and in Africa and Asia in particular
7. Condemns the collusion between Israel and South Africa confirming their pursuance of a policy of aggression and racism, and the cooperation between the two in all fields for threatening the security and independence of the African and Arab States
8. Strongly condemns Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territories, especially the annexation of parts of them, the setting up of Israeli settlements, the re-settlement of aliens in those settlements, the destruction of houses, the confiscation of properties the expulsion of the Arab residents, the forced emigration, expulsion, and deportation of the Arabs, the refusal of their right to return, their mass arrests, maltreatment and torture, the destruction of archaeological cultural monuments, impediments to freedom and belief, and the exercise of religious rights and practices, denial of personal laws, and the unlawful exploitation of the natural wealth and resources of the occupied areas and their population;
9. Declares these Israeli policies and practices constitute grave violations of the Charter of the United Nations, especially of the principles of sovereignty, regional safety and of the principles and provisions of international law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in the Time of War. These also constitute the main obstacle in the way of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
10. Reiterates once again that all the policies adopted by Israel to alter the political, human, geographical, economic, cultural and religious features of the occupied territories or of any part thereof are wrong, illegal and null and void, and demands that Israel immediately rescind these policies and measures land refrain from implementing them. The Conference calls upon all the countries of the world to refrain from any action that might be exploited by Israel or help Israel in following these aforementioned policies and practices;
11. Declares that Israel is responsible for all its policies to alter, exploit, damage or confiscate in the occupied territories'.
12. Reiterates once again the necessity of severing all kinds and forms of relations in the diplomatic, consular, economic, cultural, technical, sports, tourism and communications field with the Zionist entity at all official and unofficial levels, and considers this measure as a collective obligation on the part of the Member States and should be implemented as speedily as possible. The Conference requests the Secretary General to submit to the Ninth Session on the implementation of this paragraph;
13. Calls upon all the Member States to join the Arab Boycott of Israel and to coordinate efforts in this regard with the other Third World States by implementing boycott against all the racist apparatus, especially in and South Africa;
14. Reiterates once again paragraph 7 of the Resolution on the Middle East Question passed by the Sixth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Jeddah on 15 July, 1975 calling on the Member States to work within the framework of the United Nations' to expel Israel from membership in the United Nations, specialized agencies and rescind the Resolution admitting Israel as a member of the world body in view of its continued violations of the principles of the Charter and refusal to implement the decisions of the United Nations, especially those relating to Palestine and the Middle East, and;
15. Calls upon the Security Council to bear its responsibilities as defined by the United Nations Charter towards safeguarding international peace and security and the removal of threats or danger. The Conference requests the Member States to work for convening the Security Council at an early time to take effective measures, according to an appropriate time table for the total and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories.
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Economic and social resolutions
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RESOLUTION N0.7/8-E
THE AL QUDS FUND
The Eighth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Tripoli, the Socialist People' Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, from 27 Jumada-Awal – 3 Jumada-Thani, 1397H (May 16 – 22, 1977).
Having reviewed the implementation of the provisions. of the Resolution adopted by the Seventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, on the establishment of the Al Quds Fund,
Requests Member States of the Board of Governors to nominate their respective representatives at an early date, to enable the Secretary-General of the Islamic Conference to convene the First Meeting of the Board.
Appeals to the Islamic States to define speedily their voluntary financial contributions to the capital of this Fund in order to realize the objectives for which the Fund has been established.
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RESOLUTION NO. 9/8-E
THE ISSUING OF A POSTAGE STAMP ON PALESTINE
The Eighth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Tripoli, the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 27 Jumada-Awal – 3 Jumada-Thani, 1397H (May 16 – 22, 1977).
Noting with satisfaction the completion of the financial and technical details relating to the issuing of the Palestine Stamp by the General Secretariat in cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization,
Noting further the progress made in paying visits to Islamic countries in the Middle East and the need to undertake such visits to the Member States in Asia and Africa,
Appeals to all Member States to undertake the issuing of the Palestine Stamp permanently and continuously as long as the Palestine question exists, for the welfare of the families of the Martyrs, and the fighters for the" Palestine cause, and for those who still defend the honour the Arab nations and Islamic brotherhood, and for the liberation of the Holy Shrines which are dear to the heart of every Arab and every Muslim.
Considering the continuous benefit resulting from the permanent issuing in the field of information and in reminding international public opinion of the foremost question of Islam and the Muslim — the question of Palestine vis-a-vis the Palestine question – reaffirms the extent of Islamic Solidarity towards the question of Palestine, the sacred struggle of its people and support to its heroic and valiant struggle.
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Document Type: Resolution
Document Sources: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), General Assembly, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Subject: Agenda Item, Middle East situation, Occupation, Palestine question, Security issues, Situation in the OPT including Jerusalem
Publication Date: 07/10/1977