Situation in the OPT – PLO letter – Letter from Jordan

LETTER DATED 13 JULY 1983 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF

JORDAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE

SECURITY COUNCIL

I have the honour to enclose herewith the letter of Mr. Riyad Mansour, Deputy Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

I would be grateful if it could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Abdullah SALAH

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

Annex

Letter dated 12 July 1983 from the Deputy Permanent Observer of

the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations

addressed to the President of the Security Council

On instructions from Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, I am asked to bring the following to your urgent attention.

Since 7 July, the Israeli-occupied Palestinian city of Al-Khalil (Hebron) has been under curfew. The curfew was imposed after a Gush Emunim settler from the United States of America was stabbed by an unknown assailant and left by Israeli occupation troops to bleed to death. The Christian Science Monitor of 12 July reported that an Israeli soldier looked at the body of the settler and offered no help because he thought it was an Arab.

Palestinians in Al-Khalil have, for several years, been the focal point of vicious racist attacks by fanatic Gush Emunim settlers from Kiryat Arba. While these attacks are well documented by the United Nations and the international community, I would like here to bring to your attention that on 7 July, Gush Emunim Settlers went on a rampage through Al-Khalil, opening fire with automatic weapons on Palestinians, killing one and seriously wounding two others. In the evening, more than.100 Gush Emunim vigilantes from Kiryat Arba rampaged through Al-Khalil, burning down Palestinian shops and property, and prevented firemen from reaching the scene to extinguish the fire , while Israeli occupation troops looked on.

The Israeli military commander in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank then proceeded to order the dismissal of the acting Mayor of Al-Khalil, Mustapha Al-Natsh, and all the members of the Municipal Council, and their replacement by an Israeli military officer. The New York Times of 10 July reported that the Israeli cabinet had endorsed the: decision to dismiss the acting Mayor and all the members of the Council. The Cabinet's decision to proceed with the building of a settlement in the midst of the Palestinian population in Al-Khalil for 500 Zionist families was also announced.

Yesterday, 11 July, the curfew on Al-Khalil was temporarily lifted for four hours to allow Palestinians to attend prayers on the eve of Eid al-Fitr.

Palestinians praying in the Al-Khalil Mosque, were attacked by armed Gush Emunim settlers from Kiryat Arba, who had been allowed into the Mosque by Israeli occupation troops.

The Palestine Liberation Organization wishes to affirm in the strongest possible terms its condemnation of these vindictive and racist attacks, and affirms that all actions taken by our people under Zionist military occupation against the forces of occupation are actions legitimized by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The resistance of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories reflects the determination of the people as a whole. It reflects their

rejection of continued settler vigilantism and their continued resistance to fascist military occupation of their land. Our Palestinian people under occupation

are resisting and will continue to resist by all means possible any and all attempts at their physical extermination.

Once again, I am asked to call upon the United Nations to take the most immediate action in order to avert and prevent the aggravation and exacerbation of the situation.

(Signed) Riyad H. MANSOUR

Deputy Permanent Observer

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