Illegal Israeli actions in OPT/Settlement expansion – Letter from Palestine

    Identical letters dated 10 March 2010 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

   We write this letter today to condemn the latest deliberate and grave contravention of international law and United Nations resolutions by Israel, the occupying Power, as it continues to perpetrate illegal actions aimed at forcibly and aggressively imposing a fait accompli on the Palestinian people through its military might, altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in and around East Jerusalem. In this regard, Israel has continued to brazenly defy the calls by the international community and has chosen to carry on with its illegal and aggressive settlement campaign in blatant defiance of its legal obligations under international law and international humanitarian law, gravely jeopardizing any prospect for physically realizing the two-State solution for peace.

  After a long stall in the resumption of peace talks and despite severe reservations due to Israel’s continued illegal actions and policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, such as its construction of illegal settlements, the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) agreed to the United States of America’s proposal to launch indirect talks with the two parties. Yet, within days of this announcement and in another illustration of Israel’s insincere commitment to peace, the Israeli government announced the approval for construction of 1,600 new settlement units in the illegal settlement of “Ramat Shlomo” in Occupied East Jerusalem, constituting one of the largest construction projects of illegal settlements in Jerusalem in recent years. This announcement also came one day after the Israeli government approved 112 settlement units in the illegal settlement of “Betar Illit” near Bethlehem. Indeed, these most recent illegal and provocative actions will not only undermine the efforts made by the United States of America and the rest of the international community but will also derail negotiations before they even begin.

    The international community, including the Security Council, must urgently act to address these dangerous illegal actions by Israel, the occupying Power, to obstruct and bury peace efforts before they even begin only to further entrench its illegitimate occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and to de facto annex even more Palestinian land. Israel cannot be permitted to continue to flagrantly and grossly breach international law without consequence, and in persistent defiance of the international community. The international community must demand Israel’s compliance with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, by which it is bound as the occupying Power, and demand the cessation of all of its illegal policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

  This letter is in follow-up to our previous 359 letters regarding the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, since 28 September 2000. These letters, dated from 29 September 2000 (A/55/432-S/2000/921) to 5 March 2010 (A/ES-10/479-S/2010/122) constitute a basic record of the crimes being committed by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people since September 2000. For all of these war crimes, acts of State terrorism and systematic human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people, Israel, the occupying Power, must be held accountable and the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

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

(Signed) Riyad Mansour

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

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