Cultural and educational institutions in OPT/Needs assessment mission – Report of UNESCO Director-General

Hundred and thirty-first session

131 EX/12

PARIS, 17 May 1989

Original: English/French

Item 5.2.3 of the provisional agenda

APPLICATION OF 24 C/RESOLUTION 25, CONCERNING

EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES

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INTRODUCTION

1. Having considered the report of the Director-General bearing the same title as above (document 130 EX/8 and Add.), the Executive Board at its 130th session adopted decision 5.2.1, in paragraph 11 of which it invited the Director-General to persevere in his efforts to:

'(a) send Father Bone on a complementary mission to the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem and the Golan Heights;

(b) investigate, by sending staff and expert missions, the needs of educational institutions in the occupied Palestinian territories, with a view to helping them to find practical solutions to the difficulties which they face;

(c) obtain contributions to the Scholarship Special Account for the Higher Education of Students from the occupied Arab territories'.

2. The Board further invited the Director-General to 'communicate this decision and the related documents to the Secretary-General of the United Nations' (para. 12) and decided to 'place this question on the agenda of its 131st session'.

IMPLEMENTATION

A. Father Bone's mission

3. The Director-General reported earlier to the Executive Board, in document 130 EX/8, on steps taken prior to the 130th session of the Board to send Father Bone on the complementary mission to the occupied Palestinian territories. Further consultations between the Director-General and the Israeli authorities on the basis of new proposals by the former concerning possible dates (i.e. November-December 1988, then mid-February 1989) did not materialize.

4. The Director-General took therefore the decision to request Father Bone to undertake a mission to Member States neighbouring the territories in order to collect the necessary information for his report to the Executive Board. Father Bone thus visited Jordan, Syria and Egypt in the framework of the study and also visited UNRWA Headquarters, both in Vienna and Amman, to compile data on the education of Palestine refugees.

5. Furthermore, in a meeting with the Director-General on 11 January 1989, the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, indicated that in view of the precarious security situation prevailing in the territories his authorities would not be in a position to authorize a visit although the principle itself remained acceptable. He nevertheless welcomed any written questions which Father Bone would be willing to address to the Israeli authorities pending his mission to the territories when the situation permitted.

At the request of the Director-General, Father Bone consequently elaborated a series of questions which the Director-General forwarded to the Israeli Ambassador, Permanent Delegate, by letter dated 18 March 1989. The Director-General will submit to the Executive Board at its 132nd session the substantive report of Father Bone's mission, together with any elements of information which may be provided by the Israeli authorities in response to the above-mentioned questionnaire.

In the meantime Father Bone prepared, again at the request of the Director-General, a factual interim report for submission to the Executive Board, at its present session, on the course of the mission (itinerary, persons interviewed, institutions visited, etc.). The interim report, slightly re-edited by the Secretariat, is attached as an Annex.

B. Staff and expert missions

6. As the purpose of such missions is, in the words of the. Executive Board, to 'investigate the needs of educational institutions in the occupied Palestinian territories', the Director-General thought it appropriate to combine the implementation of this part of the decision- with that of 129 EX/Decision 8.11, which invites the Director-General to undertake the 'preparation of a comprehensive study of the needs of the Palestinian people in the fields of education, culture, science and communication with a view to initiating the necessary action and launching an.appeal to the international community to express and translate into action its solidarity in regard to these needs'.

7. Taking into account the complexity and the multidisciplinary nature of the task, an intersectoral working group was established to determine how best to proceed with the study. On the basis of advice received from this group, the Secretariat has just completed the preparatory work consisting of the compilation of available literature and information at Unesco Headquarters.  Other sources have yet to be investigated and only as an outcome of this preparatory work will the Secretariat be able to finalize the study through staff and consultant missions as appropriate. It is worth noting in this context that a previous effort by the Director-General in 1988 to send a mission of two senior staff members to the occupied Palestinian territories to 'assess the situation in the establishments of higher education' did not materialize (see document 130 EX/8, para. 5).

