Situation in the OPT – Letter from CEIRPP Chairman

Letter dated 30 March 1988 from the Chairman of the

Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights

of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General

In my capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I wish to express the Committee's most serious concern at the escalation of the campaign of repression and violence by Israel against the entire Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian territories.  Events since my letter of 1 March 1988 (A/43/183-S/19562) show that Israeli authorities have greatly intensified their punitive measures and extended them to many areas of life, including bans on supplies of food, fuel oil and petrol, day and overnight curfews, cutting of international telephone links, stringent curbs on internal and foreign travel, a partial ban on exports of produce, and other economic as well as financial sanctions.  Live ammunition continued to be used widely against demonstrators and thousands of Palestinians have been detained.  The toll of Palestinians known to have been killed by Israeli gunfire, beatings and tear gas inhalation, is at least 127 since the beginning of the uprising in early December.  The most recent incidents are reported below.

On 27 and 28 March, The New York Times reported that at least 7 Palestinians were killed by gunfire and 8 others wounded in two days.  During the week of 20 to 25 March, Reuters and UPI reported the deaths of 9 Palestinians by gunfire, and the injuring of at least 43 others during clashes between demonstrators and the army.  A week earlier 8 Palestinians were reportedly killed and 35 wounded by the army.  According to an UNRWA press release on 18 March, another 165 were injured by beatings, including children aced 3 to 12.

According to The New York Times of 28 March, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin, Defence Minister of Israel, told the Cabinet that the number of Palestinians detained by the army had reached 4,000, but Palestinians and foreign relief workers estimate that the number is much higher.  It was reported that some 2,000 Palestinians have been detained during the last ten days. According to a Reuters dispatch on 22 March, the detentions are part of stringent new measures announced by Mr. Rabin, which included an easing of the rules allowing for administrative detention without charges or trial; the outlawing of the Shabiba (youth) movement; and allowing Tararli civilians to shoot at demonstrators who hurl firebombs.

In addition, the imposition of a variety of economic measures was also announced. The amount of money that Palestinians crossing into the West Bank from Jordan are allowed to bring in was reduced to one fifth of the amount previously permitted.  Bank accounts of Palestinian welfare organisations would be scrutinised to ascertain where the money came from and how it was being spent.

Reuters reported that forms of economic pressure have also included, since 20 March, a ban on West Bank food supplies, an overnight curfew in the Gaza Strip, the cutting of international telephone links and limits on travel by Palestinians between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  The New York Times reported on 28 March that, in Gaza, vegetable markets and pharmacies were closed by the army and that electricity was cut off to the Deir el Balah refugee camp for the third day in a row.

In view of demonstrations planned to mark Land Day on 30 March, the Israeli army, according to a report in The New York Times of 29 March, has now declared the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip closed military zones for three days, banning journalists and prohibiting Palestinians from travelling between the occupied territories and Israel.  The Gaza Strip has been placed under curfew for the duration, meaning that more than 650,000 Palestinians are confined to their homes.

In view of the gravity of the situation and the policies and practices of the Israeli authorities, the Committee wishes to reaffirm once again the applicability of the fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 to the occupied Palestinian territories and to appeal to all concerned to do their utmost to ensure the safety and protection of the Palestinian people under occupation.

Further, the Committee is convinced that these repressive measures, which are aimed at preventing the Palestinian people from exercising its inalienable rights in accordance with internationally recognized principles and United Nations resolutions, pose grave obstacles to the attainment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region. The Committee reiterates its view that positive action by the Security Council on its recommendations, and on the convening of the International Peace Conference on the Middle East in accordance with General Assembly resolution 38/58 C of 13 December 1983, would advance prospects for a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, and reiterates its appeal for the intensification of efforts by all concerned to promote such a settlement.

I should be grateful if you would have the text of this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under item 37 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Massamba SARRE

Chairman of the Committee on the

Exercise of the Inalienable Rights

of the Palestinian People

_______________

*  A/43/50.