A/39/PV.74 General Assembly

Once again the General Assembly is considerin~ the disquieting, extremely serious and explosive situation in the Middle East. For more than three decades now, we have witnessed constant upheaval in this important and tense region of the world. Nothing indicates now that a solution to the problem of the region is within reach, enabling the area to live in peace, security and understanding. This situation is due to the declared aggressive policy of Israel, aim~d at imposing hegemony, domination and expansion through military force and systematic terrorism based on its vast military arsenal and backed by unrestricted external military support. Israel has used this military superiority against the Arab States and has refused to heed the will of the international community and international law. It is generally accepted that the question of Palestine is at the heart of the struggle in our region. That is why it is necessary to reaffirm the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, its right to return to its homeland and to establish its own independent State on its own national soil in Pales- tine. 2. Among the essential factors for stability in the Middle East are: the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force and the right of all States of the region to live in peace, as well as the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from all the Arab territories occupied since 1967. 3. We will not mention all the resolutions of the United Nations concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict but will confine ourselves to resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). In those resolutions, the Security Council, the supreme international body entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security, set the bases for peace in the Middle East. But Israel, by creating obstacles, has prevented the implementation of those resolutions. Israel has re- jected the latest appeal made to it by King Hussein on the basis ofresolution 242 (1967). Yitzhak Shamir rejected that resolution, which, according to him, is an outdated claim; that position was announced by Israeli radio and was published in The Washington Post on 2S November 1984. Tuesday, 27 November 1984, at 10.55 a.m. NEW YORK 4. On the pretext of maintaining its security, Israel repeatedly attacks its Arab neighbours, using its enormous military machinery, and has thus trans- formed the Middle East into a region of strife, international polarization and strategic rivalry be- tween the big Powers. 5. Israel has changed the legal status of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights, as well as the demographic and historic cbaracter of those territories. It is pursuing its settlement policy and the confiscation by force of the occupied Arab lands in the West Bank. But it is widely accepted that the policy of progressive annex.ation and fait accompli applied by Israel will not change reality. 6. The security to which Israel aspires cannot be ensured, because true security must rest on stability and on a just and lasting peace in the region. Such a peace, in turn, cannot be restored without a compre- hensive, just settlement, with the participation of all the parties. The numerous relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, which I need not list here, must be respected. 7. Lebanon remains the focus of international at- tention because of the tra~ic situation there. We are in favour of the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, since the Lebanese are capable of resolving their own problems within the framework of national Lebanese reconciliation. 8. The international community must redouble its efforts to ensure the restoration of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon. 9. We believe that most ofthe other problems ofthe region result from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In order to end that terrible conflict, the Palestinians must f:etum to their homes fiOm which they have been driven. In addition, international political will must be mobilized in order to find a positive settlement of the problems of the Middle East in the face of Israeli intransigence and arrogance, which have gone beyond all bounds and which constitute flagrant defiance of the will of the international community and the resolutions of the United Na- tiollls. Israel cannot continue to deny the Palestinian people its rights. That people has a right to self- determination and to establish its own sovereign State, in accordance with General Assembly resolu- tion 181 (11), adopted on 29 November 1947, which stipulates that a Jewish State and a Palestinian State shall be created in Palestine. The Palestine Libera- tion Organization [PLO] is the sole legitimate and authentic representative of the Palestinian people. 