Illegal Israeli actions in OPT/Need for UN protection force – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 25 October 2000 from the Permanent Observer
of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and to the President of the Security Council

In follow-up of my letters to you, dated from 29 September to 23 October 2000 (A/55/432-S/2000/921; A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39-S/2000/1015), I am once again compelled to inform you that Israel, the occupying Power, continues its military campaign of terror against the Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. The continuing excessive use of force by the Israeli occupying forces, using all sorts of heavy weaponry against the Palestinian people, has resulted in more casualties. Yesterday alone three more Palestinians died, including two children under the age of 18 years, and about 50 were injured by bullets. (Names of martyrs are annexed.)

It has become very clear that Israel, the occupying Power, is persisting with its campaign of terror against the Palestinian people in total violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949. It continues to do so in blatant disregard of the understandings reached at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, and in total disregard of Security Council resolution 1322 (2000) and General Assembly resolution ES-10/7 of the tenth emergency special session. These ongoing actions and measures being taken by Israel, the occupying Power, make it obvious that it is not heeding the calls made in both of the above-mentioned resolutions.

In the light of the above, there is a clear and urgent need for the international community to provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. This need was emphasized by the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States, which was held at Cairo, Egypt, on 21 and 22 October 2000. We call upon the Security Council to urgently convene a meeting to consider the situation and to establish a United Nations protection force to be dispatched into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, with the aim of providing much-needed protection for the Palestinian civilian population.

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

(Signed) Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 25 October 2000 from the

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed

to the Secretary-General and to the President  of the Security Council

Names of the martyrs killed by Israeli security forces in the

Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem

(Tuesday, 24 October 2000)

1. Eyad Osama Shaath (12 years old) (from wounds on 21 October 2000)

2. Nidal Mohammed Al-Dbeki (12 years old)

3. Nimer Yussef Marei