Situation in the OPT/Hebron – Letter from CEIRPP Chairman

LETTER DATED 24 MARCH 1980 FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON

THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

In my capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I have the honour to state that the Committee is profoundly concerned by the decision of the Government of Israel to establish what purports to be two educational institutions in the City of Al-Khalil in occupied Palestinian territory.  This decision is an obvious sequel to the Israeli Government’s earlier decision to authorize Israeli settlement in this Arab city against which I have already protested on behalf of the Committee in a previous communication (S/13811).

I would recall that resolution 465 (1980) unanimously adopted by the Security Council, calls upon Israel to dismantle existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment of new settlements in the Arab territories, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967.  The resolution also determined that all measures taken by Israel to change, inter alia, the demographic composition or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, have no legal validity.

It is obvious that this new decision by Israel represents one more in a series of provocations in contempt of resolution 465 (1980) as well as of previous relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly, the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and established principles of international law.  I have protested against the previous violations on behalf of the Committee in preceding letters from this Committee (S/13843 and S/13849).

This latest Israeli attempt to establish, under the guise of “schools”, new settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, is further evidence, if any were still needed, of the clear Israeli intent to annex the occupied territories through the demonstrated policy of faits accomplis, with scant regard to the dangerous repercussions this creates for the prospects for peace and stability.  Israel’s defiant policy seriously threatens the search for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East and calls for urgent action by the Security Council.

I shall be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Falilou KANE

Chairman of the

Committee on the Exercise

of the Inalienable Rights

of the Palestinian People