A/39/PV.88 General Assembly

I should like to propose that the list of speakers in the debate on this item be closed tomorrow, Friday, at 12 noon. May I take it that the General Assombly agrees to that proposal? II was so decided. 2. The PRESIDENT: I call on Mr. Massamba Sarr6, of Senegal, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. 3. Mr. SARRf? (Sen l), Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise o the Inalienable Rl ? ts of the Palestinian People I P tnterpretaffon from rench): A year ago, the Genera Assembly reiterated the appeal of the International Conference on the Question of Palestine, held at Geneva from 29 August to 7 September 1983, for the convening of an intemational peace conference on the Middle East. In endorsing the idea of such a conference, the Assembly expressed its will and commitment to the view that peace in the Middle East can be achieved thro promotin % sincere dialogue among all the concern4 . This position itself was the res dual awareness: awareness of the fact that the path to peace, however long it may be, must give pea to dialogue over the force of arms; but also ewamneas particularly of the fact that the time factor is of paramount importance in the search for peace and that, if no action is taken, the international cornmunity could be exposed to disastrous consequences in the Middle East region. 4. Guided by these considerations and b the mandate entrusted to it by the General Asscm il ly in resolutions 38/58 A and B, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People has in the course of the past year focused most of its attention on efforls to r romote the convening of the aforementioned con erence, thus supplementing the actions taken by the Secretary- General, to whom we wish to pa a tribute for his untiring efforts in the cause of the f: alestinian people. NEW YORK 5. It will be recalled that in section III of the Programme of Aotlon for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights2 which was adopted by the Internatlonal Conference on the Question of Palestine and endorsed b session an d the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth whose implementation was ontrusted to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palerrtinlan People, the following is specifically stated: encourages: .‘ “(b’ionsional an d overnmental organizations andprofespopular associations to intensi y their efforts to support the rights of the Palestinian people in every possible way; ‘Vi)’ &rliam&tarlans, political parties, trade unions, organizations for solidarity and intellectuals, particular1 in Western Europe and North America, to JO n their counterparts in other parts 3 of the world in giving their sup not been don?, to an initiet ~4 which w&d p” rt, where it has expms the desire of the intemattonal comn)uirit to see the Palestinian people et last living in the r r own independent homeland in peace, fre+om’and dignity.” It ls therefore basicaU within the context if kcreasing the awareness of tfl the 4 international codlmunity in ! romotion of the objectives put forward b the Con ounce that I wish to place the Work o % the Committee in presenting its report [.4N9/JJ]. 6. In rccordanee with resolution 3808 B, the 7. In that declaration, whose obvious interest makes it worthy of our attention, North American non-governmental organizations not only expressed support for the convening of an international conference on peace in the Middle East but also committed themselves to co-ordinating and stepping up efforts to mobilize public opinion snd Governments in favour of the inalienable right of the Palestinian ge ople to build a State within the historic borders of alestine. __ . . . . . . Aant for more only committed them. jr respective countries in ..~ peace conference on the ,,- “,zided to establish an interim mittco on Palestine. This is pertic. co@&, as the interim committee is apizations from the United States, the United Kingdom and France, and abbve all from the occu ied territo- :ifIcally the &.t Bank-and srael. P and also, .rjW?-Wt 10. At the request of the partfci -ants in the Geneva meetin resolut P we deeided to inolu e their important s on in the Committee’s report (Ibfd, mnex PI. 11. In addition to these activities involving nongovernmental organizations the Committee organixed at Tunis, from 14 to 13 August 1984, the ninth United Nations Seminar on the Question of Palestine. That seminar brought together rliamentarians and scholars from 17 European and P frioan countries and resulted in an appeal to all arliamentarians throu 9 out the world to step up the r national action P to ena la people better to understana the realities of the question of Palestine. It is appropriate to stress here that at this critical sta United &ions to improve t e i! in the efforts of the ed solution, the su e chance of a negotiatand other influent P port of scholars, parliamentarians in mobilizin al groups is an important element public o inion in favour of the solution sought by tte Unitc8Nations. 12. This is only an outline of a few of the most noteworthy activities of the Committee during the t year. There were many other activities by the F&m ment of Public Information and by Committe8 nprcrcatatives rt various international cunfwanas. I shalI not dwoil on these, for they are set out ckdy in the report. 13. Iltc international anamunity has 66mc to ree&w thrt th8 question of F%kstinc is rt tbc core oft&c Middle East conflict and that enjwment by the Palestinian people of its inalienable ri t ts is indispensable for the solution of that pro lem. Those rights have repeated1 Y been reaffnmed by the General Assembly and inc ude the right of the Palestinian people to self-dctkrmination without outside interference, its right to national independence and sovereignty, includin the ri ht to establish its own State in Palestine, an B 3 the no t of Palestinians to return to their homes from which they have been dis laced and uprooted and to regain possession o P their pro 3 crty or to receive compensation if they do not w1.s to return. Moreover, acting objectively and on the basis of the realities, the Committee recogked the right to exist of all States of the region. owln fs to the opposition of ono of its permanent mem em As I have already said, any pro R osal aimed at solving the Palestinian problem wit out taking into consideration the essential factors of these . recommendations is doomed to failure and would, indeed, perpetuate a situation which imperils international peace and security. 