C. The Scholarship Fund

8. In paragraphs 11 to 13 of document 130 EX/8, the Director-General reported to the Board on steps taken to establish and operate this fund and on contributions received or pledged at the time when the report was submitted to the Board, namely the contributions offered by the Bahrain red Crescent, Morocco, German Democratic Republic, Greece, ISESCO and the Arab Industrial and Development Organization. No significant developments have occurred since then concerning the replenishment of the Fund, with the exception of the two following contributions:

(i) $20,000 offered by the Government of Pakistan;

(ii) eight sponsored fellowships offered by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of humanities and technology.

D. Communication to the Secretary-General of the United Nations

9. In conformity with paragraph 12 of 130 EX/Decision 5.2.1, the Director-General forwarded to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Javier Perez de Cuellar, by letter dated 24 November 1988, the above-mentioned decision and the related documents. In his letter, the Director-General reiterated on behalf of the Organization, his 'continued readiness to contribute, within Unesco's fields of competence, to any action which may lead to a climate conducive to mutual understanding between the protagonists and hence to a peaceful solution'. He further indicated that he intended to persevere in his efforts 'aimed essentially at establishing dialogue with and between all parties concerned in the implementation of the resolutions and decisions of Unesco's governing bodies'.

Educational and cultural institutions

10. Since document 130 EX/8 and Add. was submitted to the Executive Board at its 130th session, the Director-General has received a number of communications, communiqués and appeals emanating from the following institutions and personalities and calling his attention to the precarious situation of the above institutions:

(a) Letter from the Executive Director of the International Co-ordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine, dated 28 October 1988, concerning the closure of universities, schools, vocational training centres and kindergartens in the occupied territories.

(b) Letter dated 8 November 1988 from the Permanent Delegate of ALECSO forwarding a communique by the President of Gaza University concerning 'arbitrary measures' taken by the Israeli authorities against University staff and students.

(c) Letter from the Permanent Observer of Palestine dated 8 December 1988, forwarding to the Director-General:

(i) A report drawn up by the association 'AL-HAQ – the Law in the Service of People', published by the weekly newspaper Al Fajr, Jerusalem, Volume IX, No. 445 of 28 November 1988. Under cover of the same letter, the Permanent Observer of Palestine also forwarded to the Director-General a series of communiqués issued by the Union of Palestinian Women, the Union of Palestinian Writers and Birzeit University.

The Al-Haq report deals with 'a series of repressive measures imposed by the military authorities since the beginning of the uprising in December of 1987'. The measures referred to include 'the long-term closure of schools, the prohibition of home study and compensation classes in alternative locations, the use of schools as military outposts and the destruction of school property, and military raids on primary and secondary schools'.  The report also touches on various other measures such as deportation and administrative detention of University academic staff members, employees and students. It refers to an open letter entitled: 'an urgent appeal to Unesco' published in October 1988 'requesting that Unesco guarantee formal education in the West Bank' and concludes that 'the military are well aware of the high value which the Palestinian population has traditionally placed on education, and this perhaps has informed their choice. It is undisputed amongst educators that denial of instruction to students at certain stages in their education leaves serious gaps in their cognitive development which will be very difficult to correct at a later stage. By preventing Palestinian students of all ages from receiving an education, the Israeli authorities are therefore punishing present and future generations of Palestinians'.

(ii) A communique issued by Birzeit University in September 1988 bearing the title 'An appeal from the Department of Physics'. This appeal concerns the arrest (followed by a deportation order) of Mr Tayseer Arouri and the administrative detention for six months of Mr Nicolas Dabit, both staff members of the Department of Physics of the above-mentioned university.

(iii) An appeal issued by the General Union of Palestinian writers and journalists. The communique states in substance that 'Israel is carrying out a specific policy in the Palestinian occupied land to force illiteracy upon our people' and links this policy to measures taken against educational institutions such as closure of schools. In its conclusion, the appeal calls upon 'all world organizations to use their powers to protect our people's right to education'.

