SUPR Monthly Bulletin, No. 6-7 – CEIRPP, SUPR bulletin (June-July 1979) – SUPR publication

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SPECIAL UNIT ON

PALESTINIAN RIGHTS

Office of the Under-Secretary-General for

Political and General Assembly Affairs

Bulletin No. 6-7

June-July 1979

Table of Contents

1.  Action taken by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in June and July 1979

2.  Representation of the Committee at Conferences and action taken by other organisations on the Question of Palestine

3.  Security Council adopts resolution on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories, including Jerusalem

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1. Action taken by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in June and July 1979

The Committee held two meetings during this period. At its meeting on 27 June 1979 the main topic of discussion was the consideration of action it should take in accordance with the terms of General Assembly resolution 33/28A, of which paragraph 8 urged the Security Council to consider as soon as possible the recommendations of the Committee, and paragraph 9 authorised the Committee to make suggestions in the event that the Council failed to discuss the matter or take action thereon.

The Chairman informed the Committee that he had received a letter dated 30 May 1979 from the President of the Security Council informing him that consultations were being held among members of the Council with a view to convening a meeting in the near future to consider the Committee's recommendations. The Chairman was authorised to inform the President of the Security Council once again that it was the consensus of the Committee that the Council should resume consideration of the Committee's recommendations. The consideration given by the Security Council to the item Question of Palestine as a result of this request by the Committee will be dealt with in a subsequent issue of the Bulletin.

The Committee was represented at the ministerial meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which took place from 4-9 June 1979.  The statement made at that meeting by the Committee's representative Ambassador Victor J. Gauci of Malta and the relevant portions of the final communique are reproduced in this bulletin. The Committee noted with appreciation that strong support for the rights of the Palestinian people had been expressed at that meeting.

The Committee also noted that its Chairman had attended the 10th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Fez, Morocco, from 8-12 May 1979 and that the Committee's Rapporteur had attended a meeting of the Council of Europe in June 1979 where he had taken the opportunity of referring to the Question of Palestine in his statement. The relevant portions of the final communique of the 10th Islamic Conference are reproduced in this Bulletin.

The Committee was informed that the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its Thirty-third Ordinary Session held in Monrovia, Liberia, from 6 to 18 July 1979 had adopted a resolution updating its stand on the Question of Palestine. This resolution is reproduced below.

The Committee welcomed the apparent tendency amongst certain States in Western Europe to reconsider their attitude on the Palestinian question and expressed the hope that they might recognize the validity of the recommendations of the Committee. In this connexion the Committee considered it most significant that the Chancellor of Austria, in his capacity as Vice President of the Socialist International, and Mr. Willie Brandt, Former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, in his capacity of President of the Socialist International and of the west German Socialist Party had held talks in Vienna with Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization and had agreed with him that the Palestinian cause represented the central problem in the Middle East conflict and that no comprehensive settlement of that problem could be reached if no acceptable solution was found to the Palestinian problem.

The Acting Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador Roa Kouri of Cuba, participated in the Security Council discussion of the item "the Situation in the Occupied Arab Territories – Report of the Security Council Commission established under resolution 446 (197), and expressed the Committee's satisfaction that the findings of the Commission contained in its report (S/13450) fully justified the concern of the Committee in regard to Israeli policies in the Occupied Territories and confirmed that the facts which gave rise to this concern were true. He congratulated the Commission on its having carried out its task in spite of the non-co-operation of Israel. He also drew attention to the fact that a Commission created by the Security Council had an understanding of the question identical to that of the Committee which was created by the General Assembly and that its conclusions and recommendations within the limits of its mandate were so fully in accord with the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee. The Acting Chairman's statement and the resolution adopted by the Security Council (452 (1979)) are reproduced in this Bulletin.

2.    Representation of the Committee at Conferences and action taken by other organisations on the Question of Palestine

(a)    Ministerial meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries

Statement made by Ambassador Victor J. Gauci of Malta, Rapporteur of the Committee, at the Ministerial Meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries in Colombo on 8 June 1979 is reproduced below:

Allow me gratefully to express ray Government's appreciation for the excellent hospitality extended to its representative by the host country.  Let me also say how much my country believes in the non-aligned movement, and in its future.  We are glad that new countries are seeking to join this movement, and I have instructions to support the applications submitted by Bolivia, Grenada, Iran and Pakistan.  This is a favourable trend which we are pleased to encourage.

On a procedural point, my delegation wishes to suggest that the item of the Havana Summit concerning the Mediterranean should be labelled in the same way as the agenda of the present Meeting.

In view of my dual function, I wish to limit my remaining remarks to one of the major issues before us.  We are all familiar with the past history of the Question of Palestine. The practical matter before us now is – where do we go from here?  Briefly, what action can we take, at this stage, which offers real prospects of advancing the cause of peace, and of giving new impetus to the attainment of the rights of the Palestinian people?

No doubt many have their own ideas on what best can be done to resolve the problem.  One country in particular believes the best solution is simply to ignore the existence of the Palestinian people. But we here must look at the question from the point of view of the non-aligned, and the work at the United Nations – in terms of the mandate given to the Palestine Committee. We may even disagree between ourselves on methods, but I believe we are united on our ultimate objectives of principle and substance.

As a member of the Committee, and as its rapporteur, there are some observations I would like to stress.

Over its three years of existence, the Committee has

(1) thoroughly and objectively reviewed the question of Palestine

(2) proposed recommendations, based on consensus, for a just and peaceful solution

(3) sought to give publicity and factual information on the evolution of the Palestinian Question and on the Committee's recommendations, and

(4) highlighted the urgency of a solution, and the special responsibilities both of the countries on the spot, as well as of the permanent members of the Security Council.

The recommendations proposed by the Committee have been, after very careful consideration, overwhelmingly endorsed by the international community, as represented here and at the United Nations. They have been recognised, three times in succession, "as a basis for the solution of the Question of Palestine", within the wider perspective of the Middle East issue.