15. We have reached a critical, decisive stage in the process of restoring Palestinian rights. Each day that passes without progress on the path charted by the Committee merely complicates a situation which, unfortunately, is alread nexation of the r difficult. The gradual anillegal y occupied territories, the increasingly repressive measures taken a ainst the Palestinian population, and the cycle o s violence clearly demonstrate that it is hi and lasting settlement of the I h time to reach a just alestinian question. 16. In its report, the Committee a sin reaffirms the validity of Its recommendations [I d Id., annex r] and requests the Assembly to insist once more that the Security Council adopt positive measures to implement these recommendations, on which action should have been taken lon ago. Moreover, the Committee reaffirms the vah ity of the recommen- -%* dations of the International Conference on the Question of Palestine, held at Geneva in 1983, emphasizing especially that the international community must begin immediately to focus its activities on the necessary preparations for convening the proposed international ce conference on the Middle East, as endorsed y the General Assembl gea resolution 3868 C, with the participation of al r in the parties concerned. 17. In this connection, I wish to reiterate the Committee’s deep appreciation of the contacts @itiated by the Secretary-General. While the Committee w&s the neuativc position of certain countries, it is none the less determined to pursue Its efforts to enswe that the conference is convened suon, for it is convinced that the holding of this conference will be an important step towards the settlement of the question of PeIatrne. We call now on all the parties concerned to rise above emotion and passion md to c in the achievement of a positive result in of pe&% and justice. 18. W&b t&t goal in mind, t& Commit+ is &““““‘YCW?Uoglfod y the intematton by the mawvc support pven community to the proposal on the convening of the conference and by the mounting evidence that these recommendations are now better known and undentood throughout the world. Other positive factors are the notable increase in interest in the question of Palestine and the militant support of non-goyernmental organizations for the Palestinian cause. 19. It canno, be repeated too oRen that the present situation in the Middle East is a constant reminder to the international communit increase efforts to find a of the urgent need to so utlon to the Palestinian 7. problem. thing that alcstinian state. 23. The salvaging of the occupied territories is more than ever inseparable from a political solution of the Palestinian question. Dialogue among all the parties concerned, including, first and foremost, the Palestinian people, is a necessary part of that prccess. 24. On 29 Novevbcr I had an opportunity to say something that I wdl repeat today: ‘Peace is one and indivisible.” 2% We consider that at this critical stage it is imocrativc that efforts be redoubled in order to find a just solution to the question of Palestine and to an end to the unnecessary suffering of the Palcstin P it an t” ople and others in the re ntcmationai community to 8 !l ion. We appeal to the t oulder its responsibilicc - within the context of dialogue in order to en8urc a Cl1c1tous solution to this tra edy that has lasted for nearly 40 years. The Comm ttcc on the Exercise of f the Inalienable Right8 of the Paleetinian Pco Ie u 68 you to work to assure that such a dialogue w P P II beg n. 26. The PRESIDENT: I now call on Mr. Victor Oauci, of Malta, Rap the Exercise of the Ina PO rtcur of the Committee on icnabie Right8 of the Pal&inian Paopic, to prcscnt the report of the Committee. 27. Mr. GAUCI (Malta) Rap Q” rtcur of the Committec on the Excrcisc ot the nalicnablc Rights of the Palestinian People: M of the Commit& on the H prcscntation of the raport xcrcise of the Inalienable Rights of the FaLsutinian People [A/.99/B] in reality symbolizea another year of fcstcrin conflict and wren f time t8 unlighted. 0n the question o Palestine, the oow cumc not so much to tpak of many things, but rather to concentrate on a few of the main eicmcnts of this tragic issue. 28. If WC really wish, again, to SpeSk of many things, there ue enough details in pamgmphs 18 to $9 of the report to demonstrate clearly the present disheartening State Of affairs. ThOSc paragraphs, as well as other more specific reports referred to therein or presented before the Assembly’s Special Political Committee, contain more than enough evidence to prove conclusively-if any proof were rcaliy ncedcd-that all is not well in the State of Palcstinc. 29. ?nose same paragraphs also contain enough cvidcncc to convince any objective observer be ond a reasonable doubt that a continuation of the po P tcies curren!ly applied on the spot cannot bring about reconcih,ation, let alone the peace which the protagomsts claim to seek and for which the Committee, by consensus, has striven strenuously for the past eight Committee see !i bc, it is not, however, what the 8, An acrimonious round of bitter recrimination. of acausation and counter-accusation. repeated ycar’in and year out is neithera f&m& nor a substitute for wacc, dhat is even worse. it orovides convenientammunition for those -tiho &tend that seeking a solution through the ro intCmatiOnai peace COnferCUCe on the Midd e PIE sed 81 i8 not likely to s$ceed, fudging by the outcome of the past debates. 