(iv) A letter addressed to the Director-General on 8 November 1988 by the Association of Women's Committees for Social Work in the occupied territories. Having enumerated certain measures taken by the occupation authorities (closure of schools, universities and kindergartens, prohibition of the teaching of children at home, arrest and administrative detention of teachers, etc.) the author of the letter stated that 'children whose ages range between 6-14 years old form 35 per cent of the total population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which means nearly half of the Palestinian population is composed of students' and requested the Director-General to ask the Israeli authorities to 'open schools and universities soonest possible'.

11. Furthermore, the Chief of the Executive Office of UNRWA forwarded to the Secretariat by letter dated 9 November 1988 a petition which was handed to the Director of UNRWA Operations in the West Bank by three representatives of the UNRWA Teachers' Union on behalf of the West Bank Union of Education Sector Employees. The petition entitled 'an urgent call to Unesco' (see para. 10 C. above) refers to the 'flagrant violations of the Palestinian people's right to education by the occupation authorities' and observes that the 'Palestinian society has one of the youngest populations in the world. Fifty per cent or approximately 800,000 people are under the age of 18. During the Intifada, students have been especially targeted'. Having reviewed measures taken by Israeli authorities (closure of schools and universities, termination of teachers' contracts, leave without pay for teachers, etc.), the authors of the petition express the opinion that 'it is obvious that the Israeli occupation authorities have ordered an end to formal education'.

12. The Permanent Observer of Palestine at Unesco, in a letter to the Director-General dated 3 January 1989, stated in particular that the Israeli military authorities had, on New Year's Day 1989, deported to Lebanon (…) a lecturer at Gaza University (Mr Samhdana), a teacher at Beni Shila school in Gaza (Mr Barka) and two students (Mr Abu Saada and Mr Monaem).

13. In a letter dated 15 December 1988, the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, assured the Director-General that his Government was 'doing its utmost to bring about a full resumption and normalization of all educational activity'. After giving the Director-General an 'updated picture of the situation in this vital sector', notably the reopening of primary schools in the West Bank on 1 December 1988 and the resumption of teaching in primary, junior secondary and high secondary schools in Gaza on 1 September, 29 September and 11 October 1988 respectively, the Ambassador noted that 'this encouraging information is (…) further proof of Israel's desire to provide educational services in the territories, even in the face of continued and persistent attempts to disrupt public order and create dissension through violence and terror'.

14. In a letter dated 7 January 1989 which the Director-General addressed to the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, he acknowledged receipt of the letter of 15 December and expressed his wish to be kept regularly informed about the situation of the entire education system in the territories. He asked the Ambassador to continue using his good offices with the competent Israeli authorities to generalize the re-opening measures including the universities. He also brought to his attention the content of the communications mentioned in paragraph 10 above and appealed to the Israeli Government to 'urgently re-open institutions of learning at all educational levels in these territories with a view to avoiding any damage to the education system and standards, both at the general and the higher education levels'.

15. Concerning the four cases of deportation mentioned in paragraph 12, the Director-General addressed a letter to the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, dated 26 January 1989, asking him, on the one hand, to provide relevant information on the subject and, on the other, to intercede with the competent Israeli authorities to rescind the deportation order. He also sent a letter on the same day to the Permanent Observer of Palestine, informing him of this action.

16. In a letter addressed on 30 January 1989 to the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, the Director-General, referring to the meeting mentioned in paragraph 5 above and to discussions during that meeting concerning the need for distance education at university level in the territories, confirmed in writing his interest in the matter and expressed his conviction that 'this issue merits close consideration at the present time, given the repeated periods of closure of institutions at the higher education level'. He requested the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate, to follow up the matter and inform him of the reaction of the Israeli authorities.