Several in-depth studies on the Palestine question have since then been prepared and distributed. A film should be available in a short time.

But some important sectors of opinion remain aloof, to this day, despite the explanations given in the Committee's reports and the studies published.

Three years after the recommendations were endorsed by over 100 countries, two of the countries on the spot, and one permanent member of the Security Council, have since then jointly taken specific action. For better or for worse, some movement has been generated into a previously despairingly static situation of antagonistic confrontation.

We are now in a quandary of divided opinion; conflicting interpretations have been and still are being given, on the purport of the action taken by three of the protagonists.

This is where we stand today. What of the future?

On the part of the Committee, it seems to me that we cannot afford to squander our meagre resources on fraternal criticism, our efforts would not be productive if they were merely directed at preaching to the converted, or, even less, at promoting division within our own ranks.

Our aim surely should be to attempt energetically to convince those who still entertain lingering doubts on the scope of the Committee's recommendations; in other words, we must single out those countries which, by their vote at the United Nations, so far have prevented an almost unanimous condemnation of Israeli policies, and have thereby knowingly or unknowingly encouraged Israel to continue its open defiance of the wishes of the international community.

What I feel we should do is to try above all else to ensure that -the principles which are fundamental to establish the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people remain paramount, and in the forefront of world attention. These principles cannot be diluted. We cannot condone any attempt, from whatever source, which tends to overlook the legitimate rights of the Palestinians.

Obviously, we must first start within our own movement, today. Let us not risk losing the substantial support that the Palestinian cause has already gained – over 100 favourable votes at the last count. That would be a retrograde step which would irreparably harm the cause of Palestine in the United Nations. Let us recall that there are still a few countries – in our own movement in particular, and the third world in general – which have not yet voted in favour of the recommendations of the Palestine Committee. If we wish to move ahead, we cannot afford to falter now, at a time when the Palestinian people need all of us most.

Every additional positive vote is worth striving for. I feel that, after obtaining any further explanation on the import of the recommendations which they may wish to seek – and which the Committee is always anxious to give – the countries among us which are still undecided may be disposed to vote in favour of the recommendations at the forthcoming UNGA.

Our next – and undoubtedly most critical area of concentration – will rest on those countries which, either through procedural devices, or for substantive reasons, have ignored the recommendations of the Committee, and have actually voted against them on successive occasions, including casting vetoes in the Security Council. Some of these countries have in fact already been approached by the Committee, but they have avoided the substantive issues under procedural devices.

We have so far only marginally tackled the "grass roots" of public opinion, and we consequently have to expand our activities in this fertile area. The studies and the film which the specially established United Nations unit has prepared should help us in this task. We need to engage in a massive campaign to convince public opinion, particularly in the countries of Western Europe, about the just Cause of the Palestinian people. We have to provide them with accurate information, as opposed to the malicious propaganda they receive from other sources. We have to highlight the equity in the recommendations made by the Committee for restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people, and explain that, despite allegations to the contrary, they – and only they – constitute a comprehensive Middle Bast settlement, backed in their implementation by the resources of the United Nations, and without prejudice to the security of any State in the region.

At this critical stage the pressure of international opinion must productively be directed by us to focus exclusively, relentlessly and unmistakably on the country violating the rights of the Palestinians, by its repeated illegal acts in the occupied territories, by its rejection of United Nations recommendations, and by its refusal to halt the shameful repression of the freedom of the Palestinians, both inside Israel and in the illegally occupied territories.  These reprehensible actions are further compounded by Israel's deliberate attempts to distort the status of the holy city of Jerusalem.

We have to remind the world, once again, that the recommendations of the Committee are the only ones so far devised which cover the genuine pre-occupations and interests of all peoples and countries in the Middle East; moreover not only have they already won overwhelming international backing, but they have also been recognised as a positive step by the National Council of the P.L.O., as an answer to their appeal for action by the United Nations. This is a factor of fundamental importance which cannot be overlooked, which has not received sufficient attention and which we must consequently repeatedly stress.

Recently the countries of the European Common Market jointly reaffirmed that they were after a comprehensive Middle East solution, which does not ignore the rights of the Palestinian people. The United States also claims that it desires a comprehensive solution to the Middle East problem.  But I think it falls mainly on the Palestine Committee, and on the non-aligned countries, to ensure that momentum is generated which will be directed towards the wider objective of a comprehensive settlement.

Let us also remember that, when it comes to human rights, the United States and the European countries are in a vulnerable situation, and we should utilise this asset to the advantage of the Palestinian cause.

Because concern for human rights is high on the national and regional priorities of these countries. But human rights cannot be staunchly championed in one area, and completely overlooked in others.  Palestine is one glaring example of an area where much has been said, but very little done, by those Western countries whose positive involvement is necessary if real progress is to be achieved. We must remind them incessantly of their obligations.

It seems therefore that our principal duty is to arouse influential public opinion and to transform it into a deafening world-wide crescendo, demanding justice and peace, in a quasi-unanimous request for early action. Against such a combination of moral pressure, even the most intransigent nation cannot for long remain indifferent, for its own sake, and for the sake of the region in which it is situated.

Besides conferences organised by peace groups, in which the Committee has regularly participated over the past year, we have in the months ahead two main avenues in which to pursue our objective. First, the forthcoming special of General Assembly session. As I have already stated, here it is essential that we lose no single favourable vote that we can conceivably secure.  Immediately afterwards, European countries, the United States and Canada will start preparations for the next follow-up meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe to be held in 1980. Here again the countries of Europe should be encouraged to remember the essential link between events in the Middle East, and the pervasive influence of these events on the politico-economic development of Europe.

These countries should equally be reminded that their paternalistic attitude in the field of human rights would continue to sound embarassingly hollow if it cannot concentrate with equal indignation in areas beyond the European mainland, where glaring violations have time and time again been proved by established United Nations bodies, such as the Committee to Investigate Israeli practices in the occupied territories.