31, The Committee nevertheless ha8 to stress with re !i et .that the contents of the report cannot but re ect the untenable situation on the spot. Truth cannot bc suppressed. There is no question that the cycle of violence goes on. In addition, it cannot be denied that many years &et the fi~rry and expectation raised by partial ap macy, the situation rema P SOache and 8hUttic diplons grim, It car. be summed up in a few brief but poignant sentences. Mr. Wasiuddh (Bunglde~h), Vice-President, rook the Chair. 32. Small, friendly Lebanon is in turmoil, with 33. Pea&d initiatives on the spot arc consfiicuous by their absence. Instead, the policies of f&r, hate and force predominate lavishly fucicd by sophisticated wca ip” ns, to the detriment of economic dcvclopmont. o say that this is a bleak bacwund is to put it mildly. To repeat the details is merely to dcmdca their impact. 34. Let us themfow stick to the essentials. Is them no ray of hope to pierce this pcmistcnt gloom? The Commit&e bclicvss tiut thorc is. The Committee itscif Ius sbowo the right path, and it must continue iu I&ours until its recommendations am followed thmugh and tha god achicv~. Hcrc vc bristly, IFC lhc main muons fw auur undiminlsI2 hope. 35. Fimt, the Fecarnmendations of the eOmmittec s~lyertdo~bythe~eral Ammbly.d uently tirther refined b the International Conference on the Question o Palestine, held at Geneva in 1983 arc the only-1 repeat-the on1 formula adopted by international consensus whit z advocates a in the COII R roccdure pcrmittinp, all the protagonists ret to be mvolvcd m the search for a comprchensivc solutiou based ou justice and international law. 36. Secondly, the real nature of the Palestine uestion is now wide1 known in all four quarters o the I 9. lobe, again than l? s to the efforts of the Committee. m~e and time again, without exception, in all the regions where seminars and symposiums have been organizcd in the past few years, our audiences-even le. ust provided the highlights of our activities in this teld aud I need not therefore repeat them. 37. Thirdly, we have gathered sup rt from bun. dreds of ‘non-governmental organ xations, trade p” union representatives, ‘ournallsts and members of the academic commun ty in advocating action and i redress for the practical attainment of the rights of the Palestinian people. A spontaneous cam obtain signatures favouring peace is alma B aign to y under way. 38. Fourthly, and perha advocating an approach R 3 most important, we are t rough the Security Court. oil, first bringing about contacts and rapprochenrent, then promotmg a cam rehenslve solution and subsequently even provid ng uarantees to ensure its observance if necessa roof enou E0 lP that the i. T&s laborious procedure is ntereats of no single part will overloo ed. Those who claim the contrary c early Y misunderstand the Committee’s approach. 39. This background behind the recommen iI rovides the positive thinking ations of the Committee this year, contained in paragraphs 155 to 160 of its report. Those sound and peaceful recommendations stand in marked contrast to the sense of despondency and despair in that volatile and violent region. But in order to succeed, we need the positive contribution of all concerned. As stated in paragraph 160 of the sport: “The Committee . . . strongly recommends that international action should henceforth concentrate on the of this reparations necessary for the convenin Con crence and contribute to its auccessfu F ‘f 41. &I many opportunities in the past have been missed: history orovides the record and the events and on-the-s&t. evidence. But the window of opporl tunit r is not yet closed. The Assembly this year shou d ensure that the window remains open and should encourage the Security Council next year to strive energetically to final& the ncccssarv oreoara. tions for the inteinational pca.cc conferen& on the Middle Past. All the soadework has been done: all the ingredients of a soiition arc before the Council awaiting its final touches and backed by its supreme authority. Further delay would be prejudicial to the ment on the fortteth anniversary of the United Nations.” [A/39/221.] 43. It is, I submit, no longer pro er for individual countries to invoke procedural dl lculties against a -R comprehensive ap not only the P roach, which in any case is now cone usion of the Committee but also the unanimous recommendation of the International Conference on the Question of Palestine. The protagonists themselves need encouragement to overcome inertia. The final solution will need universal backing and effective support-guarantees if need be, not based on the force of arma but on the common benefit of peace. Hard work and long negotiations will be required, but a start and an essential change of direction arc necessary now. 4 The mutual concessions that will be required frGln Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] to clinch a peace settlement would be more likely to be achieved in a package deal in a comprehensive solution enjoying unanimous and universal support. 45. Permit me to end b once more acclaiming the leadership and dedicate d service of Mr. Sat’&, who has guided us through another year of hard work. I also wish to express my appreciation to all members for their own contributton and for the assistance they have extended to me in my eight years of rapporteurship of the Committee. 46. The PRESIDENT: The next speaker is Mr. Famuk Kaddoumi, the Head of the Political Department of the PLC. I call on him in accordance with Geueral Assembly mlution 3237 (XXIX). Kaunda; who has always supported the just stru “it e of our Palestinian neople and of the oeoplee of t e African continent and-the non-aligned Siates. I am confident that Mr. Lusaka’s wisdom, extensive cxpcrience and firm belief in the principles of justice and peace will guarantee the success of the work of this session. 48. I am also pleased to take this opportunity to express thanks and appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Jorge Illueca, whose valuable efforts in conducting the work of the Assembly’s thirty-eighth session greatly contributed to the results achieved. 49. I wish to congratulate most warmly the State of Brunei Darussalam on its accession to independence and its admission to membership of the JJnited Nations. 