Situation in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Fiftieth session Fiftieth year

Items 42, 44, 84 and 85 of the

  preliminary list*

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY

  FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO

  INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES AFFECTING

  THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN

  PEOPLE AND OTHER ARABS OF THE OCCUPIED

  TERRITORIES

              Letter dated 18 April 1995 from the Permanent Observer

              of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the

Secretary-General

Enclosed please find a letter, dated 14 April 1995, addressed to you and the President of the Security Council by Mr. Farouk Kaddoumi, Head of the Political Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Foreign Minister of Palestine.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter and of the enclosed letter distributed as a document of the General Assembly, under items 42, 44, 84 and 85 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Nasser AL-KIDWA        

Permanent Observer of Palestine

to the United Nations     

________________________

* A/50/50.

95-11341 (E)   190495  190495 /…

ANNEX

             Letter dated 14 April 1995 from the Head of the Political

             Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization

             addressed to the Secretary-General and to the President of

the Security Council

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the city of Jerusalem, has been steadily deteriorating since 1967 as a result of the failure of the occupying Power, the Government of Israel, to comply with its legal responsibilities in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law, and to implement relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly resolutions 242 (1967), 465 (1980) and 478 (1980).

In resolution 904 (1994), the Security Council affirmed the necessity of an international presence in the occupied territory in order to prevent friction and clashes.

In view of the friction that exists and the bloody events and clashes which have taken place, it has become the duty of the United Nations, in accordance with the purposes of its Charter and customary practice, to intervene quickly in order to put an end to these Israeli policies and practices, and to make Israel implement the Security Council resolutions.

We are extremely concerned at the rise in tension as a result of Israel's continued refusal to meet its obligations to the United Nations, particularly to the Security Council, and its failure to carry out its responsibilities with respect to the maintenance of world peace and security.  The situation in Palestine gives rise to the fear that the fuse of bloody conflict in the region is about to be ignited.

I hope that my request will find attentive listeners, who will react to the situation out of concern for peace, security and stability in Palestine and in the Middle East.  The first step towards achieving peace will be taken when Israel meets its obligations under resolution 242 (1967), and withdraws from the territories occupied since 1967, as the Security Council has acknowledged in a number of relevant resolutions.  The Declaration of Principles, signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, stated that the aim of the agreement was to achieve lasting peace by implementing Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973).

(Signed)  Farouk KADDOUMI           

Minister for Foreign Affairs of the

State of Palestine          

Head of the Political Department of

 the Palestine Liberation Organization

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