17. In a letter dated 30 January 1989, the Permanent Observer of Palestine at Unesco drew the Director-General's attention to a decision taken by the Israeli authorities, dated 20 January 1989, concerning 'the total closure of all schools in the occupied Palestinian territories for an unlimited period'. He also observed that the same measures had been taken against 'Palestinian nurseries and kindergartens' on 26 January 1989. Noting that 'Palestinian universities are still closed by military order for the second academic year', he expressed the fear that 'an entire generation of the Palestinian people will be condemned to illiteracy and that people's educational and cultural system will be destroyed', and requested the Director-General to 'intercede rapidly with a view to ensuring that the rights of the Palestinian people are respected'.

18. In a letter dated 20 February 1989, the Director-General informed the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, of the contents of this communication and requested him to provide comments or additional information on the subject. He also expressed once against his concern 'at the continuing deterioration of the situation in the West Bank and Gaza as regards the functioning of educational and cultural institutions' in the territories and reiterated his request for the re-opening and proper functioning of all learning institutions therein.

19. In a letter dated 20 February 1989, the Director-General informed the Permanent Observer of Palestine of this action.

20. In a letter dated 14 March 1989, the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, provided his Government's comments on the four deportation cases related in paragraph 12 above. According to his explanation, the persons concerned 'had been active in inciting, leading and directing violent disturbances in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza District'. He indicated that after having appealed to the Supreme Court of Israel against the expulsion order, they later decided to withdraw their appeal and that "subsequently it was decided to carry out the expulsion orders'. He further gave some personal information, notably previous record, on Mr Samhadna, Mr Abu Sa'Ada and Mr Barkah, specifying that similar information on Mr Monaem would be transmitted to the Director-General in good time.

21. In a letter dated 5 April 1989, the Director-General brought to the notice of the Permanent Observer of Palestine this information provided by the Israeli authorities.

22. In another letter, also dated 14 March 1989, the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, referring to the Director-General's letters of 20 February and 1 March 1989, provided his government's comments on the contents of the two letters. Having observed that 'there have been no adequate attempts within our Organization to expose the reasons for the closing of (the) educational institutions' he stated that 'it is undeniable that some of the steps we undertake are inevitable'. He further stated that 'it is most regrettable that there is no mention of our attempts to normalize educational activities which are generally frustrated by continued unrest' and concluded that 'Israel will not hamper the resumption of studies provided that the public order and

scholastic discipline are respected'.

23. The Director-General acknowledged receipt by letter dated 5 April 1989 and informed the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, that the comments he provided would be brought to the attention of the Executive Board at its 131st session.

24. In another letter also dated 5 April 1989 (already referred to in part in paragraph 21), the Director-General brought to the notice of the Permanent Observer of Palestine the information provided by the Israeli authorities.

25. In a letter dated 6 April 1989, the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Israel, informed the Director-General that he had been asked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assure him that they 'share the concern about the youth deprived of schooling' in the territories. He, stated however, on behalf of the Ministry, that 'considerations of military security preclude, for the time being, the reopening of these schools as well as any other initiatives in the field of education, such as the provision of teaching materials to be used by pupils in their homes'.

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ANNEX 1

INTERIM REPORT BY FATHER E. BONE

CONCERNING EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (West Bank, Gaza and Golan)

1. TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CONSULTANT

In conformity with 24 C/Resolution 25 and 130 EX/Decision 5.2.1, undertake a mission to the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, subject to the necessary authorization being obtained from the Israeli authorities. If this proves impossible by the fixed dates, the consultant shall undertake an alternative mission to Vienna, Amman, Damascus and Cairo in order to complement his initial mission to the occupied Arab territories (127 EX/8) by examining the situation of educational and cultural institutions other than higher education institutions in those territories and compiling information available in the above neighbouring countries as well as UNRWA Headquarters in Vienna and Amman.

2. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MISSION

As the Israeli Government did not consider it wise, at least at the present time, to authorize the visit to the territories for the purpose of carrying out the proposed mission there, the consultant therefore had no choice but to go ahead with the alternative mission requested by the Director-General. He deeply regrets this curtailment, which deprived him from the outset not only of direct contacts with the educational institutions and those in charge of them, but also of valuable meetings with the Israeli civil and military authorities involved in various ways in the operation of the educational institutions in the territories that they 'administer'.

The consultant nevertheless amassed a great deal of information in the countries visited, obtained, as will be noted, from a large variety of local and government sources, from international civil servants and from private, impartial observers. On his return from the mission and at the invitation of the Government of Israel, he sent to the occupation authorities a series of questions concerning which the comments of those authorities are sure to enable him to arrive at a better understanding of the various aspects of the matters under review.

3. CONDUCT OF THE MISSION

3.1 Preparation: Before leaving, the consultant had a series of contacts, particularly in Paris, with the permanent delegates to Unesco of the countries bordering on the territories and with the Permanent Observer of Palestine. He met with nationals of France and other countries who were in a position to help him in his investigation. He took cognizance of a series of documents and reports on earlier missions, in particular the one sent by the Director-General to the occupied territories from 21 March to 6 April 1982.

3.2 The stages; In accordance with his mission instructions, the consultant went first to UNRWA Headquarters in Vienna (14-15 February 1989). There he was informed of the plain facts by the Commissioner-General, the Director of the Education Department, the Legal Adviser and their respective staff concerning the UNRWA schools operating in the area covered by his investigation.

In Amman (16-24 February 1989) a very detailed programme of visits had been prepared, at the request of the Permanent Delegate of Jordan to Unesco, by the Government and by the Palestine Liberation Organization. The programme included approximately 30 formal working meetings: with the Ministries of Education, Higher Education, Foreign Affairs and Work, officials from,.the PLO education sector, UNRWA and UNICEF, the Jordanian-Palestinian Committee for the Steadfastness of Palestinians in the Occupied Homeland and the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs; with officials from seven universities – in Gaza and the West Bank and some of their teaching staff; with school principals and. primary-school teachers, mayors in exile, doctors and religious leaders; and with various private individuals, including experts in the field of culture.

In Damascus (25 February-1 March 1989), some 12 working sessions took place, prepared in the same way, on the initiative of the Permanent Delegate of the Syrian Arab Republic and by the representative of the Syrian National Commission for Unesco. In addition to meetings with the Ministers of Education, Higher Education, Culture and Foreign Affairs and with the Directorate of Museums and Antiquities, an entire morning was devoted to the specific problem of Golan, in the company of the Director of Education of the Qnaytra Sector and his staff. A visit to Qnaytra gave the consultant an opportunity to meet the Governor, who informed him of the practical situation in occupied Golan. Contact was even made on the ceasefire line with authorities and representatives of the Syrian population under occupation.

In Cairo (1-5 March 1989), the Egyptian National Commission for Unesco had similarly organized a substantial programme of informative contacts bearing on educational and cultural institutions in the Gaza Strip: with government bodies (Ministers and Directors-General of the Department of Education and Palestinian Affairs, secondary school-leaving examination programme specialists), the Governor-General of Gaza, the Cultural Attache of Palestine, PLO officials responsible for culture, education and social affairs, the Director of ROSTAS and a hospital director, media specialists, university teachers and primary- and secondary-school teachers, leading figures in scientific, religious and artistic circles, etc.

The mission ended on 6 March when the consultant returned to Brussels via Paris. In the course of it he met some 160 persons whose high-level responsibilities and competence made for a particularly rich and broad spectrum of information.

On his return to Brussels, the consultant found a letter awaiting him, sent by the Director-General during his absence. It told him of the willingness of the Israeli Government to receive any questions that the Rapporteur might wish to ask in order to have a clearer understanding of the situation and of the operation of the educational institutions concerned. On 7 March the consultant respectfully transmitted, care of the Director-General, a list of points concerning which he considered it particularly desirable to obtain fuller clarifications from Israel.