60, During the general debate and thq debate on the situation in the Middle Fast, we listened carefully to the statementi of Presidents and of rcprcsentatives of Member States. I do not think I cx crate when I say that the overwhelming maority o the speakers 7 seemed to share a common the uestidn of Palestine. int of view regardin 4 Tr ey stressed that Israe, f whlc occupies Palestinian and Arab territories, should withdraw from all of them, ‘including Jerusalem. The overwhelming majority of the international community condemned the policy of occupation, expansion and settlement pursued by Israel in the oecuoied territories and called for the cessation of thoti practices, as the continuatioa of that situation in the Middle East constitutes a tinder-box which threatens the security of the entire world. 61. We have noticed almost tot& cement that any just and lasting solution to the 8 tuation in,tbis v region should include, first and fort :ost, a so ution to the question of Palestine, the oarc o the co the Middle East v! on Such a LJon s&ld be ict in 57. what is the significance of the cou$&rit p~8- ence of the question of PaIestine in the agenda d the General Assembly ever since the establishment of the United Nations? We have no doubt that this fact indicates deep understanding and full recognition by the international community of the gross injustice that befell the Palestinian people, as well as the necessity to find a just and lasting solution to this problem in spite of all the diffkulties and challenges. It further very clearly indicates that the international community rejects Israel’s continued policy of force. oppression and occupation against our Arab Palcstinian people. 58. In spite of the inability of the United Nations to find practical means to brine about respect for, and actual implementation of its resolutions, because of the United States policy of hegemony and obstrucbased on CnabIing their 1 2 e EiaIcstini86 peqjlc t$mvcr timate inalienable rIgbts, in&d1 2. the rl&t to self etdgaimttion to the crc&tion of a mdcpen: dont state on Its national soil aad to rctiiin to that land. An acc#ptabIe fmntework fo &I sea&h for such a soiutlon Is the Unitedkatiom and its debates that the ovcrwbelming of the w&i amskIer the E!P t~g*~ygg legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and that, therefore, it is impossible to ignore its role and its ri aimed at ht to participate In all international efforts z mding an acceptable solution to the Middle East crisis and the question of Palestine. 62. This is the will of the Organisation which is reflected in the overwhelming majority of the statements of Member States and in the numerous resolutions adopt:d by the Assembly over the past years. 63. On the other hand, WC heard some statements which represented a total departure from the general o inion a solute & of the international community and an disregard of United Nations resolutions. EC& licy there, particularly on the Lebanese scene use that policy as we had alwa s said ignored the crux of the eonkict in the Midd& East icgionnamely the question of Palestine-and denied the right o/the Palestinian people to self-determination. 65, i Following President Reagan’s proposal, Israel stc ped up its op ression of the peoples of Palestine an s B Lebanon an increased the pace of land expre priation and the establishment of settlements. In addition, the strategic alliance between the United States and Israel was strengthened, and the latter has received more arms and more financial aid. This has c&&aged Israel to continue Its policy of aggression and pccuption, $slng a serious th,rcat to the sceunty o the Ara States and to peace in the rcgton and in the world. It is well known that all this aid is given at the expense of the Amcdean taxpayer and the U&cd States budget deficit and, above all, of course, at the expense of the peoples of Palestine and Lebanon, whose suffering is increased. 66. In addition, the United States, not satisfied with absolvin tics, has war ed 1 itself of its international rcsponsibilito hinder and obstruct all the peaceful international efforts by exercising its veto power in the Seeudty Council in an arbitra manner against the interests of the Palestinian and?kbanese pea B lcs; this has brought us to the current stalemate an tension. With regard to the question of Palestine In particular, the United States Administration has p8rSinted in dcnyi r c” %t%%ions by continuin to reject the tf 3 the rights of the Palcstinlan r mg the resolutions and Charter &t&Ilshment of an independent P at estinian State. 68. The PaIcstinian people do exist; they are vigorous, active, creative, mditant and able. They arc proud of their national identity, land and homeland. They arc a people with a lon history, one of the oldest peoples of the earth. Pa cstinc f existed before Israel, as the Bible itself states. AI1 the revealed religions were nurtured in the land of Palestine; it is 70. The PLO has proved that it represents a positive and cffectlve element in the international community, despite all the attempts and conspiracies .>f Israel, over a period of 20 years, to destro it and t3 break the massive support it enjoys. To t ii- IS end Israel has used all methods of terror and armed aggression. But, in spite of the dlfilculties we have confronted from time to time. all these Israeli attempts have falled, the greater rallying of the % have fed, instead, to the alestinian people in the occupied territories and in the dias PLO and its legitimate role of lea r ra around the ership. 71. Perhaps the reatest proof of this cohesion was the convening oft fl e Palestine National Council only a few days ago in the Jordanian capital, Amman: in the midst of a great popular Palestinian demonstration of welcome and support. The convenin I of the seventeenth session of the Palestine National ouncil was a new plebiscite, held before the e es entire world. It affirmed the desire of the 3 of the alestinian people to keep the PLO, its I ‘timate institutions and its democratic prclccsses. 8 ur people have renewed, through this council, their full conftdence in its elected, Iegitimate leadership, under the chairmanship of Brother Yasscr Arafat. 