Mideast situation – Letter from Israel

Letter dated 11 May 2001 from the Permanent Representative of Israel

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I wish to draw your attention to the latest act of Palestinian terrorism which occurred yesterday.

Shortly before 12 noon (local time) on 10 May 2001, a powerful explosive device was detonated near the Kisufim crossing between Israel and the territories of the Palestinian Authority. Two Romanian contract workers were killed in the blast and a third was injured. The blast was followed by a hail of Palestinian gunfire.

Israel holds the Palestinian leadership responsible for this latest attack as it does for all the attacks which have been detailed in my letters dated 9 May 2001 (A/56/69-S/2001/459), 1 May 2001 (A/55/924-S/2001/435), 23 April 2001 (A/55/910-S/2001/396), 16 April 2001 (A/55/901-S/2001/364), 28 March 2001 (A/55/863-S/2001/291), 27 March 2001 (A/55/860-S/2001/280), 26 March 2001 (A/55/858-S/2001/278), 19 March 2001 (A/55/842-S/2001/244), 5 March 2001 (A/55/821-S/2001/193), 2 March 2001 (A/55/819-S/2001/187), 14 February 2001 (A/55/787-S/2001/137), 13 February 2001 (A/55/781-S/2001/132), 2 February 2001 (A/55/762-S/2001/103), 25 January 2001 (A/55/748-S/2001/81), 23 January 2001 (A/55/742-S/2001/71), 28 December 2000 (A/55/719-S/2000/1252), 22 November 2000 (A/55/641-S/2000/1114), 20 November 2000 (A/55/634-S/2000/1108) and 2 November 2000 (A/55/540-S/2000/1065).

Israel again calls upon the Palestinian leadership to abide by its signed commitments, to disarm terrorist organizations freely operating in the territory under its control, and particularly elements of the Palestinian security apparatus who have been actively involved in the planning and implementation of these attacks.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 179 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.