This then, as I see it, is the task the Committee and our movement should tackle in earnest during the coming months, by every means at its disposal.  The challenge before us is to recognise the fact that one third of the international community still needs to be convinced, or to be awakened from its lethargy, on this human drama of Palestine, perhaps perplexed by its complexity, or dismayed by the endless cycle of violence. This indifference, suspicion or even hostility we must overcome together. To do this we must move forward, not dissipating our already-acquired strength.

The countries of the Mediterranean have a special responsibility in this regard, for they are the first to suffer as a result of division in the region caused by the Middle East controversy, of which the Palestine Question is its core. Many of these countries are in fact members of the Palestine Committee, and most Mediterranean non-aligned countries have followed the work of the Committee as observers.

These same countries are also parties to the CSCE, or have made valuable contributions to the process, in the course of which the links between security and co-operation in the Mediterranean and Europe were clearly established.

It is now unquestionable that detente cannot flourish, particularly in the Mediterranean, unless there is an equitable solution to the question of Palestine, in which their recognised representatives, the P.L.O., must be actively involved. Hence, not only do Mediterranean countries have a primary role to play, but they also have more than one lever in their hands to pursue the necessary approaches.

My own country has repeatedly drawn attention to what is required, in every forum open to us, and in particular at the United Nations, especially through its participation in the work of the Palestine Committee, and at the CSCE meetings.  It is willing to co-operate with other countries on behalf of the non-aligned movement to organise a meeting of Mediterranean States, in which matters of common interest will be discussed within the brotherhood of the Mediterranean, as envisaged in paragraph 144 of the Belgrade Declaration.

There are evidently many questions of common interest to be discussed, among the most important being the Question of Palestine, for the Camp David accords need to be seen in a broader regional perspective if they are to stand a chance of healing the present alarming division which they have engendered.

We are feeling this division here; but we are here not to be divided. We are here for our strength in unity to be consolidated, and for progress to be sought through practical approaches. Let us move forward to Havana in strengthened brotherly solidarity, and let us make of the forthcoming summit another milestone in the history of the movement, to which Malta is proud to belong.  In so far as Malta is concerned, we are dedicated to ensure the success of the summit and the strength of our movement.  The historic event which took place in Malta on March 31, when two centuries of history were reversed, is our tangible contribution, which we have given, despite the economic burden it entails, and even further contributions will be made in future.

Paragraphs 63 – 71 of the final communique of the Ministerial Meeting of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Countries which dealt specifically with the Question of Palestine read as follows:

63. The Bureau considered it important in the present context to emphasize that the question of Palestine is the core of the present conflict in the Middle East, and denounced all policies of the United States of America that aim at ignoring the legitimate, national and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, the non-recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization as being the sole legitimate representative of the Palestine people, and imposing partial or bilateral solutions.

64. The Ministerial Meeting endorsed the Co-ordinating Bureau's Communiques of 7 March and 3 April 1979 issued at the United Nations on this question and reiterated that a solution to the Palestine question must be within the framework of the United Nations and its Charter and on the basis of United Nations resolutions and non-aligned decisions.

65. The Bureau recalled that the Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Belgrade, 25-30 July 1978, condemned the policies of the United States of America and its attempts and endeavours to liquidate the question of Palestine through encouragement of bilateral agreements and partial solutions. The Bureau condemns all parties to such agreements and stresses the right of the Palestine Liberation Organization to reject all forms of settlements, projects and solutions aiming at the liquidation of the question of Palestine and the denial of the national inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

66. The Bureau recalled that the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 33/28 declared: that the validity of agreements purporting to solve the problem of Palestine requires that they be within the framework of the United Nations and its Charter and its resolutions on the basis of the full attainment and exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return and the right to national independence and sovereignty in Palestine, and with the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

67. The Bureau declares all agreements which do not meet the said requirements as null and void, and calls upon all members to support the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in its struggle, in all military and political forms, by all means, against the Zionist racist occupation of Palestine until it fully attains and exercises its national inalienable rights, a prerequisite to the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

68. The Bureau notes with grave concern that particularly since the agreement on the Camp David Accords among Egypt, Israel and the United States of America in September 1978, Israel has intensified the implementation of its policy of annexing occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and establishing paramilitary Zionist settlements thereon, thus introducing new elements which will exacerbate the already explosive situation and further threaten international peace and security.

69. The Bureau condemns Israel and demands an immediate halt to this policy and the dismantling of existing settlements.

70. The Bureau expresses very serious concern over the fact that significantly since the conclusion of the Israel-Egypt treaty in March 1979, Israel has escalated its continuous criminal attacks on Palestinian refugees in South Lebanon with the aim of eliminating them – a virtual genocide of the Palestinian people. These acts of aggression by air, sea and land, utilizing the most sophisticated weaponry supplied by the Government of the United States resulted in the death of hundreds of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese civilians and the dispersion of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children.

71. The Bureau calls upon all member States to condemn Israel and to demand that the Security Council take measures against Israel in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter, and in particular, measures provided for in Chapter VII.

72. The Bureau notes with regret that the Security Council has failed to consider and take e. decision on the recommendations of the United Nations General Assembly concerning the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, as stipulated by General Assembly resolution 33/28A (paras. 8 and 9). The Bureau urges the Security Council to consider those recommendations as soon as possible.  In this context the Bureau recalls the decisions of the Ministerial Conference in Belgrade calling for the convening of a Special Session to consider the question of Palestine, with a view to adopting measures leading to the implementation of United Nations resolutions relevant to the withdrawal of Israel from the illegal occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and the realization of the national inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

73.  It welcomes the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to authorize and request the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people to consider the situation and to make the suggestions it deems appropriate.