72. The session of the Palestine National Council, convened at Amman, was an important -ion, cm ha&in the distmctive relations that bind t@ getger the Balcstinian and Jordanian share a common goal and destiny. E pies, who e Council renewed its adherence to the resolution adopted at the previous s&on, in Algeria in 1983, which rovtded for the establishment of future relations Lt ween Palestine and Jordan on a confederal basis, a&r the withdrawal of Israel and the establishment ofan in dent thu8 ldF= Palatinian State. Our people have trmcd, through the Palestine NationeI Counell their absolute r&&ion of Zionist and hnpcfiJi* s&cmcs aimed at ercatinp an alternative homeland for the Palestinian people in Jordan. These schemes are in fact designed to perpetuate Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, displace their population and ultimately annex them. The Palcstmian people will not accept an alternative to its original homehId. 73. In addition, the Palestine National Council underscored the need to co-operate with the fraternal r eople of Jordan to ensure joint Arab action to Iberate the land and enable the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights. 74. In line with the consistent position of the PLO in the search for an acceptable peace in the Middle East based on recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to return, to self-determmation, and to the FL raonahttes. As the Assembly knom, the Geneva laration on P&tine and the Pmgsamme of Action for the Achievcmcnt of Palestinian adopted by the ~onfesencc’ Feomrmed the i 3 2 able sight8 of the Pal&i&n pea c and undcsliocd the fact that Issacl mu8t w&t saw fsom rll the t occupied tessitosiu, including Jeswalcm. The Conference ala0 called for the convenin of an intemational peace conference on the Mid A e East. In spite of that appeal, in spite of the adoption by the General Assembly of resolutions on that question and in spite of the efforts and consultations of the Sccretary- General concerning the convenin of the conference, the United States and Israel too a negative stand I and rejected the proposal. 78. The United States continues to obstruct efforts towards peace in the region carried out within the framework of the United Nations and in keeping with its resolutions. It is t separate splutions that the T ing to impose partial and alestinian people and the Arab nation have already reJected. Such United States attempts will not contrlbute to peace in the and arbitrary expulsions. 83. Decause of these internal crises and the dcteriorating internal economic situation, both of which are tightening their gsi on Israe!, the economic and social conditions o P the Palestmians under occupation have worsened and their daily lives have become unbearable. As a result of the Israeli policy of a % rcssion against both the Palestinian and the Le anese peoples, of the numerous wars launched by Israel against the Arab States, of the allocation of the larger art of its budget to military affairs and to expen b! ltures on occupation and the establishment of P with Arab inhabitants, while kec ing mi itary control, the settlements and Jerusalem. pr he Likud coalition and its more extreme and racist offshoots want land and the expulsion of the Palcstinian people, oven if it means resorting to terrorism, massacres and armed violence. elections to the Israeli Knessed. This has aroused the fears of the democratic, honest and peace-loving forces in the world and even within Israel itself, We see nothing new in the emergence of the racist Kahadc phenomenon. It is, in our o expression of all the otTioial Israel P inion, the naked the Palestinian pea polioics against ba a mistake to %a lc ovm 60 meny years, It would licve lhat it is an isolated, Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persdns in Time of War, of 12 August 1949: and refMcs to providc~ protection and security for the Palestinian the intcmat PO pulatlon. This makes it necessary for onal community and the United Nations 87. In spite of the official change in the Governmcnt of Israel, on which some have placed their bets, we have not perceived any change in Israeli policy. From the outset we did not pin any hopes on the coming to power of the Labour Party in Israel, for our expcricucc with that party is long and bloody. Its pro the i* rammes are well known, differing from those of lkud only in cosmetic details. Both parties want land and reject peace; both refuse to recognizc the po ulated fit has to give up some lands densely 88, Thus the true option they are putting forward Is not “land br peace”; the P co they arc talking a to want only the land, for the ut is a peace imposed by orce of arms, which is in fact mere capitulation. The recent Israeli elections proved that the entrenched Israeli crisis is more dangerous than many thought it to be and that the true policy of the Israeli leaders is to continue their occu tion, war and a their imposition of fi Is uccomplis by p” P ression and orce of arms. 89. As we have already stated, it is unfortunate that Israel gets from the United States all the material, millT it with and political support it needs. This provides @ions of dollars and hundreds of aeroplanes, encaurag’ni! It to p” mist in its expansionist policies and to de the ntemational community and the resolutions of the United Nations. It is unfortunate tional community in utting an end to the injustice and aggression to wh ch our people continues to be P subjected. It also reflected the international communit ‘s Id interest in the situation in the Middle East r on a conflict with the question of Palestine at its core. his da mus situation threatens the peace and security o the entire world. T 91. The eollcctive efforts and persistence of the §tatcs Mambo of the U&d Nations deserve our on the Middle East in accordance with United Nations resolutions, resolytions which we trust will ktyreaffirmed at thts session of the General Assem- 92. The Palestinian people look towards the United Nations with full confidence and hope that the General Assembly and the Security Council will adopt deterrent measures against the aggressors, not merely resolutions of condemnation and denunciation. independence. 