Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 10 June 2002 from the Permanent Observer Mission

of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

Israeli occupying forces, once again, reoccupied parts of the Palestinian City of Ramallah and imposed a military siege on the headquarters of the President of the Palestinian Authority in the city. At pre-dawn hours (Palestine time), Israeli occupying forces, using tanks, armoured personnel carriers and helicopter gunships, imposed a curfew on the city, killed at least one Palestinian, abducted several and caused further damage to Palestinian property.

The Security Council of the United Nations should condemn such illegal and criminal Israeli behaviour, ensure the immediate withdrawal of the occupying forces and prevent any reoccurrence in the future. The Council should at least make sure that its own resolutions, including resolution 1402 (2002) and 1403 (2002), are fully implemented. We call on the Security Council to immediately consider the situation and take the necessary measures in this regard.

Yesterday, the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Ariel Sharon, wrote an article in the New York Times that provided additional proof, if any were needed, of his actual rejection of peace in the Middle East. Mr. Sharon insulted the Security Council and the entire international community by completely distorting Security Council resolution 242 (1967) and trying to justify expansionism and occupation under the resolution. Mr. Sharon further made it clear that he refuses the conclusion of any final settlement in the near future and indeed even at a later stage. He stated that “Israel will not return to the vulnerable 1967 armistice lines, redivide Jerusalem or concede its right to defensible borders under resolution 242.” Mr. Sharon should not be allowed to destroy the agreed-upon basis of the Middle East peace process, and we believe that the Security Council has the responsibility to condemn the position of Mr. Ariel Sharon and to protect the integrity of its resolution 242 (1967).

In follow-up to my previous 124 letters to you regarding the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 6 June 2002 (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; A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES-10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45-S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47-S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154; A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51-S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1215; A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33; A/ES/10/56-S/2001/50, A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131 A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156;  A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175; A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209;  A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226; A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255; A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284; A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314; A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372; A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447; A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479; A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496

; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504; A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508; A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586; A/ES-10/91-S/2001/605; A/ES-10/92-S/2001/629; A/ES-10/93-S/2001/657; A/ES-10/94-S/2001/669; A/ES-10/95-S/2001/686; A/ES-10/96-S/2001/697; A/ES-10/97-S/2001/708; A/ES-10/98-S/2001/717; A/ES-10/99-S/2001/742; A/ES-10/100-S/2001/754; A/ES-10/101-S/2001/783; A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785; A/ES-10/103-S/2001/798; A/ES-10/104-S/2001/812; A/ES-10/105-S/2001/814; A/ES-10/107-S/2001/821; A/ES-10/108-S/2001/826; A/ES-10/110-S/2001/855; A/ES-10/111-S/2001/880; A/ES-10/112-S/2001/918; A/ES-10/114-S/2001/928; A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932; A/ES-10/116-S/2001/941; A/ES-10/117-S/2001/971; A/ES-10/118-S/2001/989; A/ES-10/119-S/2001/991; A/ES-10/121-S/2001/1007; A/ES-10/122-S/2001/1024; A/ES-10/123-S/2001/1036; A/ES-10/124-S/2001/1084; A/ES-10/125-S/2001/1092; A/ES-10/126-S/2001/1118; A/ES-10/128-S/2001/1149; A/ES-10/129-S/2001/1166; A/ES-10/133-S/2001/1239, A/ES-10/134-S/2001/1261, A/ES-10/136-S/2002/18, A/ES-10/137-S/2002/39, A/ES-10/138-S/2002/48, A/ES-10/139-S/2002/58, A/ES-10/140-S/2002/89, A/ES-10/141-S/2002/95, A/ES-10/142-S/2002/102, A/ES-10/143-S/2002/121, A/ES-10/144-S/2002/142, A/ES-10/145-S/2002/146, A/ES-10/146-S/2002/165; A/ES-10/147-S/2002/175; A/ES-10/148-S/2002/182

, A/ES-10/149-S/2002/190, A/ES-10/150-S/2002/214 A/ES-10/151-S/2002/223; A/ES-10/152-S/2002/232; A/ES-10/154-S/2002/242, A/ES-10/155-S/2002/248, A/ES-10/156-S/2002/249, A/ES-10/157-S/2002/253; A/ES-10/158-S/2002/258; A/ES-10/159-S/2002/281; A/ES-10/160-S/2002/307; A/ES-10/161-S/2002/319; A/ES-10/162-S/2002/330; A/ES-10/163-S/2002/340; A/ES-10/164-S/2002/353; A/ES-10/165-S/2002/356; A/ES-10/166-S/2002/370; A/ES/10/167-S/2002/433; A/ES-10/168-S/2002/474; A/ES-10/169-S/2002/495; A/ES-10/173-S/2002/536;  A/ES-10/174-S/2002/555; A/ES-10/175-S/2002/610; A/ES-10/176-S/2002/617 and A/ES-10/177-S/2002/641), I regret to inform you that since my last letter to you, Israeli occupying forces have killed seven Palestinians, increasing the total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 to 1,607 people (see annex).

I would 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, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

( Signed) Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 10 June 2002 from the Permanent Observer

Mission of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

and the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces

in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem*
(Thursday, 6 June 2002 through Sunday, 9 June 2002)

    Thursday, 6 June 2002 (in addition to the name already sent in our letter dated 6 June 2002)

1.  Mohammed Suliman Abu Omrah

    Friday, 7 June 2002

1.   Nizam Mohammed Saber Abu Hamdieh (from wounds sustained on 3 June 2002) 

2.   Saeed Mohammed Alteter

3.  Mohammed Wady

4.   Osama Abu Als´ood

5.  Yussef Al-Milahi

   Sunday, 9 June 2002

1.  Sami Ahmed Musleh

______________

 *The total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 is 1,607.