The consultant expresses his warmest gratitude to all who played a part in the painstaking preparations for this impressive programme of visits. He is indebted to them for their valuable introductions into a world where, left to himself, he would have had considerable difficulty in gaining entry and finding his way around. He wishes to extend his sincere thanks to the eminent persons who were so good as to receive him and provide him with information, showing their evident concern for objectivity and an untiring patience that was often put to the test by the insistent questions and queries of the interviewer.

Conscious of the still incomplete and partial character of his information, the consultant, who is at present engaged in drafting his report, expresses his warmest gratitude to the Government of Israel which has kindly agreed to consider certain requests for clarification. The reply to be sent to him by the Israeli authorities is bound to shed fuller light on the file now being put together and will enable the consultant to discharge more effectively the mission entrusted to him by the Director-General of Unesco.

Brussels, 27 March 1989

(signed)

Dr Edouard Bone

Emeritus Professor at the

Catholic University of Louvain,

Fellow of the Centre d'Etudes

Bioethiques

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ANNEX 2

LIST OF PERSONS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE MISSION

(in alphabetical order)

1. In Paris, December 1988 – January 1989

BARRAT, Mrs Denise, Comite Français pour le Patrimoine culturel Palestinien

DAYAN-HEZBRUN, Mrs Sonia, Association of Friends of Birzeit

DRESGH, Professor Jean, Université de Paris VII

EL-MUGHARBEL, Mr Said, Director, Arab States Division, Unesco

HAMCHARI, Mrs Marie-Claude

JAOUICHE, Mr Khalil, Researcher, CRNS

KESSLER, Professor Paul, Association of Friends of Birzeit

LAMBERT, Mr Jean-Marie, International Co-ordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine, Geneva

MASSALHA, Mr Omar, Permanent Observer of Palestine, Unesco

OBIEDAT, Mr Zougan, Deputy Delegate of Jordan

RAHMANIA, Mr N., Liaison Officer, Arab States Division, Unesco,

SAOUD, Dr Aled Elkarira, Minister, Permanent Delegate of the Syrian Arab Republic to Unesco

2. In Vienna, at UNRWA Headquarters, 14 and 15 February 1989

COLLINS, Mr A., Assistant to the Director of Education, UNRWA/Unesco

EL-RAYAH, Dr Hussein, Chief, School Education Division, Amman .

GHALI, Mr Fawzi Abu, Education Officer

GIACOMELLI, Mr G., Commissioner-General, UNRWA

MASLAMANI, Mr Ibrahim, Deputy Director of Education

SATO, Mr K., Director of Education, UNRWA/Unesco

SAYEGH, Mr N., Statistician .

SIWHA, Mr S., Legal Adviser, UNRWA

3. In Amman, from 15 to 24 February 1989

ALBARGHOUTHY, Mr Marvan, Birzeit University, Student

AL-YAHYA, Mr Abdul-Razaq, General, Ambassador P.L.O.

AL-HACJA, Mr Abdu-Karim Abu, Director of Information, Direct. Palestinian Affairs

AL-HIASSAT, Dr Ahmad, Director-General, Directorate of Curricula and Educational Technology, Ministry of Education

AL-JA'BARI, Dr Walid, Liaison Officer, University of Hebron

AL-MAJALI, H.E. Dr Abdelsalam, President, University of Jordan

AQEL, Mr Ahmed M., Director-General of Finances, Ministry of Education

AQ1L, Dr Ismael, Dean, School of Education, University of Hebron

ATIFE, Mr Monsa, Director of Statistics, Directorate of Palestinian Affairs

AYOUB, Mrs Suad, Al-Qds Open University

BAGAEN, Dr Saliba, Surgeon, Luzmila Hospital

BARGAWI, Mr Tahsin, Direct. Palest. Department Office Baqaa, Souf and Jarash

BESEISO, Dr Fuad, Director-General, Jordan Palestinian Committee

DABBOUR, Mr Morshed, Head Occup. Territ. Division, Min. of Education

DODEEN, H.E. Marwan, Minister of Work

EL-KAZZAZ, Dr Adnan, Acting Vice-President Acad. Affairs, Islamic University of Gaza