10. All countries the world over are aware that the Middle East region is of major strategic importance and that the region can only enjoy stability, peace and security if a just solution IS found to the Palestinian problem. The future of international ~2. My, country is in favo~r ~f the convening of an 21. My delegation considers that measures could mternatlOnal confere~ce, wlthlD the framework de- and should be taken to overcome the inequities f!ned by the ~nternattonal Conference on the Ques- caused by the continuing establishment of Israeli tlon ofPalestme, ~eld at Geneva from 29 August to 7 settlements in the West Bank, the illegal annexation Septe~ber 198~, ID order to begm a true ,Process of ofJerusalem and the Gotan Heights, and the frequent peace. m the MI.ddle East u~der the.auspI.ces of !he violation of the rights of the Arab population in the Secunty. Counctl. The Umted Nattons IS .makl!lg territories occupied by Israel. preparatIons for that conference on the basIs of ItS . . . political moral and historic responsibilities. f2. Let me also. agaID recal.l our conviction that a , . f' just, comprehenSive and lastIDg settlement could be 13. . ~veryone wants. to bre~k the clrc~e 0 VIOlence, reached on the basis of the following principal hostlhty, fe~r ~nd dlstrus~ ID the region. elements: complete withdrawal of all forces of occu- 14: ~hat. IS Importa~t. IS ho~ to transla~e those pation from the Arab occupied territories, in accord- prmclples mto real pqhtlcal action. !he major ~ow- ance with Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) ers must redo~ble t~etr eff0f!s to br.IDg a.bout. a just, and 338 (1973); respect for the right of the Palestin- peacefu! .s~lut~on, given thetr specla~ ~Istoncal re- ian people to return to Palestine, and recognition of sponslblhtles ID regard to the Paleshman problem. their right of self-determination, independence and 15. President Reagan's peace initiative of 1 Sep- sovereignty; participation by the Palestinian people, tember 19824 is a constructive plan which could help through the PLO, their sole and legitimate represen- progress towards peace in the Middle East. The tative, in any nego~iations regarding their future; and United States should increase its efforts to find a recognition of the right of all States in the region, peaceful solution. including Israel, to exist within internationally recog- 16. Similarly, the Arab peace plan, embodied in the nized boundaries. Final Declaration adopted on 9 September 1982 at Mr. Bucd (Italy), Vice-President. took the Chair. the Twelfth Arab Summit Conference, held at Fez,5 • fl contains constructive elements which could promote 23.. It IS our hope th~t five wars, cqu.ntless con a- peaceful action and which reflect the desire of the gratlOns, numerous missed opportumtles for settl~- Arab States and the PLO for a just, comprehensive ment and, above ~n, great human losses f!l~y make It and lasting settlement clear !hat the parties must ~how a true w.tlhngness t~ . . . . negotiate and must recogmze the necessity for flexl- ~ 7. Everyt~mg pOSSible ~ust ~e d~ne. to achle~e a bility and reasonable alternatives. History and the jUS~ peace, gIven the explosive sltuatlo~ In the regIOn, possibility of the emergence of new critical elements whIch could le~d to Widespread conflIct tha~ would in the regional crisis make such an attitude, in my reduce to nothmll all th~ nrORr~ss- nrQsoentv and A""I"~",.~~...',,, ~...:...:........ .h"" \., .,,,,\:A ,,,It,,,,rn<>t:.,~ development achieved by the peopler of the region. U"I"6GUVll ., VpllllVU, m'" v .J '" . 18. Mr. MACIEL (Brazil): Last year, at the thirty- 24. It must be stressed also that the international eighth session of the General Assembly [94th meet- community as a whole has an obligation to contrib- ute in every possible way to a positive outcome of the ing], my delegation renewed its expressions of deep peace processes in the Middle East. To this effect, the concern about the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East. At that time, there was little ground United Nations may soon have to reassess its peace- for optimism with regard to the future in the light of keeping and assistance role in the Middle East and to the series of acts of violence in the area. Since then review the mandate and operations of its forces in the region. My delegation considers that such an Brazil has continued to follow closely the evolution effort must also serve the purpose of re-establishing of