Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 22 October 2001 from the Permanent Observer

of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

  At dawn on Saturday, 20 October 2001 (Palestine time), Israeli occupying forces using tanks and armoured personnel carriers reoccupied areas in and around the Palestinian cities of Qalqilya and Tulkarem. Israeli occupying forces shelled and shot at Palestinians in those and other Palestinian cities, which were partly reoccupied previously. The Israeli action on that day resulted in the killing of eight Palestinians, including an 18-year-old in the Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity. On Sunday, 21 October 2001, Israeli occupying forces continued with their shelling and shooting of the inhabitants of the six Palestinian cities partially reoccupied, killing five more Palestinians.

  It is clear that since Thursday, 18 October 2001, Israel, the occupying Power, has engaged in a wide military assault against the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority. This widespread military assault has resulted in the killing of 25 Palestinians and the injury of many more, at least 20 of whom are in serious condition. The pattern of reoccupying areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, particularly in and around Palestinian cities, is another indication of the Israeli intention that will probably lead to a general explosion in the Occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.

  I am writing this letter in follow-up to our previous 74 letters addressed to you regarding this grave and ongoing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 19 October 2001 (A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39-S/2000/1015; A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES-10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45-S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47-S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154; A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51-S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1215; A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33; A/ES/10/56-S/2001/50, A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131 A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156;  A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175; A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209;  A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226; A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255; A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284; A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314; A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372; A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447; A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479; A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504; A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508; A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586; A/ES-10/91-S/2001/605; A/ES-10/92-S/2001/629; A/ES-10/93-S/2001/657; A/ES-10/94-S/2001/669; A/ES-10/95-S/2001/686; A/ES-10/96-S/2001/697; A/ES-10/97-S/2001/708; A/ES-10/98-S/2001/717; A/ES-10/99-S/2001/742; A/ES-10/100-S/2001/754; A/ES-10/101-S/2001/783; A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785; A/ES-10/103-S/2001/798; A/ES-10/104-S/2001/812; A/ES-10/105-S/2001/814; A/ES-10/107-S/2001/821; A/ES-10/108-S/2001/826; A/ES-10/110-S/2001/855; A/ES-10/111-S/2001/880; A/ES-10/112-S/2001/918; A/ES-10/114-S/2001/928; A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932; A/ES-10/116-S/2001/941; A/ES-10/117-S/2001/971 and A/ES-10/118-S/2001/989).  Since our previous letter to you, on 19 October, Israeli occupying forces have brutally killed 13 more Palestinians, mentioned above, bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs to 707. (The names of martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.) In addition, the number of Palestinians injured by the fire and action of the Israeli occupying forces continues to rise.

  We strongly believe that the Security Council, as the United Nations organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, has an obligation to take immediate action to ensure the full and immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas it reoccupied recently. We call upon the Council to convene an immediate meeting with the aim of considering such action.

  I would be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter and its annex distributed as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

( Signed) Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa
Ambassador
Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 22 October 2001 from the Permanent Observer

of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces in the

Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem^a

(Saturday, 20 October to Sunday, 21 October 2001)

    Saturday, 20 October 2001

1.  Mustafa Abdel Raheem Nofal

2.  Samer Yussef Shawahna

3.  Mustafa Mahmoud Saleh Zidau

4.  Maher Abu Hasnah

5.  Ranya Nasri Kharoufah 

6.   Yussef Ahmed Abayat (25 years old)

7.  Aisha Abu O’wn 

8.   Johnny Thaljiah (18 years old)

   Sunday, 21 October 2001

1.  Mohammed Suliman Baraka’a

2.  Nahed Al-Joujou

3.   Eissa Abu Huliel

4.   Ahmed Yussef Abu Mandeel (16 years old)

5.  Ghada Mahmoud Eissah 

_______________

 ^a   The total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 is 707.