EL-KHATIB, Dr Rouhi, Mayor of Jerusalem

EL-KAHHAL, Dr Issa, Chemistry Depart., Fac. of Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza

EL-RAYAH, Dr Hussein, Chief Coordin., School Education Division, UNRWA Headquarters, Amman

FITZPATRICK, Rev. Tom., Jerusalem

GHABAYEN, Mr Omar, Area Officer, UNRWA

HAMMAD, Mr Azam Abu, Student University of Birzeit

JABER, Mr Faiez Fahad, Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs

JANET, Sister, Chief Nurse, Luzmila Hospital

JWEHAN, Mr Maher, National Commission, Ministry of Education

KAMHAWI, Dr Walid, President, Al-Qds Open University

KARASHOLY, Mr Jihad, Director of Education Department, P.L.O.

KAYYALI, Mr Amane, National Commission, Ministry of Education

KHOURY, Dr Nasri J.S., Neurosurgeon, Palestinian Hospital

KHOURY, Mr Salem, Assist. Director for Cultural Relations, Ministry of Education

KAWAR, Mrs Widad

KATANANI, Mr Ahmad, Director-General, Directorate of Palestinian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

KISWANI, Mr Mustafa, Director, Social Welfare Directorate, Jordanian-Palestinian Committee

for the Steadfastness of Palestinians in the Occupied Homeland

MAHMOUD, Mr Atiyyeh A., Field Education Officer, UNRWA

MASANNAT, Dr Adnan, Surgeon, Luzmila Hospital

MASRI, Mr Munther, Secretary-General, Ministry of Education

N. Community College West Bank

NNNNNN. Team of 6 University Professors of the West Bank

NN. 2 professors in higher education, West Bank

NNN. 3 teachers, West Bank

NNN. 3 personalities of the educational world, secondary schools, West Bank

NASER, Dr Hanna, President, Birzeit University

NASSER, Mrs Lamis, Officer, External Relations, Al-Qds Open Univ.

NAJIYA, Mrs Iman, Techn. Secret, to Director-General, Jordanian Palestinian Committee

NAJJAR, Mgr. Raouf, President, Bethlehem University

RABADI, Mr Maram, National Commission, Ministry of Education

REID, Mr Richard S., Regional Director, UNICEF, Middle East and East Africa

RYAN, Rev. Joseph, Pontifical Mission

SABBAH, H.E. Mgr. Michel, Patriarch of Jerusalem

SABRI, Dr Bahjat, President, An-Najah University

SAKER, Dr Mohammed, President, Islamic University of Gaza.

SALEH, Mr Abdul Jawad, Mayor of Al-Bireh, Director, Jerusalem Center for Development Studies, London

SAYEGH, H.E. Mgr. Selem, Aux. Bishop, Latin Patriarch, Jerusalem

SCHUTTE, Dr Donald G.W., Chief, Teacher and Higher Education Divis.

SHAMALI, Mr Khaled, Education Department, P.L.O.

SIMAAN, Sameer J., Head of Israeli Studies in the Occupied Territories, Ministry of Education

SIRHAN, Mrs Fayzeh Kazem, Baqaa Camp

SOMARIN, Mr Bader, Education Department, P.L.O.