the problems in the area. For years we have also fid . h 0 " d . h' witnessed a succession of proposals, suggestions and con I ence In t e rgamzatlon an ItS mac mery. negotiations, and in particular the attempts to deal 25. As I conclude, may I also refer to the apprecia- with the question in the United Nations. tion with which Brazil views the work of the Secre- 19. It is thus with satisfaction that my delegation tary-General on the Middle East prob'lems. My notes that the debate on the issue before us occurs delegation also expects the parties concerned to this year almost simultaneously with the beginning of recognize his capacity to play an important role and talks between Israel and Lebanon on the withdrawal constantly tosupport and facilitate his attempts to of Israeli occupation forces from occupied Lebanese act accordingly. territories. Brazil shares the expectations created by 26. Mr. HUCKE (German Democratic Republic): those negotiations. It is our hope that even a limited The Middle East continues to be one of the most outcome of this effort to solve one of the many dangerous sources of international conflict, posing a problems in the region may serve as a., positive serious threat to peace and security in the world. To example and lead to new attempts towards the take the region out of its state of permanent tension a~ainst the Palestinian population. Israel's ruling those who stand for the right of peoples to national Circles have now embarked on the step-by-step sovereignty and self-determination, reiterates its full incorporation of the occupied territories in the West support for those States and patriotic forces in the Bank and the Gaza Strip after annexing, in contra- Arab region offering heroic resistance to imperialist vention of international law, East Jerusalem and the plots and Israeli acts ofaggression, and unswervingly Syrian Golan Heights. After its criminal aggression defends their independence, sovereignty and territo- against Lebanon in 1982, Israel still occupies one rial integrity.; It reaffirms its solidarity with the third of the territory of that Arab State. With their peoples of Syria, Lebanon and Palestine in their 1Il"'...rl4-oA .....4.''''''.. ,1 ,.,..., ,4"""...........I...... ft. .... ~&"~4,....: .. '~ t:"4.... 1.ft!._~_~ "UQI.,",U U'-.YVI1U QAI'y UVI.IUI. UIQI. QAI '-11'-'-L1.,", ",",1.1.£'-111\<111- of the Middle East conflict has to be based on the principles of comprehensive treatment of all its aspects, stability of solutions and appropriate taking into account of the interests of the peoples of the region. In the Middle East one simply cannot estab- lish the lasting peace and the security of some at the expense of the basic rights and interests of others. Moreover, attempts to induce partial solutions or to impose unilateral formulas not only do not lead to a lasting settlement of the conflict, but, as recent years have amply shown, bring about new complications and lead to new tensions, prolonging the tragedy of the Middle East peoples. 70. Poland has steadfastly and consistently been advocating a peaceful solution of the Middle East conflict. We see a practical way towards achieving a comprehensive settlement through the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East with the participation of all parties concerned, in· cluding the PLO. We expressed this position, togeth- er with other socialist States, in the Political Declara- tion adopted at Prague on 5 January 1983 by the States Parties to the Warsaw Treaty.8 We have also ber~. trials, after the Second '~'orld War, bears testImony to this. 93. We must take a firm stand here, leaving no room for misinterpretation of the international com- munity's stand with respect to this series of crimes: crimes against humanity, crimes against States, and crimes against the international community as a whole. We should leave no margin for misunder- standing the international communitY's firm position rejecting any 'justification for these crimes and on remaining silent about them, not to mention support for such criminals in one way or another. Just ask the Israeli authorities today if Israel is more secure or better off than it was yesterday. The increaScing frequency of its crimes will lead Israel to the same end that every adventurous criminal in history has Pal~stine, who~e land has become the, target of a Middle East ha~ made abundantly clear the futility of pohcy ~f col?ntal conquest and expans!on unprece- the approach of violence to solving the problems of dented m thIS last quarter of the twentieth century. this region. The policy of imposing separate deals has For 1~ years now the.whole world.has watched ~he run up ligair, .. the staunch resistance of patriotic Israeh leaders met~<?dlcally' and dehberat.ely clean~g forces in ~t,~ "rab world. It was only to be expected the way' <?u Pal.e!stlman soil for the creatIOn of theIr tKat the attempt to impose upon the P?' ::stini~ns own mlm-emplre. paper autonomy according to the Camp Da':ld recipe 110. Official statements and practical acts on the was a failure. The same fate befell the Amenc3!l plan part of the Israeli authorities have reflected their put fo~ard two years ago for ,a p~el'~o~')0Iutl0n to , lear intent to annex the territory ofthe West Bank of the Middle East problems, which m ·',enc~ w~s a the Jordan and the Gaza Strip, which t~ey eeized in touc~ed-up ve,rsion of the s~me Cam.J DavI." hn~. 1967. Along with ~he economic plunden.ng <?f ~a~es- The mterventt0!l 9f the, t!mted States MarHles! m tinian land, the Illegal alteration fJf I!S Jllndlcal Lebanon ended In Ignom1Oious fiasco: The Lebartese status demographic structure and hlstoncal charac- Government tore up the one-Sided Imposed agree- tet, Israel has systematically escalated terror and ment. ~ble to count on our s~pport and .asslst~nce. Any evoked a broad response. We call upon all panies Idea, t~erefoi'e, of squeezmg th,: ~ovlet Umon .o:ut of to the conflict to act with sober-minded regard for th.e Middle ,East and ui1~erm~mng th~ trad~tlonal each other's l{;gitimate rights and interests, and fnendly SOYl,et-Arab relations IS as futIle as It ever upon all other States to facilitate the search for a was., Expene~ce ha~ shown that, o~ the contrary, just settlement in the Middle East." [10th meeting relatIons of friendship and co-operation between the para 159] , Soviet Union and the Arab States are becoming '.. ,. . stronger every year. It must be absolutely clear that 125.. For Its part, the ~vlet Umon reaffirms ItS the Soviet Union has played and will contmue to play readmess tc! co-oper~te With all tl~ose who want to see an active part in the search for peace ia this part of a constructive ~olubon to the Mlddl~ East proble!J1s the world, which is situated in direct proximity to our and the estabhsh~ent of the true, Just and la~tmg southern borders, and in the struggle against attempts peace so long awaited by the peoples of the Middle to impose upon the Arabs injustice, diktat and East. hegemony. 126. Mr. McDONAGH (Ireland): I have the honour 119. The Soviet profosals on the Middle East of 29 to speak on behalf?f the 10 member. States of the July 1984 [A/39/368 are based on the universally Euro~an Commu~lty. ~he ~en ~emam ~eeply pre- acknowledged principle of the inadmissibiliti of the ~C_,:!!,I~~_by_~~! ~~~~~~s s~~,:!_at~'?c~_lra t~e ~Id~le ~ast;. acquisition of territory by force. This means that the 1m::y are panlculany concemea at me la~K OI Israelis must return to the Arabs all the lands they p~ogress towa~ds settlement of the Arab-Israeh con- have occupied since 1967: the Golan Heights, the fllCt, the contmuan~ ~f th,: war between Ir~n a~d West Bank of the Jordan, including East Jerusalem, Iraq and the contmumg Violence ~nd tension m the Gaza Strip and the southern part of Lebanon. Le~anon. Each .of. these problems IS a.mattei' of , . serious concern m Itself and each has senous reper- 120. T~e SOVI~t proposals are p.redlcated .on .the cussions for international peace and stability. proposition that, Without the exerCise of the mahen- able ri$ht of the Arab people of Palestine to self- 127.. The Ten.have long advocated the need for determmation and to establish their own indeeen- negotlate~ solutIOns to these problems. T~ey there- dent State peace in the Middle East is impossible. fore partlcular'y welc~me the talks which have , , . recently got uilder way m Naqoura. They commend ,121 : At the sa!De time, t~e Soviet prop~sals do the Secretary-General for his efforts in promoting Justl~e to all partlp.s to ~h~ Mld~le East confliCt. They these talks. The Ten hope that they will soon result in are.auned at guarLlteel~g the right ofa!1 States ofthe an agreement fa\~ilitating the early withdrawal of regl~n to a secure and mdependept ~xlstence and at Israeli forces from Lebanon, the restoration of Leba- endmg the stat~ of war and ~s~~~hshmgpeace among nese authority and the re-establishment of peace and those States. It IS proposed tl . I~ternatlonal pllaran- securi~y in the area. The Ten consider that the tees of the ,settle~ent .of the MI~dle ~st 1?1'Oblem continuing ISi'aeli occupation of a substantial part of should ~~ given, m which the Soviet Umon IS ready Lebar,on causes a great deal of human suffering and to partiCipate. economic disruption. In the view of the Ten Israel 122. The