74. The Bureau deplored the decision of the Government of Canada to install its embassy in Jerusalem, and considered this decision as a flagrant violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

(b)  The 10th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Conference

The 10th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers meeting in Fez, Morocco from 8-12 May 1979 considered the question of Palestine. Relevant extracts from the final communique of that conference are quoted below:

–  The Conference reaffirmed the commitment of Islamic states to support the Arab Cause and expressed its conviction that a just peace in the Middle East could only be achieved on the basis of the unconditional withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and the restoration and exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable national rights, particularly the right to return to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state in their homeland.

–   It affirmed that the Palestinian question is the crux of the Middle East problem. It also reiterated the right of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestine people inside and outside the occupied homeland, to participate independently and on an equal footing in all conferences and international fora concerned with the Palestine question.

–  The Conference refuses to co-operate with the results of the Camp David and Washington Agreements because they have ignored the inalienable and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to establish their independent state under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, their sole legitimate representative. The Conference also condemns the role of the United States in the signature of these agreements and its attempt to impose them on the Palestinian people.

–  The Conference reiterated its appeal to all countries throughout the world to refrain from giving any military, human or material assistance likely to encourage Israel to continue its occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories. It also declared that the continued assistance extended by a number of countries to Israel would compel member states to adopt the appropriate positions vis a vis these countries. The Conference denounced the position of the countries which provide Israel with assistance and weapons. It considers that the aim behind such assistance is to saturate Israel with means of destruction and establish it as an imperialist and racist base in the Third World in general and in the Middle East in particular.

–  The Conference denounced the connivance between Israel and South Africa and their aggressive racist policy and regards co-operation between them as a threat to the security and independence of African and Arab states.

–  The Conference condemned Israel for pursuing a settlement policy in the Palestinian and Arab occupied territories and for its practices which violate the rights of the Arab population in those areas. It declared that those policies and practices, besides constituting a violation of the Charter and Resolutions of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions on the protection of civilians in war time, obstruct the establishment of a Just peace in the Middle East.

–  The Conference decided that Islamic states sponsor a draft resolution at the Thirty-fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly considering the budget of UNRWA as part of the United Nations budget. The conference condemned the measures taken by UNRWA to reduce supplies and education and health services to the Palestinian refugees as these measures are inconsistent with the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.

–   The Conference called upon Islamic States to seek, during the Thirty-fourth Session of the General Assembly, the convening of an Extra-ordinary Emergency Session of the Assembly to be devoted to the consideration of the Palestine problem and adoption of the necessary measures for the implementation of the Palestinian and Arab occupied territories and the exercise by the Palestinian people of their national inalienable rights.

–  The Conference recalled the resolutions adopted by the United Nations and other International Organizations which call for the return of Jerusalem to Arab Islamic Sovereignty, bans any alterations which would change the Arab Islamic nature of the Holy City and considers any alteration null and void and illegal.

–  The Conference condemned the continued annexation and Judaization measures and forcible seizure of land in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the continued desecration of the Holy Aqsa and Al Ibrahimi Mosques and other holy places in Palestine. The Conference reiterated the commitment of Moslems to their sacred eternal right to Al-Quds Al-Sharif and affirmed the religious and spiritual significance to and strong attachment of Moslems to the first of the two qiblas, the third of the Holy Mosques and the Masra of the Prophet (SAAVS) Haram which witnessed the Isra of the Noble Prophet, May Allah's Peace and Blessing be upon him.

–  The Conference considers the liberation of the City of Al-Quds from Zionist racist colonialism, the recovery of Arab sovereignty thereon and the preservation of its former character a collective Islamic responsibility and that no party should be permitted to adopt any position, measure or action concerning this Holy City in the absence of Islamic unanimity.

–   The Conference called for the formation of national people's committees to undertake the enlightenment of Muslims on the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, provide support to Mujahideen and the Holy Jihad and look after the welfare of the families of martyrs and Palestinian Mujahideen.

–   The Conference called on member states to contact the countries which recognize the Zionist enclave to refrain from moving their diplomatic missions to Al-Quds as such a move would offend the feelings of all Muslims and constitute a violation of United Nations resolutions, and would also adversely affect the future of the Holy City and relations between the Islamic states and those countries.

–  The Conference called for a political and information drive by member states with a view to creating better awareness of the cause of Al-Quds on Palestine. The Conference also called for strict adherence to the total boycott of the Zionist enemy in the political, economic and cultural fields and for refraining from all other forms of co-operation with it.

–  The Conference thanked all the friendly nations and international organizations and institutions supporting Palestinian, Arab and Muslim rights. It required member states of the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Aligned countries to take a stand in support of these rights.

–  The Conference denounced the expansionist ambitions of the Zionist enclave in Al-Quds and its attempts to make it its capital and decided to convene a meeting of the Jerusalem Committee at the Foreign Minister's level, under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco. This Committee would implement the political and information programme for the preservation of the Arab and Islamic Character of the Holy City of Jerusalem and for its restoration to Arab and Muslim sovereignty.

–  The Conference called on all Member States to contribute generously to the Jerusalem Fund in order to ensure the continuity of its sacred mission namely, to enhance the perseverance of the Palestinian people and enable them to resist the occupation and frustrate all connection and Judaization measures.

–  The Conference reaffirmed the right of the Arab and Palestinian people to full permanent and effective sovereignty over the resources of their Israeli occupied land. It condemned the exploitation of these resources by Israel and a number of economic corporations.