SUGHAGYER, Rashad A., Member of Israeli Studies in Occupied Territories, Ministry of Education

SULEIMAN, Mr Shehadeh, Member of Curricula, Ministry of Education

THERESIANS, Pontifical Mission

VAN SINA, H.E. Guido, Belgian Ambassador

ZAID, Dr Adrian J., Director, Academic Affairs, Al-Qds Open University

ZOURAB, Dr Shehat, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza

ZUAYTER, Mr Akram, Chairman, Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs

ZUHIER, Dr Al-Karmi, Deputy, Science College Abus Dis, Jerusalem, Vice-Chancellor of College of Science, Secretary-General, Al-Qds University

4. In Damascus, from 24 to 28 February 1989

ABDO, Mr Bid, Deputy Minister of Education

AL-FATTAL, Mr Diaulla, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

AL-HALABI, Mr Hamed, Officer of Golan Educational TV Programmes in Qnaytra

AL-HAMWI, H.E. Abdul Mon'em, Governor of Qnaytra

AL-JAAFARI, Mr, Cabinet Chief, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

AMACHA, Mr Kassem, Mayor of Buqata

AL-HALABI, H.E. Mohammed Ghassan, Minister of Education

ASSAF, Dr Ali Abou, Director-General of Antiquities and Museums

ATIYEH, Mr Abdul Massih, Belgian Consul., Horns

ATTAR, Mrs Nagah, Minister of Culture

BADRAN, Mr Mamdouh, Representative of Syrian National Commission, for Unesco, Ministry of Education

BRAIK, Youssef, former student in Golan, University -Professor, Damascus

CHAHLA, Mrs Loris, Executive Secretary, Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums

FAC-AOURY, Mr Abdul Majia, Director of Social Affairs

GOSSOP, Mr Walid, Interpreter, Ministry of Education

HADDAD, Mr Hicham, Deputy Minister of Culture

HAMDAN, Mr Jamal, Director of Education, Sector Qnaytra

JABAL, Mr Shakeeb Abu, Member of the People's Council, Qnaytra

KOUBEAA, Mr Khalil, Public Relations, Ministry of Education

MEZIL, Mr Atif, Director of Amata School

SALEH, Mr Ayma Abu, former student in Golan, Engineer

SHARAF, H.E. Kamad, Minister of Higher Education

TOTJEIR, Mr Kassem, Director of Archaeological Research and Training

ZOUHDI, Dr Bachir, Directorate General of Antiquities

5. In Cairo, from 1 to 5 March 1989

AL-RAWI, Mr, Director, Regional Office Science and Technology in Arab States, Unesco

AMIN, Mr Ahmed, Director-General, Cultural Department, Ministry of Education

ANAWATI, Rev. Georges, IDEO

ARAFAT, Dr Fathi, Director, Palestine Hospital

ATEYER, Mr Mohammed, Head Department in the Ministry of Education

BARAKAT, Mrs Suhair, Egyptian National Commission for Unesco

BRONSVELD, Rev., Jan, Professor, University of Bethlehem

CELESTINO, Mgr., Secretary, Apostolic Nuncio, Cairo

GOMAA, Ambassador Mahmoud, Director of the Palestine Department

EL-ASTAL, Mr Abdel Majeed Mohmed, Director of Education

ELKADI, Ambassador Emad Eldin, Deputy Director, Palestinian Department

EL-KARRAR, Mrs Dorreya, Head of Department Unesco General Affairs, Egyptian National Commission for Unesco

EL-KHACHAB, Mr Walid, French Television Programmes Egyptian TV

EWAS, Mr Ewas Ahmed, Director-General of the Examination Department in the Ministry of Education

MORRAR, Mr Ghazi Fakhri, Cultural Consultant, P.L.O.

NN. 8 teachers and students in the Gaza Strip

RAMADAN, Mr Majdi Abu, Consultant for Education and Social Affairs of Chairman P.L.O

RASSOUL, Mrs Soad Abdel, Assistant Secretary-General, Egyptian National Commission for Unesco

SALAMA, Mr Samir, Artist

SOROUR, Dr Fathi, Minister of Education

VAN NISPEN, Rev. Christian, Professor Copt Seminary

ZAHER, Mr Fazi Abdul, Secretary-General, National Commission for Unesco and Deputy of Minister of Higher Education

ZANATI, General Kazem Sallam, Governor General of Gaza Strip, Ambassador, Director of Palestine Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Representative of P.L.O. in Cairo, Cultural Attache of Palestine