Israeli settlements – OIC message – Letter from Saudi Arabia

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Forty-fifth session Forty-fifth year

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO

  INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES

  AFFECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE

  PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND OTHER ARABS

  OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Letter dated 7 February 1990 from the Permanent Representative

of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations addressed to the

Secretary-General

In my capacity as current Chairman of the Islamic Group at the United Nations, I should be grateful if you would kindly arrange for the circulation of the enclosed message concerning the immigration of Soviet Jews to Palestine, from His Excellency Dr. Hamid Algabid, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, as a document of the General Assembly, under the items entitled "Situation in the Middle East", "Question of Palestine" and "Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories", and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Samir SHIHABI

90-03128  1336i (E)

ANNEX

Letter dated 5 February 1990 from the Secretary-General of the

Organization of the Islamic Conference to the Secretary-General

I wish to convey to Your Excellency the grave concern of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on the extremely serious situation arising from Israeli plans to settle the Jews from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the Palestinian and Arab lands under the illegal occupation of Israel since 1967.

OIC believes that the settlement of Soviet Jews in Palestinian and Arab territories under Israeli occupation would impede the prospects for the political settlement of the Middle East question and have incalculable consequences for regional peace and stability.

The aforementioned Israeli plans for establishing further settlements constitute a flagrant violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as of international law. Moreover, it violates the United Nations resolutions that expressly forbid Israel, as the occupying Power, from changing the demographic composition of the West Bank and the Gaza strip.

The United Nations must take serious cognizance of the Israeli policy of establishing new settlements in the territories under its illegal occupation, coupled with the forceful eviction of the Palestinian people from their homes and lands. It is imperative that the United Nations mobilize all its efforts to prevent further emigration of Soviet Jews to Palestinian and Arab lands under Israeli occupation.

I would request you to take urgent and effective action on the question of emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union and to do everything possible to safeguard the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, the establishment of the State of Palestine in their homeland and all other basic human rights.

I would also request you to further the diplomatic and political process for establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East based on equity and justice for the Palestinian people.

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