The Conference also adopted several resolutions dealing with the question of the Middle East, Jerusalem and Palestine problem. The resolution on the Palestine problem is reproduced below:

The Tenth Islamic Conference of foreign Ministers Meeting in FEZ, Kingdom of Morocco, from 10th to 14th Jamad Al Thani, 1399H(8-12 May 1979),

Convinced of the principles and objectives of the Charter of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and, the principles and aims of the UN Charter;

Guided by the resolutions adopted by the Islamic Conferences of Heads of State and government and of foreign Ministers on the Palestine problem;

Noting the explosive situation obtaining in the Middle East as a result of the Camp David Agreements find its sequels, as well as Israel's determination to usurp Palestine, and its adamant refusal to recognize the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people as approved by the security and territorial integrity of the Islamic Countries,

Reaffirming that the Palestine problem is the core of the anti-Zionist struggle, and that Israel's continued refusal to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, and its flouting of the inalienable national rights of the Palestine people are totally unacceptable, and constitute a flagrant violation of the principles of the UN Charter, tho Universal Declaration on Human rights and a grave menace to World peace and security;

Considering that Israel's refusal to cooperate with the Committee set up by virtue of UN General Assembly Resolution 3376(XXX) in order to enable the Palestine people to exercise their inalienable rights, as stipulated in General Assembly Resolution 3236(XXIX), underlines Israel's persistence in its flagrant defiance of the will of tho International Community and international law, its violation of the UN Charter and its refusal to abide by the UN resolutions;

Reaffirming the legitimacy of the Palestine people's strangle under the leadership's of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) against colonialism, occupation, Zionism and racism by all possible means in keeping with the UN principles, hails this struggle against the Zionist aggressors for the Liberation of Palestine as on integral part of the world Liberation Movement;

Reaffirming the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379(XXX) which considers Zionism a form of racism and racial discrimination;

Reaffirming that the racist regime in occupied Palestine and Southern Africa stem from one and the same imperialist source and are organically linked with the racist policies and practices aimed at suppressing the freedoms of man and undermining his dignity;

Expressing the conviction that the military, economic, political and moral aid Israel gets from some countries, particularly from the USA, encourages it to persist its aggressive policy its usurpation of Palestine;

Considering the maintenance of political, economic, cultural, technical and other relations with Israel helps it to continue its usurpation of Palestine and the national inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, and to persist in flouting the will of the international community and the UN resolutions, and encourages it to pursue its expansionist, colonialist and racist policy based on aggression;

Considering that Israel's continued membership of the United Nations is inconsistent with the UN Charter and encourages it to ignore the UN resolutions and to connive with the various hostile; racist and expansionist regimes;

1-  DECIDES:

A-  To affirm its full and effective support of the Palestinian people's legitimate struggle led by the PL0, their legitimate and sole representative inside and outside the occupied homeland, for the restoration of their national inalienable rights in Palestine which include:

– The right to their homeland – Palestine.

– The right to return to their homeland and recover their property, as stipulated in UN resolutions

– The right to self-determination without any outside interference, in consonance with UK principles and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights

– The right to freely exercise their sovereignty over their land.

– The right to establish their independent national state in Palestine under the leaderships of the PLO their legitimate and sole representative.

B-   To strive in all fields and on the widest international scale to promote recognition of the Palestine people's inalienable national rights and of the PLO as their legitimate and sole representative, and pledge the adoption by Islamic countries of all the measures conducive to achieving this end.

C-   To coordinate the activities of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the PLO to draw up a strategy aimed at liberating Palestine and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable national rights.

2-   AFFIRMS the right of the Palestinian people to pursue their struggle in all its military and political forms and by all means in order to recover their inalienable national rights and establish their independent state Palestine.

3—   CALLS on all the Islamic Countries to support by all means the Palestinian people's legitimate struggle against the Zionist racist occupation of Palestine in order to recover their inalienable national rights, whose restoration constitutes a basic requisite for the establishment of a just peace in the Middle East.

4-   CALLS on all the Islamic Countries to abide by all the resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and Foreign Minister's Conference on the Palestine problem, particularly those concerned with the severance of political, economic, cultural, technical, tourist relations and all forms of communication and ties with Zionist Colonialist Israel.

5-   REAFFIRMS the necessity of adopting adequate measures for the acceptance of the PLO representation in Islamic capitals, in its capacity as the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people, granting it all the rights, privileges and immunities to which diplomatic missions accredited to states are entitled and calling on Non-Muslim countries that have hitherto taken no such measures to do so as soon as possible.

6-   AFFIRMS that the Palestine problem is at the core of the Middle East conflict and that any disregard of this fact would not serve the cause of peace in the area; and stressed that the endeavours and attempts made by the United States of America to further its interests and influence in the area, and to liquidate the cause of occupied Palestine by its encouragement of bilateral and partial solutions and its disregard of the core of the problem will not lead to any just solution, accordingly, the Conference condemns and rejects these attempts and endeavours and calls for their resistance, and further condemns all the policies, practices and concessions which constitute a breach of or departure from the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the conferences of the Islamic countries.

7-   THE CONFERENCE CONDEMNS the Camp David Agreements signed in September 1978 and the Washington agreement signed between Israel and Egypt On March 26, 1979, and considers them a blatant – departure from the Charter of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and a violation of international law – and the United Nations resolutions related to the Palestine problem ana the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and repudiates all their results and effects and considers then null and void and not binding to all Arabs and Moslems, particularly the Palestinian people.  It further considers these agreement n bilateral solution which ignores the core of the problem – namely the Palestine problem – and an attempt to liquidate the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, notably their right to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state on their national soil.  Accordingly the Conference calls for resistance of the agreements by all ways and moans, and condemns the role of the United States of America in the signing of these agreements and the attempt to impose them on the Palestinian people.

8-   REAFFIRMS the right of the PLO in its capacity as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, to reject and thwart all forms of settlements, projects and solution aimed at liquidating the Palestine problem and infringing the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine, notably the self-rule provided for in the Camp David and Washington agreements.

9-   AFFIRMS the right of the PLO to participate – independently and on all equal footing in all the International Conferences, fora and activities related to the Palestine problem and the Arab Zionist conflict, with a view to the realisation of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people approved by the United Nations General Assembly, particularly its resolution 3236(XXIX). The Conference further affirms the right of the Organization to reject and declare null and void any results ensuing from these activities in which the Organisation does not participate in the basis of and in the form mentioned above.

10-  CONDEMNS Israel for its continued refusal to implement the United Nations resolution on tho Palestine problem, notably resolution 3236 (XXIX) on the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, and further condemns the refusal of Israel and all other countries to cooperate with the committee formed by the United Nations General Assembly by virtue of its resolution 3376 (XXX) to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable national rights.

