DPR Monthly Bulletin – Vol. XVII, No. 04 – CEIRPP, DPR bulletin (April 1994) – DPR publication

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April 1994

  Volume XVII, Bulletin No. 4

Contents

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I.     SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BUS IN ISRAELI TOWN

      OF AFULA; OUTRAGED BY BOMB ATTACK IN HADERA

On 6 April 1994, the following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali (see SG/SM/5258):

"The Secretary-General has learned with horror and grave concern about this morning's attack on a passenger bus in the Israeli town of Afula, in which several Israeli civilians were killed and dozens wounded, including young children.  He strongly condemns this act of violence, and extends his condolences to the bereaved families. The Secretary-General hopes that this outrageous incident will not be permitted to impede the ongoing negotiations between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)."

On 13 April 1994, the following statement was issued by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General (see SG/SM/5265):

"The Secretary-General was outraged to learn of the bomb attack on a passenger bus in the Israeli town of Hadera today, in which six Israeli civilians were killed and more than two dozen injured.  He condemns in the strongest possible terms this latest act of violence, as well as the recent escalation of violent incidents which have resulted in Israeli and Palestinian casualties.  The Secretary-General urges the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to continue their negotiations and to implement the Declaration of Principles without delay."

II.    PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXPRESSES SHOCK

      OVER BOMBING IN AFULA

On 7 April 1994, the following statement was issued by the spokesperson for General Assembly President S. R. Insanally (Guyana) (see GA/8860):

"The President of the General Assembly learned with shock and dismay of the bombing of a passenger bus in Afula, Israel, which resulted in eight deaths and the wounding of dozens of persons, including children.  He sends his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and hopes that such acts of violence will only steel the resolve of the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization to continue to work for peace."

III.    COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE CONSIDERS REPORT SUBMITTED BY ISRAEL

The Committee against Torture held its twelfth session at Geneva from 18 to 29 April 1994.  Under article 19 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Committee is mandated to review reports by States parties to the Convention on their compliance with its provisions.  On 26 April, the Committee began reviewing the first periodic report submitted by Israel (see CAT/C/16/Add. 4).  Committee members posed a number of questions regarding allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners, contained in reports submitted to the Committee by various non-governmental organizations, to which the State Attorney of Israel responded.

A press release issued on 29 April, citing the Committee's concluding observations, stated that (see HR/3978):

"On the implementation of the Convention in Israel, the Committee said it was pleased to note that the General Security Service and police were no longer responsible for reviewing the actions of their own members.  It welcomed the prosecutions and disciplining of interrogators who had breached domestic standards of conduct.  The Committee voiced concern that the Convention did not form part of domestic law and regretted the clear failure to implement the article of the Convention containing the definition of torture."

"It recommended the incorporation of all the provisions of the Convention into the domestic law of Israel and that interrogation procedures be published in full."

Israel ratified the Convention on 3 October 1991.

IV.   UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVES PROGRAMME EXPENDITURES

     FOR MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGION,

      INCLUDING FUNDING FOR PALESTINIAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

On 27 April 1994, the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) approved $40 million from general resources and $102 million in supplementary funding, as it reviewed country programme recommendations for five countries of the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as those for Palestinian women and children in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the West Bank and Gaza.  (The recommendations are contained in document E/ICEF/1994/P/L.23.).  In  introducing the  country programmes, Mr. Sarojini Vittachi, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated that the prospect of peace offered a unique opportunity for regional development and for a renewed commitment to put children first.  The regional office had encouraged an adaptive but strengthened country programming process, entailing more participation by key government sectors, non-governmental organizations, other United Nations agencies, and donor in-country missions (see ICEF/1794).