94. We have followed the activities of the nongovernmental organizations and have taktin note of their positions as expressed in the statements and programmes of action they have ado ted atter the meetings organized for them by the 8 ommittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Ri 96. In view of all these facts and events, the Palestinian pea le are determined to continue their struggle for the r national rigbte by all means. We P count on the agsistanca and sup Members of the United Nations The situation in the Middle East rqion to be tense and explosive as long as tbo Palestinian people continue to live in retb fe” camps and to be dispersed and deprived of the t inaIienabla rights. 97. Everyone, in the United Nations and overywhere else, must continue the struggle to Bavo peace by restoring the rights of the Palestinian people to return to its laqd, to exereisa self&terminntio~ and kistablish an independent State on its own national

In bis.message to the mqt % 29 November 1984 in commemoration of 0 Inter- “One might well wonder why it is that,.>6 years aner the catastrophe struck that people, no one has remedied the injustice done to them or taken any resolute action for the implementation of United Nations resolution+ at the very least. If that demonstrates anything it is the lack of seriousness of the big Powers and the indifference of the international community in general, while the aggressor persists in its arbitrary measures and vdations, treating international law and the Charter of the United Nations with contem t. this a T ressor have dared so to transgress R Could ad it not been or the unrestricted material sup rt it re ceives from those in certain quarters t r at do not understand that by giving such support they are 100. With regard to the first of’these’ elements, United Nations documents from 1948 up to our own day reflect precisely what Israel has done in u root. ing and dispersing a peacefbl people from its rl omeland ursuing it wherever it may be in order to annihilate it, thus violatin& its ntost elementary human rights as Bet forth in the relevant Geneva conventions. Israel has also deliberately attempted to change the Bocial, cultural, demographic and environ. mental character of the Arab lands in order to eradicate the racial hiBtOriC&, economic and cultural identity of the P&stinian people. 101. The Palestinian answer to this has been con- Powers which so far have made it United Nations to restrain Israel and put an end to its continuin defiance of and contempt for international law an 9 the resolutions of the Security Council itself. 104. We believe that the General Assembly has taken the correct view of the Palestinian problem. In 1969 and 1970, the General Assembl the first time the inalienable rights o r recognized for the Palestinian mple, including its right to self-determination, and also rccognized that respect for those rights was an indispensable element for the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle 7:September 1983 on the Question of’Pale8tine. The Conference adopted the Geneva Declaration on Palestine,’ whrch clarified the broad’outlines of the Palestinian prob. lem on the basis of the relevant United Nation8 resolutions, and ‘the Pro amme of Action for the Aqhievement of Palostm an Rights.’ *f 107.1 In addition, the Committee ha8 continued to follow the Rraeli polic of establishin Jewish settle men18 in the occupied alestinian to I II! tories. Part& larly noteworthy in this respect wa8 the valuable re rt on the danger of the continuing eetablishment o P Israeli settlements in the Palestinian and Arab 10% The most important recommendation in the &nova De&ration 01 Palestine is that which appears in -pltrgrsph 5 mgarding the holdin idtemational peace eonktee on the Middle Ii38 “f 2 the badr of the -principles of the Charter of the whited Nations and the relevant .re#oluti6na <of the 109. My delegation, which considers the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People as the true conscience with re rd to the problem of Palestine, would like to than i? I& Chairman, Mr. Sarre, and the members of the Committee for the valuable efforts they are making. The Committee has expressed, in its report to the P nistonce in perpetrating it8 crime8 a ainst the alestinian people. Those crime8 are 8u K icient in themselves to make Israel an entity hostile to peace and humanity; they also create in the United Nation8 a feeling of failure and complete impotence in the face of action8 by an entity that is based on the principle of aggression and usurpation. This !n turn reflect8 on the re of the United r! utation, authority and effectiveness ations. 111. We have seen how many years ago the General Assembly parted company with the Security Council to the extent. that the two bodies seem unrelated to the same Organizatbn and appear not to believe in the 8amo Charter or to work for the same objeetivopeace and stability in the world. 112. The strange reluctance of the Security Council to take action against meaeures it considers ill T” action that is recommended in the report o the Committee-is hightightod by the fact that the General Assembly ha8 already set out the just and reasonable path toward8 the eolution of this problem based on a series of resolution8 recognizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to &f-determination, to return to their ~j&nd and to establish a Slate on theu natlonal 113. This parting of company is, in the op!nion, of o the problem. It bar been f 7 ddegetion, the baste w for the conttnuatton General Assembly resolutions t uently confirmed by Ta t world peace and security depend on it8 solution. A8 ]ong,as some major Powers having special responsrbrhtres reject any movement towards a solution under the pretext that it is not acceptable to Israel, the road ahead of us will remain dark, not because this humanitarian problem will have remained beyond solution or the Palestinian