Situation in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

Letter dated 12 September 1989 from the Charge d'affaires a.i.of the

Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations addressed

to the Secretary-General

Upon instructions from the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, I bring the following to your immediate attention:

The situation in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, remains extremely dangerous and has, during the past 48 hours, deteriorated further as a result of the official policy of Israel, the occupying Power, practised against the Palestinian people.

The number of Palestinians killed and wounded by the Israeli occupation forces and the armed settlers is increasing at an alarming rate.  During last month alone, 40 Palestinians, many of them children, were killed and almost 2,000 injured by live bullets.

During the last 24 hours, seven Palestinians have been killed and almost 100 injured in the occupied Palestinian territory, their names as follows:

1. Samir Mohammed Rumaneh, 19 years old from Nablus, shot in the head by Israeli soldiers;

2. Mohammed Salem Sharab, 17 years old from Khan Younis, shot in the chest twice by the soldiers;

3. Mohammed Ahmed Sabasueh, 17 years old from Qabatiyah, shot in the abdomen;

4. Maher Ahmed Khalilieh, 19 years old from Jaba', shot in the head;

5. Atallah Al-Mashoukhi, 21 years old from Rafah, shot in the heart;

6. Fahed Abdul-Latef Ishtuei, 20 years old from Kfar Qaddoum, shot in the head by the settlers;

7. Zuhair Abdul-Kareem Obeid, 28 years old from Kfar Qaddoum, shot in the neck and abdomen by the settlers.

On 10 September 1989, a one-year-old baby, Walaa Wail Hijazi, was seriously injured when she was shot in the eye with a bullet by an Israeli soldier.  Her mother was injured as well.  Both are from the city of Nablus, which, together with all its refugee camps, has been placed under curfew for the last 10 consecutive days.

In addition to these crimes, collective punishment by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory is intensifying.  The storming of tens of villages and refugee camps in the Ramalleh and El-bireh area in the middle of the night by Israeli soldiers using helicopters and half-tracks is but one example.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is extremely grave and calls for immediate action by the international community.  In bringing the aforementioned to your attention, the State of Palestine requests that immediate and appropriate measures be taken to bring adequate pressure on Israel, the occupying Power to stop these crimes and to ensure respect for the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and United Nations resolutions.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 37, 39 and 78, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Riyad MANSOUR

Deputy Permanent Observer

of Palestine to the United Nations

Charge d'affaires a.i.

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* A/44/150.