11-  DENOUNCES the policies and practices of racialist, expansionist, terrorist Israel and its plans and measures for building settlements and Judaising the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and for altering its political, demographic, geographic, social cultural and economic features, including tho Judaisation of the cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Nazareth, and the areas of Galileo, Hegev, Golan and Sinai, and decides that all these measures are null and void and illegal, and that under no circumstances whatsoever can there be any recognition of them or of their results.

12-   Condemns Israel's repeated violations of Arab and Palestinian human rights in the occupied territories since 1948 and 1967 and its refusal to implement the Geneva Conventions of 1949 notably the fourth Convention on the protection of civilians in wartime; and further condemns the Israeli policies and practices of seizing territories, the continued displacement of the-Palestinian people and the obliteration of the cultural, civilizational and religious heritage of the Palestinian cities and the Palestinian people. The Conference considers these policies and practices war crimes and a challenge to the whole of mankind.

13-   Condemns all the countries that provide Israel with military, economic, political, or human support, and calls upon them to desist forthwith from providing Israel with any material or moral support in any form whatsoever.

14-   Calls upon the Security Council to approve the report and recommendations of the committee concerned with the exercise of the Palestinian people of their inalienable national, rights in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3236(XXIX) and the subsequent resolutions on the Palestine problem; and further calls upon it to adopt a resolution embodying the principles and contents of these resolutions, notably those related to the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, considering that these resolutions have become an International will whose obstruction would be tantamount to violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter and would jeopardise International peace and security, perpetuate the injustice suffered by the militant Palestinian people and deprive them from exercising their inalienable national rights.

15-    Renews its calls to all Islamic countries to adopt all necessary measures to bring further pressure to bear on Israel in the United Nations and the International fora, for the sake of imposing the strictest sanctions on Israel, including the possibility of depriving it of its membership in the United Nations.

16-    Requests all the Islamic countries to work towards the implementation of paragraph eight, by charging their Foreign Ministers to fully coordinate their activities with those of the PLO during the discussions concerning the Palestine problems in the Thirty Fourth Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

17-    Decides that the Islamic countries should sponsor a resolution at the 34th Session of the United Nations stipulating that the budget of the UN Relief and Works-Agency (UNRWA) be considered part of the U.N. budget, and deplores the measures adopted by the Agency Administration to reduce the supplies, and the education and health services extended to Palestinian refugees because they are in contravention of the U.N. General Assembly resolutions.

18-     Calls on the Islamic countries to endeavour during the 34th United Nations General Assembly Session to have the Assembly convene an extraordinary emergency Session devoted to a study of the Palestine problem, with a view to adopting measures conducive to the implementation of the UN resolutions on withdrawal from the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories, and the realization of the national inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

19-   Requests that the Secretary General follow-up implementation of this resolution and submit a progress report in this regard to the next Conference,

(c) 33rd meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity

The Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity meeting in its Thirty-third Ordinary Session in Monrovia, Liberia, from 6 to 20 July 1979 adopted the following resolutions on the Question of Palestine:

Having taken cognisance of the report of the OAU Secretary-General on the Development in the Middle East Question (doc. CM/972 (XXXIII)Rev.I),

Having heard the statements by the various delegations on the development concerning the Middle East question,

Guided by the principles and objectives of the OAU and UN Charters, and the common destiny of African-Arab peoples and their joint struggle for freedom, progress and peace,

Recalling the successive resolutions adopted at previous sessions of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and the Council of Ministers on the Middle East and Palestinian issue, Noting with deep concern the explosive and dangerous situation in the area as a result of the continuous occupation by Israel of Arab territories and of its denial of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland, to self-determination to the establishment of its own independent state in Palestine, of Israel's persistence in refusing to comply with the UN General Assembly and the Security Council resolutions and of its definance of international legitimacy and of the International Declaration of Human Rights, its persistence in repeated acts of aggression against Lebanese territory and the Palestinian refugee caps following a policy of complete eradication and destruction against them,

Considering that all partial agreements and separate treaties contravene the principles of the United Nations, the resolutions of the Organization of African Unity as well as the peoples' rights to self-determination, and serve only to worsen the state of belligerence prevailing in the region and undermine the right of the Palestinian people and their cause which is the core of the Middle East issue,

Reconfirming its unflinching support to the struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the restoration of their full national rights,

Noting with grave concern that the collusion between Israel and the racist regimes of Southern Africa has only increased the danger of perpetuating the policy of repression and genocide against the peoples of Palestine and Southern Africa,

1.   REAFFIRMS all its previous resolutions and its total and effective support to the struggle of the Palestinian people under its sole and legitimate representative the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO);

2.   REAFFIRMS its support to the Arab Frontline States and the Palestinian people in their just struggle to recover their usurped rights and occupied territories;

3.   STRONGLY CONDEMNS the plans and beligerent intentions of Israel, its expansionist and segregationist policy as well as its defiance of the United Nations resolutions which constitute a serious threat to peace in the region and in the world;

4.   STRONGLY CONDEMNS Israel's policy of colonisation and settlement in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories;

5.   STRONGLY CONDEMNS the bellicose collusion between Israel and the racist regimes in Southern Africa against African and Arab peoples and urges all Member States to strengthen their solidarity within the realm of the common struggle against the ever increasing dangers of these alliances and convinced that the armed struggle against the racist regimes in Southern Africa and in occupied Palestine, is the most effective way of eradicating domination and foreign control of the destiny of African and Arab peoples;

6.   CONDEMNS all partial agreements and separate treaties which violate the recognized rights of the Palestinian people, and contradicts the principles of just and comprehensive solutions to the Middle East problem to ensure the establishment of a just peace in the area;

7.   REAFFIRMS the rights of the Arab Frontline States and the Palestinian people to full sovereignty over their territories, their wealth and natural resources and considers all measures taken by Israel in violation of this sovereignty as null and void;

8.   URGES the international community to intensify its pressure on Israel in all fields to compel her to abide by the UN resolutions, and calls upon the Security Council to take the necessary measures to compel Israel to and its occupation of Palestine and Arab territories, and allow the Palestinian people to exercise their national rights in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Ad-Hoc Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People;

9.   REQUESTS the Secretary-General of the OAU to follow the development of the problem and report to the next ordinary session of the OAU Council of Ministers.

