Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 16 August 2001 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the

United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Israel, the occupying Power, persists with its bloody military campaign against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. Yesterday, in the late-night hours (Palestine time), Israeli occupying forces raided five villages under full Palestinian control in the area of Bethlehem. Approximately 25 Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles invaded the villages, causing widespread fear and anxiety among the Palestinian civilian population. Those tanks remained in the area, posing an additional threat against the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala.

At the same time, Israeli occupying forces continue to pursue the illegal and criminal policy of extrajudicial killings in spite of worldwide condemnation. Yesterday, Israeli undercover units entered Al-Khalil (Hebron) and assassinated Imad Abu Sneineh, fatally shooting him in the head, chest, abdomen and legs outside his home. We hold the Government of Mr. Ariel Sharon fully responsible for such war crimes and other atrocities that have been committed against the Palestinian people, in grave violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, as well as other instruments of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.

We believe that the Security Council has the obligation to effectively and immediately intervene to put an end to the present tragic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. We call upon the Council to meet and to take the necessary action in this regard in a speedy and prompt manner.

In follow-up to our previous 62 letters addressed to you regarding this grave and ongoing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 14 August 2001 (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 and A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785), I regret to inform you that three more Palestinians, including the martyr mentioned above, have died as a result of the brutal actions of the occupying force. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.) These deaths raise the total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by the Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 to 563 people. Moreover, the total number of Palestinian civilians injured, many severely and permanently, also continue to rise each day.

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) Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador

Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 16 August 2001 from the Permanent Observer 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*

(Wednesday, 15 August through Thursday, 16 August 2001)

Wednesday, 15 August 2001

1. Imad Abu Sneineh

2. Abdel Nasser Ziadah

Thursday, 16 August 2001

1. Kamal Saeed Muslim

__________

*Total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 = 563.