Israeli practices – SecGen report

Fifty-third session

Agenda item 84

Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices

  Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and

  Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories

Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories 

Report of the Secretary-General 

1. The present report is submitted in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 52/65 of 10 December 1997, the operative part of which reads as follows:

"The General Assembly,

"…

"1. Reaffirms that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, is applicable to the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967;

"2. Demands that Israel accept the de jure applicability of the Convention in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, and that it comply scrupulously with the provisions of the Convention;

"3. Calls upon all States parties to the Convention, in accordance with article 1 common to the four Geneva Conventions, to exert all efforts in order to ensure respect for its provisions by Israel, the occupying Power, in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967;

"4. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session on the implementation of the present resolution."

2. On 5 May 1998, the Secretary-General addressed a note verbale to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, in which he requested, in view of his reporting responsibilities under the resolution, that the Minister inform him of any steps his Government had taken or envisaged taking concerning the implementation of the relevant provisions of the resolution.

3. No reply had been received at the time of the preparation of the present report.

4. By a note verbale dated 15 May 1998, the Secretary-General also drew the attention of all States parties to the Convention to paragraph 3 of resolution 52/65.