people continued to be dispersed and deprived of their rights in this age when most peoples that were oppressed have gained their independer?ce and soverergnty, but because some of the mayor Powers, the re tp” sitories of world peace and securrty, will have con armed by their actions that they want only one kind of peace-a peace that serves their own purposes. international conference to be attended by all parties to the conflict. includinn the PLO. However. Israel has rejected every pea&proposal whether international or regional. It has rejected the United Nations framework, with its international legitimacy, for discussing the problem with all at-ties concerned and has presented no alternative & re ression and ut more aggression, fu{y undemtw i! enocide, The Israeli leadership ha5 that the most dangerous prospect facing it is peace, because the essence of its doctrine is aggression and its philosophy is expansion. ii 5. This explosive problem which has lasted so long constitutes a challenge to the international community in general and to the major Powers in particular, a5 well a5 to international legitimacy represented by the United Nations. The ttme has come to solve it, to put an end to injustice and to begin to restore what is right. The solution of this L roblem can bring about stability and peace in the iddle East and strengthen world peace and stability. 116. Mr. ALIAS (Malaysia): In our many years of discussion on this item, for the overwhelmin ty of UB here in the Assembl there is no dou % majorit in our mind5 that unless the ques r ion of Palestine is satisfactorily resolved there can be little hope for peace in the Middle Past. By definition, a corn rehensive solution must include the restoration o F ail Arab lands which Israel has a aggression since 1967 an 1 ulred through it8 wars of , equally paramount, the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Paicstinians to self-determination and to their own home= lend. Indeed, there can be no doubt that the question of Palestine constitutes the core of the problem in the Middle East. Aa long as the problem is allowed to ianguirh, there can be no end to the climate of conflict which has hovered over the region for so long and which on several occasions has led the world to tbe brink of disaster. 117. None can accuse the United Nation5 of lack of situation is comparable to a carte blanche which is continually extended to a chronic embezzler even if it proves the ruination of us all. 118. Hence, it is no mystery that the United Nations has thus far been unable to convince Israel that the best course for it and, indeed, for the security of the world is through a comprehensive settlement, beyond question thai -they are a their own nation. Truly. the Palest p”o ple entitled to mans embody the spirit of man,,which Cider the yoke of tyranny siows in resoluteness rather than crumbles. 119. The report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People I i&d.] once again reveals Israel’s complete disrespect or the inalienable right5 of the Palestinian pea The Tel Aviv r $ ime continues unabated in its pc icy P le. of annexation o Arab lands through eviction and a variety of coercive measures, implantin ‘Jewish settlers among the indigenous population. d bile new Jewish settlement5 are being established, existing settlements are being enlarged. Israel also plans to extend its 1egLiation to the occupied territory. The. report states: “Longer-term trends are ominous indications are that the Israeli Ciovemment ‘dll’continue to establish settlements in the occupied territories aimin at a rejected minimum of 100,000 Israelis in BUC sett ements by 1987 ‘and 190,000 by the a P 3 ear 2010. The numbers exclude Israelis in East erwalem and other Palestinian iccaiities into rated into the city immediately after the 7 1 67 war.” [lbfd., para 28.1 , :f 122. I ibmit that, despite the wing inability of the international community to dissuade Israel from continuing the present course, and despite Israel’s corn reso Y lete disrespect for the many United Nations utions,. it remains the sacred duty of the Assembly to contmue in its efforts to seek justice for the Palestinian pecple. It is particularly incumbent upon us to oersevere in our efforts for a comprehensive settlement, given that an indefinite contiiruation of the conflict situation in the Middle East may pass the point of restraint, as it has threatened to do on several occasions, with dire consequences for us all. 123. My Government’s commitment to a comprehensive and just settlement, which should include the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to their representative of the Palestinian people, would lead to a just solution, My delegation notes with deep concern in the reports of the Secretary-General A/39/130 and Addo I] that hi8 effort8 for the conven. ng of such a conference has not come to fruition. We appeal to the United States to reconsider its decision not to participate, recognizin that the United States has a central role to play, wi t% fL1 result can be achieved. out which no meanlng- I 124. We believe that within the confines of euch a conference rests the possibility of a just comprehensive and lastina settlement. fair to ali uartles. To reject such an cpportunity butright is td encourage further the intransigence of Israel; to refuse to recognize the iegltimac aspirations and the of the PLO is to deny the irra ienable fight of the Paleatin- Y laamvn+le to self-determinatton and their own 125. We congratulate the Secret -General on his efforts and urge him to continue Y&s consultations despite the obstacles In his way. 126. Before concluding my delegation would be remiss if it did not compliment the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Ri ie R f ts of the Palestinian Pea Mr. Sarr6, who ha5 wor ed tirelessly and with sue distinction. His commitment to a just solution to the Palestinian question is known to u5 all, and his dedication is an inspiration to all in the Committee. M ued support for hi delegation reiterate5 our continr. Sarr6 and the Committee. 