(Resolution 726 (XXXIII))

Having studied the OAU Secretary-General's report on the Development of the Palestine Question, (Doc. CM/978(XXXIII),

Having heard the statements made by various delegations and in particular the statement made by the Representative of the PLO,

Recalling the resolutions adopted at previous sessions of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Palestine question,

Recalling further the report of the United Nations Ad-Hoc Committee on Palestine which reaffirms the Palestinian people's national and inalienable right to their homeland, including their right to return, to self-determination, to sovereignty and to the establishment of an independent state on their soil,

Guided by the principles and objectives of OAU and UN Charters and the common destiny of African and Arab peoples in their joint struggle against Zionism and racism for the sake of freedom, independence and peace,

Recalling that the Palestine question is at the core of the Middle East conflict, and that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,

Considering that the Palestinian cause is both Arab and African cause,

Aware of the present serious situation created as a result of the occupation by Israel of Palestinian and Arab territories, its refusal to comply with the United Nations' General Assembly resolutions, its determination to establish settlement areas in occupied Arab territories particularly Jerusalem and thus changing the geographical, cultural and social features of Palestine,

Reaffirming the legitimate struggle being waged by the Palestinian People under the leadership of tho Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to recover their land and exercise their national rights,

Reaffirming that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights, especially the right to return to their motherland and recover their national sovereignty, their self-determination without any foreign interference, whatsoever and the establishment of an independent state on their territory,

Considering that all partial agreements and separate treaties are greatly prejudicial to the Palestinian cause and constitute a denial of the universally recognized right of the Palestinian people, and further constitute a violation of the principle of the right of the people to self-determination and independence,

Noting with concern that the alliance between the Zionist regime of Israel and the racist regime of South Africa aims at intensifying the acts of terrorism and genocide perpetrated against the peoples of Palestine and Southern Africa,

1.   REAFFIRMS all the previous resolutions on the Palestine question and its unflinching support for the Palestinian people under the leadership of their sole and legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in their struggle for the recovery of their unusurped national rights especially their rights to return to their homeland, exercise their right to self-determination and establish an independent state on their territory,

2.   CONDEMNS the machinations aimed at preventing the Palestinian people from exercising their right to self-determination to achieve their national aspiration, freedom and total sovereignty, impose solutions that contradict their right and violate the resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the OAU as well as the initiative taken by some parties with an eye to taking measures and concluding agreements which would not take into consideration the aspirations of the Palestinian people and their legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), to the detriment of their right to ensure their own destiny;

3.   STRONGLY CONDEMNS Israel's expansionist, colonialist and segregationist designs against the Palestinian people and other Arab peoples, and in particular the Lebanese people;

4.   STRONGLY CONDEMNS all partial agreements and separate treaties which constitute a flagrant violation of the rights of the Palestinian people, the principles of the OAU and UN Charters and the resolutions adopted in various international forums on the Palestinian issue, and which prevent the realization of the Palestinian people's aspiration to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to exercise full sovereignty on their territories;

5.   CONDEMNS the alliance between the Zionist regime and the racist, regimes in Southern Africa, and calls upon all Member States to increase their efforts to encounter this danger and to strengthen the armed struggle against Zionism, racism and imperialism;

6.   APPEALS to the international community to further intensify its pressure on Israel in all fields to force it to abide by the UN Charter and the resolutions passed on the Palestinian issue;

7.    STRONGLY CONDEMNS the persistence of Israel's policies on Judaization of the city of Jerusalem which is constituting a flagrant violation of relevant resolutions adopted by all international forums on this issue;

8.   REQUESTS the Security Council to take effective measures to secure the exercising of the Palestinian people of their inalienable national right recognized by the UN General Assembly;

9. REQUESTS the OAU Administrative Secretary-General to follow the development of the Palestinian issue and to report back to the Council of Ministers at its next ordinary session.

(Resolution 725 (XXXIII))

3. Security Council adopts resolution on the situation in the Occupied Arab Territories – Report of the Security Council Commission established under resolution 446 (1979)

The Committee welcomed the Report of the Commission (S/13450) when it was issued in July 1979. The Committee noted that the Commission had sought the co-operation of Israel in carrying out its Mandate but, like the Committee, had met with the same attitude of non-co-operation;

The Committee also noted that, within the Commission's more limited terms of reference, its conclusions and recommendations bore out those of the Committee, and that it had recommended that the Security Council, bearing in mind the inalienable right of the Palestinians to return to their homeland, should launch a pressing appeal to the Government and people of Israel, drawing again their attention to the disastrous consequences which the settlement policy was bound to have on any attempt to reach a peaceful solution in the Middle East.

Among the Commission's findings was evidence that the Government of Israel was engaged in a wilful, systematic and large-scale process of establishing settlements in the Occupied Territories and that, in the implementation of this policy, it had shown disregard for basic human rights, including in particular the right of the refugees to return to their homeland.

The Commission also considered that the pattern of that policy was causing profound and irreversible changes of a geographical and demographic nature in those territories, including Jerusalem, and that those changes were of such a nature as to constitute a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1979 and of the relevant decisions adopted by the United Nations.

The Committee further noted that – as it had always maintained, and as the Security Council had determined in resolution 446 (1979) – the Commission reaffirmed that "the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

The statement made by the Acting Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People at the 2157th meeting of the Security Council during its consideration of the report of the Commission is given below: (S/PV.2157)

May I first congratulate you, Sir, in my capacity as the Permanent Representative of Cuba, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of July.  We are certain that you will guide it with your well-known brilliance and skill.

