Jerusalem/Israeli military parade – Letter from Jordan

UNITED NATIONS

SECURITY

COUNCIL

______________________________________________________________________________

OFFICIAL RECORDS

SIXTEENTH YEAR

Supplement for April, May and June 1961

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DOCUMENT S/4777

Letter dated 1 April 1961 from the Representative of Jordan to the President of the Security Council

[Original text:English]

[1 April 1961]

I have the honour, upon instructions from my Government, to request that a meeting of the Security Council be held at the earliest possible date to consider the following complaint against Israel: “Violation of the Armistice Agreement and acts of military provocation which threaten international peace and security”.

I also have the honour to attach, herewith, an explanatory memorandum.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. The Israel authorities are contemplating holding on 20 April 1961, in the Israeli-occupied part of the Holy City of Jerusalem, a military parade in which Israel troops, heavy armament and heavy war equipment will be displayed and reviewed.

2. On 17 March 1961, the Israeli authorities held a dress rehearsal for this purpose in Jerusalem in which heavy military armament took part.

3. The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan submitted to the Jordan-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission complaint No. G-104 which was investigated by the United Nations military observers.  On the basis of their findings the Mixed Armistice Commission on 20 March 1961 decided that “this act by Israel is a breach of the General Armistice Agreement”.  The Mixed Armistice Commission also condemned this act by Israel and called upon the Israel authorities to take the strongest measures to prevent the recurrence of such a breach of the General Armistice Agreement and to refrain in the future from bringing to Jerusalem any equipment in excess of that allowed for under the terms of the General Armistice Agreement.

4. The decision of the Mixed Armistice Commission was circulated on 31 March 1961 to the members of the Security Council.1/

5. In spite of the condemnation and the decision by the Mixed Armistice Commission, the Israel authorities again made known their intentions to hold the contemplated military parade on 20 April 1961.

6. This contemplated act of military provocation on the part of Israel, in utter defiance and complete disregard of the decision of the Mixed Armistice Commission, if it is not prevented from taking place, will endanger international peace and security.  

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1/  Official Record of the Security Coouncil, Sixteenth Year, Supplement for January, February and March 1961, document S/4776.