V.   THE COUNCIL OF THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS

     ON JERUSALEM AND ON THE SYRIAN ARAB GOLAN ON 27 MARCH 1994

The following resolution was submitted on 7 April 1994 by Mr. Chawki Choueri (Lebanon), Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of April 1994 (see A/48/923 -S/1994/403, annex):

"Resolution 5366 (CI), adopted on 27 March 1994

 by the Council of the League of Arab States

 at its one hundred and first regular session

"The situation in the City of Jerusalem

"The Council of the League of Arab States,

"Having considered

the note by the Secretary-General,

its previous resolutions relating to this matter,

and the recommendation of the Political Affairs Committee,

"DECIDES

"1. To affirm the overriding importance of the Holy City of Jerusalem for the maintenance of peace efforts and the necessity of implementing the United Nations resolutions relating to the impermissibility of the alteration of its historical, cultural and demographic status;

"2. To urge the co-sponsors of the peace process to confirm their undertaking that the fact that the question of Jerusalem is not under discussion at the present stage in the negotiations does not affect the need to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy, principally Security Council resolutions 252 (1968) and 478 (1980), with particular regard to the impermissibility of the unilateral alteration of the character of the Holy City;

"3. To reaffirm the resolutions of the Council of the League, particularly its resolution 4328 of 31 March 1984, on the adoption of measures in implementation of the resolutions of the Arab Summit Conferences, and particularly the Eleventh Summit Conference, with regard to any country transferring its diplomatic mission to Jerusalem or recognizing the city as the capital of Israel;

"4. To condemn Israeli measures and practices aimed at the Judaization of the City of Jerusalem by stepping up settlement activity there and confiscating the property of Palestinian residents; and to urge the implementation of the resolutions of international legitimacy on this question;

"5. To provide material support to the Holy City in order to enable its Palestinian residents to protect their landed property and prevent the occupation authorities from instituting further expropriations and seizures of such property;

"6. To request the Secretary-General to establish and maintain the necessary contacts for the implementation of this resolution."

The following resolution was submitted on 15 April 1994 by Mr. Chawki Choueri (Lebanon), Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of April 1994 (see A/49/128 -S/1994/452, annex):

"The occupied Syrian Arab Golan

"The Council of the League,

"Having taken cognizance of the note by the General Secretariat and the recommendation by the Political Committee,

"Following with increased apprehension and concern the continuation of the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Arab Golan and Israel's persistence in refusing to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy and failure to submit to the will of the international community, which regards Israel's occupation and its decision to annex the Syrian Arab Golan as null and void and without any legal effect,

"Having studied the situation in the occupied Syrian Arab Golan in the light of the practices of the Israeli occupation authorities that conflict with the United Nations Charter, international agreements, international legitimacy and United Nations resolutions, as well as developments in the peace process,

"Having recalled its previous resolutions and also the international resolutions affirming the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force,

"Decides

"1. To reaffirm its resolution 4126 of 13 January 1982 and its subsequent resolutions, the most recent being resolution 5323 of 21 September 1993, which expresses rejection of all the measures that the Israeli authorities have taken and are taking with a view to changing the legal, natural and demographic situation of the occupied Syrian Arab Golan, regarding the Israeli measures designed to assert Israeli rule over it as illegal and null and void and constituting a violation of international agreements and the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations, in particular Security Council resolution 497 (1981) and General Assembly resolution 48/59 B of 14 December 1993, which affirms that Israel's decision of 14 December 1981 to annex the occupied Syrian Arab Golan is illegal and null and void and regards the Knesset's decision of 11 November 1991 as null and void and without any legal effect;

"2. To call upon the Security Council to assume its responsibilities for compelling Israel to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy that call for complete withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Arab Golan and support for the Syrian Government in its efforts to put these resolutions into effect;

"3. To support the steadfastness of the Syrian Arab citizens and to assist them in withstanding Israeli occupation and its repressive practices and in adhering to their land and their Syrian Arab identity; and to affirm the application of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to the citizens of the occupied Syrian Arab Golan;

"4. To urge the international community, and the United States of America in particular, to prevail upon Israel to implement the resolutions of the United Nations and other international organizations relating to complete withdrawal from the Golan and the occupied Arab territories;

"5. That the Arab States should affirm their resolute support and backing for the just demand of Syria and its right to recover the whole of the occupied Syrian Arab Golan on the basis of the peace process and the resolutions of international legitimacy."