I am Grateful to you and to the other members of the Council for allowing me to participate in the present debate as the Acting Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

It will be recalled that I had the honour to speak on behalf of the Committee when the question we are dealing with today was considered by the Council on an earlier occasion when it adopted resolution 446 (1979), establishing the Commission whose report is now under consideration.

The Council still has before it the question of Palestine, and we believe that in the course of this month it will continue its consideration of the Committee's recommendations. Accordingly, I can on this occasion deal very briefly with the report of the Commission established under resolution 446 (1979) of the Security Council, because, as we are happy to note, its conclusions and recommendations in large measure coincide with the Committee's recommendations.

Over the last three or four years., the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People has drawn the attention of the Council on several occasions to the various violations of human rights in the occupied territories, expressing its concern at the systematic establishment of Israeli settlements in those territories. Without going further back, I shall recall that last May, the Committee addressed two letters to the President of the Council expressing its concern at the repeated violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 and of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions by the Israeli authorities.

We now have before us the report of the Commission established under Security Council resolution 446 (1979), contained in document S/13450. As stated in paragraphs 13 and 16 of this report, the Commission requested and received from the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People assurances of co-operation and assistance. A summary of the statement made by the Chairman of the Committee a* the fourth meeting of the Commission on 30 April 1979 appears in an annex to the report of the Commission (S/13450/Add.l, page 3). In that statement, the Chairman emphasized, inter alia, the importance of the Commission's visiting the occupied territories. It will also be noted nevertheless in paragraphs 17 and 18 of the Commission's report that Israel maintained its usual arrogant, intransigent attitude and refused to co-operate with the Commission.

The Commission should be congratulated because, despite that Israeli intransigence, it was able to carry out its mandate and prepare a clear and concise report for this Council.

For our part, we are encouraged, because the findings of the Commission fully justify the concern of the Committee and confirm that the facts which give rise to this concern are true. I shall not now analyse the report of the Commission in detail, but I do believe it necessary to draw attention to the fact that it found evidence that the Government of Israel is carrying out

"…a wilful, systematic and large-scale process of establishing settlements in the occupied territories for which it should bear full responsibility".

(S/13450 paragraph 228)

The Commission further expressed its conviction that, in carrying out its settlements policy, Israel has not hesitated to violate fundamental human rights, in particular the right of refugees to return to their country. It also considers that the pattern of this policy is bringing about profound and irreversible changes of a geographical and demographic nature in those territories including Jerusalem, and that these changes are so radical that, in fact, they represent a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1979 and of the decisions adopted by the United Nations on the subject.

As did our Committee and the Security Council in its resolution 446 (1979), the Commission reaffirms that

"…the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, Just and lasting peace in the Middle East." (Ibid., para. 237) We are extremely pleased that the Commission created by the Council has an understanding of this question which is identical to that of the Committee which was created by the General Assembly, and that its conclusions and recommendations – within the limits of its mandate – are so fully in accord with the conclusions and recommendations of our Committee. We should be happy to see the recommendations of the Commission endorsed by the Council as an first step towards the endorsement of the recommendations of the Committee when they are considered by the Council this month.

The Committee has always urged that the Council adopt the necessary measures and that it adopt them urgently. Now as never before we are moved by a sense of urgency. We deem it imperative that the Council undertake immediate and decisive action so as not to continue to permit what the Commission has described as

"…the disastrous consequences which the settlement policy is bound to have on any attempt to reach a peaceful solution in the Middle East."

(Ibid., para. 238)

The following resolution on this item (452 (1979)) was adopted by the Council by a rote of 14 in favour, none against and one abstention, thereby endorsing the recommendations of the Commission:

The Security Council,

Taking note of the report and recommendations of the Security Council Commission established under resolution 446 (1979) to examine the situation relating to settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967 including Jerusalem, contained in document S/13450,

Strongly deploring the lack of co-operation of Israel with the Commission,

Considering that the policy of Israel in establishing settlements in the occupied Arab territories has no legal validity and constitutes a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949,

Deeply concerned by the practices of the Israeli authorities in implementing that settlements policy in the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and its consequences for the local Arab and Palestinian population,

Emphasizing the need for confronting the issue of the existing settlements and the need to consider measures to safeguard the impartial protection of property seized,

Bearing in mind the specific status of Jerusalem, and reconfirming pertinent Security Council resolutions concerning Jerusalem and in particular the need to protect and preserve the unique spiritual and religious dimension of the Holy Places in that city,

Drawing attention to the grave consequences which the settlements policy is bound to have on any attempt to reach a peaceful solution in the Middle East,

1. Commends the work done by the Commission in preparing the report on the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;

2. Accepts the recommendations contained in the above-mentioned report of the Commission;

3. Calls upon the Government and people of Israel to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;

4. Requests the Commission, in view of the magnitude of the problem of settlements, to keep under close survey the implementation of the present resolution and to report back to the Security Council before 1 November 1979.

The Committee, noting that the one abstention in the vote in the Security Council was that of the United States, authorised its Chairman to express the Committee's concern at the explanation of the United States abstention. Accordingly, the Chairman of the Committee addressed letters (S/13482, A/34/395) to the President of the Security Council and to the Secretary-General expressing his deep concern at the fact that, in explaining the United States' abstention on resolution 452 (1979) the representative of the United States of America had at the 2159th meeting declared that his delegation had abstained because "the resolution, like the recommendations of the Commission which this resolution accepts and incorporates goes beyond the question of settlements to deal with such matters as Jerusalem." The Chairman vent on to express the Committee's concern that that statement could carry implications of Jerusalem and its environs being treated as distinct from Arab Territories occupied by Israel since 1967, which would appear to constitute a divergence from the long-standing position of the United States of America. The Chairman stated also that such a development would have far-reaching repercussions and would be a matter of serious concern to the Committee.

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