Soviet initiative is not confined to laying should withdraw its troops in accordance with the down the general principles of a settlement. It call of the Security Council, and other foreign forces indicates practical ways of reaching a settlement- on Lebanese soil whose presence is not authorized by that is, by convening an internationaA peace confer- the Government should also be withdrawn. The Te~. ~gen~ies as. well as with UNIFIL, which, on an tho.se involved to take steps in thi,s direction. Vole mtenm baSIS, has been entrusted by the Security belteve that a start could be made WIth the renuncla- Council with important additional tasks in the tion by all parties of the threat or use of force and h~manitarian.and administrat!ve field~. They take with !he. abandonment ~y Israel of,the po!icy. of thIS opportumty to express theIr apprecIation of the estabhshmg ~ettlemt!nts m the occupied terrItories, work ofUNIFIL in its effort ~o carry out its mandate contrary to mternatlonal law, and its wor.k. to main~ain. s~able conditions. and 13~. The Ten have had ,?ccasi~n.. most recently in protect the CIvIl populatIon ID It~ ~rea of operatIo~s. theIr statement to the SpeCIal Political Committee on The Tc:n ~elcome the recent deCISIon of the Secunty 20 November [35th meeting], to express their con- CouncIl, ID resolution 555 (1984) of 12 October cem at the situation in the occupied territories. They 1984, to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a further attach the greatest importance to all matters affecting period of six months, and they hope that conditions the rights of the population of the Arab territories will be created which will soon allow the Force fully that Israel has occupied since 1967, The Ten are to carry out its tasks and play a more effective role. deeply concerned, because the Israeli policies in the 130. The Ten find it regrettable that there has been area have led to mounting tension and continued so little progress iecently in efforts to find a settle- unrest. They reaffirm their position that the settle- ment of the Arab-Isr~gli conflict Fundamental prin- ments in the Arab territories occupied since 1967! as ciples for the settlement of this conflict are set out in well as any change in the status and demographic Secur~ty ~ouncil resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 structure of those territories, are illegal under inter- (1973). The Ten believe that, in essence, such a national luW. The Ten reaffirm that, until an end is settlement must further take account ofboth the right put to the territorial occupation which Israel has to existence and security of all States in· the Middle maintained since 1967, the provisions of the Ha~ue East, inch»ding lsrael, and the right of the Palestinian Convention of 190712 and the Geneva Convention people to self-determination, with all that this im- relative to the Protection ofCivilian Persons in Time plies. The Ten continue to be deeply conscious of the ofWar, of 12 August 1949,6 are applicable to all these Importance of the soluticn of the Palestinian prob- territories. Moreover, the Ten reiterate that the lem for the future peace and security of the Middle Israeli policy concerning East Jerusalem and the East. They firmly believe that a just sol..i~ion of this Golan Heights is contrary to international law and problem is an essential element of any comprehen- therefore invalid. sive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. 134. The Ten are concerned at the continuation of 131. The guidelines laid down by the international conflict between Iran and Iraq and the resultant community, which must underlie any solution of the increased tension in the Gulf area. There' has been Middle East conflict, are well knowr .. In the view of great loss of life on both sides among combatants and the Ten, what is nee \:led now is' tilvement by the the civilian poPulations. Enormous material damage parties concerned, with the support ;:!11.} assistance of has been done. Shipping in the Gulf, includin~ traffic the international community, to ne~' at~:. peaceful to ?And from States not parties to the conflict, has solution in accordance WIth these guidelines. A been subjected to attacks. Of particular concern was negotiated settlement will require the continuin~and the report issued on 26 March of this year by independent expression of the will of the Palestmian specialists appointed by the Secretary-Genera:t,13 . people: the Ten have repeatedly said that the PLO which/ascertained that chemical weapons had been must be associated with the negotiations. In the Ten's used in areas inspected in Iran. The Ten condemn 0 il~~m~~~ NOTES