VI.    EXCERPTS FROM COMMUNIQUE ISSUED ON 3 APRIL

       BY THE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL OF THE

       GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL AT RIYADH

On 14 April 1994, the following text was transmitted by the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (see A/49/125-S/1994/434, annex):

"The Ministerial Council considered new developments regarding peace in the Middle East and developments in the occupied Arab territories. In this connection, it expresses extreme concern at the deterioration of security and living conditions in the occupied Arab territories and places on Israel and full responsibility for the increase in the numbers of persons killed from among the fraternal Palestinian people; such slaughter is inconsistent with the spirit of the peace process and constitutes a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  In this regard, the Council condemns Israel for the massacre committed by Israeli settlers against those praying in the Ibrahimi Mosque and calls on the Security Council and the co-sponsors of the peace process, the United States of America and the Russian Federation, to hasten the implementation of the provisions of Security Council resolution 904 (1994), condemning the massacre and calling for measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilians throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including the establishment of an international presence, the disarming of the Israeli settlers and the application of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the occupied Arab territories.  It affirms in this connection that the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are not legitimate in international law and that their continued presence constitutes an obstacle in the way of the peace process that undermines confidence and prevents the attainment of an atmosphere favourable to the achievement of a comprehensive settlement of the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"The Council welcomes the signature of the Palestinian-Israeli Agreement on the establishment of an international presence in Hebron and the resumption of the peace talks and reaffirms its full support for the peace process on all tracks, with the aim of arriving at a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict, on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), the principle of `land for peace', the achievement of complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories, first and foremost Jerusalem and the guaranteeing of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, including its right to self-determination.

"The Council renews its call to the international community to put pressure on Israel to implement Security Council resolution 425 (1978) so as to achieve immediate and unconditional withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese south."

VII.    EUROPEAN UNION ISSUES PRESS RELEASE ON CAR BOMBING IN AFULA

On 8 April 1994, the following press release was issued by the European Union:

"The European Union expresses its profound indignation at the tragic event which took place in Afula on 6 April 1994 and extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

"The European Union has already firmly condemned all acts of violence which result in the sacrifice of innocent lives and calls on the PLO to condemn the attack.

"The European Union takes into consideration the Israeli Government's statement that this event should not be allowed to delay the peace talks and underlines once more the necessity of a speedy conclusion to the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians as the only way to avoid any possible escalation of violence by extremists."

VIII.     EUROPEAN AND JAPANESE JOURNALISTS VISIT THE

         MIDDLE EAST ON A UNITED NATIONS-SPONSORED NEWS MISSION

The Department of Public Information sponsored a visit to the Middle East by a group of 14 European and Japanese journalists.  The visit, which took place from 6 to 18 April 1994, was organized in accordance with General Assembly resolutions on the question of Palestine, by which the Department was requested to promote news missions to the area.

The main goal of the mission, which included visits to Tunis, Damascus and Amman, was to examine the momentum in support of the peace process in the Middle East.  The journalists met with a number of personalities in the area, including Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization, King Hussein of Jordan and the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Farouk Al-Shara. The group also investigated the economic and social needs of the Palestinian people in light of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, signed by Israel and the PLO on 13 September 1993 (A/48/486-S/26560, annex).

IX.   NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION

The information below was received by the Division for Palestinian Rights during the month of April:

1. News From Within, newsletter of the Alternative Information Centre, P.O. Box 31417, Jerusalem.  Volume X, No. 4 of April 1994 includes articles on the aftermath of the Hebron massacre, limits of cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis, and the political economy of "national security" in Israel.

2. The Other Front, a weekly bulletin on developments in Israeli society, is available from The Alternative Information Centre, P.O. Box 31417, Jerusalem.  (Fax (02) 253151.)  The issues of 2 April 1994, No. 267, and 13 April, No. 268, contain articles on Land Day 1994, institutionalized terror in Israel, the Israeli Communist Party, peace demonstrations and the car bombing in Afula.

3. Middle East International, a biweekly publication, is available from P.O. Box 53365, Temple Heights Station, Washington, D.C. 20009, United States.  Issues on hand: No. 473 of 15 April, which contains articles on the aftermath of Hebron, the intifadah, the draft Palestinian constitution, democracy in the PLO, and articles on other countries in the Middle East; and No. 474 of 29 April, which includes articles on the role of the Palestinian police, Goldstein and the Israeli Army, Israel and Hamas, Fatah and Hamas, Warren Christopher and the Middle East, and the agreement on water.

4. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, vol. XII, No. 7, April/May 1994.  This issue contains articles on United States foreign policy, settlements, the aftermath of the Hebron massacre, Arab demonstrations inside Israel, the Israeli religious establishment, and implications of the Israeli-PLO Accord.  Available from the American Educational Trust, P.O. Box 53062, Washington, D.C. 20009, United States. (Fax (202) 232 6754.)

5. Forward, a Palestinian monthly magazine, is available from P.O. Box 5092, Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic. Issue No. 97 of February 1994 contains articles on Palestinian women, the Cairo Agreement and the Bedouins.

6. Israel and Palestine Political Report is published by Magelan and Association Mashrek Développement, Boîte Postale 130, 75463 Paris, Cedex 10, France.  (Fax (331) 42465177.)  Issue No. 187 of April 1994 contains articles on the Hebron massacre and its aftermath, and briefings on repression and settlement, Palestinian affairs, Israeli affairs, inter-Arab affairs, Christian affairs, diplomacy, arms and intelligence.

7. The Yale Journal of International Law, vol. 35, No. 1, Winter 1994, contains an article by Adrien Katherine Wing entitled "Custom, religion, and rights:  The future legal status of Palestinian women".  Available from the College of Law, 280 Boyd Law Building, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1113, United States.

8. Al-Haq, an affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists, published the following press releases in April: "The latest tightening of the closure poses a serious threat to Palestinian community life", and "Urgent action needed to curtail human rights abuses in the Jalazon and Qalandia refugee camps".  Available from P.O. Box 1413, Ramallah, West Bank.  (Fax (972-2) 955194.)

9. The Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine is an educational programme of The Jerusalem Fund, a Washington-based non-profit organization.  The Center is dedicated to the study and analysis of the relationship between the United States and the Middle East, with particular emphasis on the Palestine problem and the Arab-Israeli conflict.  The following reports were issued: Palestinian Statehood; The Water Issue and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict; and Palestinian Self-Government: An Early Assessment.  These are available from the Center, 2435 Virginia Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, United States.  (Fax (202) 333-7742.)

10. Breaking the Seige, the newsletter of the Middle East Justice Network, is available from P.O. Box 495, Boston, Massachusetts 02112, United States.  (Fax (617) 542 5056.) The April-May issue covers the aftermath of the Hebron massacre, the United States and the United Nations Security Council, settler ideology and a view from the Gaza Strip.

11. ASA News, a publication of the Asian Students Association, is available from ASA Media Centre, P.O. Box 8205, Kelana Jaya 46784, Selangor, Malaysia.  (Fax (603) 775 0360.)  The April issue includes an article on life under Israeli occupation.

12. April 17, a quarterly publication which focuses on Palestinian political prisoners, is available from the Alternative Information Centre, P.O. Box 31417, Jerusalem.  Issue No. 6 of April 1994 contains articles on prisoner release, the Hebron massacre, a case of administrative detention, the imprisonment of Ahmed Qatamesh, the detention of human rights activists, the prisoners' movement, reports from Ramle and Hasharon prisons, and disappeared Palestinian prisoners.

13. "Palestinian democracy: prospects & impediments" is a paper written by Adrien K. Wing which highlights selected characteristics of Palestinian civil society that might help or hinder the achievement of the goal of a democratic Palestine. Available from the College of Law, 280 Boyd Law Building, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1113, United States.

14. "Hebron massacre: a summary of events" is a compilation from reports by The Alternative Information Centre, the Hebron Solidarity Committee, Al-Quds, Yediot Aharonot, Ma'ariv, Ha'aretz, Shishi, The Jerusalem Post and The Jerusalem Times.  A copy is available from The Alternative Information Centre, P.O. Box 31417, Jerusalem. (Fax (02) 253151.)

15. "Partners in crime: the collusion of Israeli authorities in Hebron settler violence", published in April 1994 by the Alternative Information Centre (see above for address).  It contains the history of Israeli settlement in Hebron, settler violence and the policy of the Government of Israel.

16. Press release of the Palestine Human Rights Information Centre (PHRIC) of the Arab Studies Society is available from PHRIC International, 4201 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20008, United States.  (Fax (202) 686 5140.)  The following press releases have been issued:

10 April: "Homelessness in Jerusalem";

13 April: "Israeli Army demolishes family home of Birzeit student" (press release issued by Birzeit University and distributed by PHRIC).

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