Mideast situation/Settlements/Separation wall – Letter from Syria

Letter dated 9 October 2003 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic 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 October 2003, I have the honour to refer to my letter dated 1 October 2003 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations to the Secretary-General (S/2003/929) regarding the decision by Israel to proceed with the construction of its expansionist conquest wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. In that regard, I wish also to refer to the continuing illegal Israeli settlement activities aimed at colonizing the Palestinian land, which was also brought to the attention of the President of the Security Council in a letter dated 3 October 2003 (S/2003/938) from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations.

  Accordingly, in my capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group and on behalf of the States members of the League of Arab States, I have the honour to request an immediate meeting of the Security Council to consider the above-mentioned grave and ongoing Israeli violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, and to take the necessary measures in this regard. Attached please find a draft resolution submitted by the Group for consideration by the Security Council.

(Signed) Fayssal Mekdad 
Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations
Chairman of the Arab Group

Annex to the letter dated 9 October 2003 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Draft resolution

  The Security Council, 

 Recalling its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 267 (1969) of 3 July 1969, 298 (1971) of 25 September 1971, 446 (1979) of 22 March 1979, 452 (1979) of 20 July 1979, 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980, 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980, 478 (1980) of 20 August 1980, 904 (1994) of 18 March 1994, 1073 (1996) of 28 September 1996 and 1397 (2002) of 12 March 2002,

  Reaffirming the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force,

 Reaffirming its vision of a region where two States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognized borders,

 Condemning all acts of violence, terror and destruction,

 Stressing the urgency of ending the current violent situation on the ground, the need to end the occupation that began in 1967 and the need to achieve peace based on the vision of two States mentioned above,

 Reiterating its call upon Israel, the occupying Power, to fully and effectively respect the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949,

 Reiterating its opposition to settlement activities in the Occupied Territories and to any activities involving the confiscation of land, disruption of the livelihood of protected persons and the de facto annexation of land,

 1.   Decides that the construction by Israel, the occupying Power, of a wall in the Occupied Territories departing from the armistice line of 1949 is illegal under relevant provisions of international law and must be ceased and reversed;

 2.  Requests the Secretary-General to report on the compliance with this resolution periodically, with the first report to be submitted within one month; 

 3.  Decides to remain seized of the matter.

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