127. Mr. PASHKEVICH (Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic) (/nferprezallon om Rwslan : Gn behdf of the de1 ~4: $ &R,I tlon of the yeIoru&n dly welcome t e delegation of ‘the PLG that is @tee&g this rarion of the General Assembl . ms here the heroic Pale&in&n peopIe, w z It ich i-yJc~-~ exert se of ita i and selti nruggle fm the ienable national rights. 128. The auestion of ensuring the exercise bv the Arab people-of Palestine of thei? inalienable nafional rights is the core of a Middle East settlement. The Pilestine problem has been constantly on the agenda of the General Assembly and of other international forums. Numerous United Nations resolutions, including those adopted at previous Assembl reaffirm the need for the exercise by the ry sessions, alestinian people of its legitimate, inrrlienaole right!, including the right of return, the right to self-determmatlon and the right to establish its own State. In those resolutions, also! the right of the PLO to participate on an equal footm in the solution of all questions relatin to the Mid if le East is recognized. But, despite a I & 129. The reason8 for this situation are well known. The T He first and foremost in the aggressive, ex b: ansion st policy of Israel, a p”- licy directed against rab countries and peoples; n 11s illegal occupation of Arab lands, including Palestinian lands which it seized in 1967; and in its stubborn refusal to restore the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. As is attested to b 131. A8 is noted in the letter dated 26 November 1984 from the Chairman of the Committee on the 132. T1.e outrageous acts perpetrated by Israeli terrorist8 against Palestinians have now acquired such dimensions that Tel Aviv Is forced, in order to mislead public opinion, to officially take some measures to try to 8ave face. But what kind of measure5 are they? I shall uote from a statement by Feiicia Langer, the Vice-&esident of the Israeli Lear for Human and Civil Rights, in connection with t e trial of members of the recently discovered anti-Arab terrorist group: “The 8cntences are simply ridiculous. One of the term&z was given one and one half yearn-and he Iud taupofled 40 miner to be set to explode in A cmwded mozque. Their bands are already blood. stained. They have killed Arab students and Palestinian ma ore-and they get one and one half years. An c7 , on the West Bank, a new law decrees that small Arab boys who throw stones at the occupiers be given sentences of 10 to 20 years.” conditions even in are the Likud’s flesh and blood. 134. It is perfectly obvious that the a ressive polic r of Israel? especially as it affects t le Arab Y peop e of Palestme, would be impossible without the “ihe Israeli leadership perpetrates all of its orimes thanks to the lull support of Washington. Takin advante o of the favourable attitude of the Unite % f States, srael violates international rinciples, continues its occupation of Arab lan B s and escalates active a neighbouring countr es. It expels the Arab popula- T ossion carried out against tion from their own lands and by force and terrorism imposes the policy of expansion of Israeli settlements and carries out ‘Judaization’ of Arab cities and historic sites.” 136, In June of this year, The Washington Posf wrote: of the ark on a policy of irresponsible a venturism, would not have been sub ect to severe retaliation from Washington? But a A or all of its actions, Israel b n to receive ever-increased aid from the United T tatos. For that country we have a ‘double standard’.” 137. The reason for such generosity and for such a policy is simple. Tel Aviv assists Washington in achiovin the establishment of its domination in the Middle Lt. 138. The policy and practical actions of the United States and Israel in the Middle East once again clear1 demonstrate the a ealledYstrategic alliance o r sivo nature of the sothe forces of imperialism and Zionism, which aspire not on1 to block the implementation of the inalienable rl $: ts of the Arab pee le of Palestine, but also to remove the question of alestine, once and for all, from the agenda by % isolating the Arabs and forcing them thus to capitulate to the aggmssor. 139. In this connection, what is of the greatest signit%xutce is the stre T honing of cooperation between the Palestinian res stance movement and the national patriotic forces with Arab countries and, first and foremost, with thoss that are in the front lines of reaiatance to the F ivo intentions of the United States and Israel n the Middle East. 140. The most recent events in the Middle East provide its peoples with lasting peace. a settlement of thorny problems and crises, Inter aliu, in the Middle East. 143, The Soviet proposal for the convening of an international conference on the Middle Past, with the participation of all parties involved, has won broad ap roval and su port on y two States, t o United States and Israel, actively P R throughout the world. And oppose the holding of such a conference, 144. It is ington and F ffectly obvious ‘hat the sooner Washel Aviv show an attitude of responsibility and common sense which can prevail over the considerations of the moment, the better, for the gloomy experience of decades has demonstrated that neither A policy of militaly conflicts nor a policy of separate deals can possibly bring peace to the Middle East or ensure the inalionablo rights of the Arab people of Palestine. Thet can be done only AS the result of peaceful negotiations on a collective basis, with the participation of all the parties involved. It is precisely such an ap rOACh to A .%.?lUtiOn of the problem of the Middg East which is actively favoured b the Soviet Union, the socialist States and many o her countries. Y : The meetfng rose at I.15 p.m. NOTES Sea Jtepor~ of the In~ematlonal CAM on the Qwsllor of PalaMe, Oenem, 29 August-7 Septemk J983 (Uniled Notions publkuion, Sala No. E.83.1.21), chap. 1. So0 Weekly Camplhulon of PrealaknllaJ bcumenu (Wahirq- &,,D.C., Oovwamem~ Printh~ OMw, I982), vol. 18, No. 35. p. rs, @klal Reads of rhe Saw&y CowciJ, IWetpwtmh Year, &#&mm J~V aCrok Nowmb ad &umber JW2. daouaonl s/l55iO, -. ‘l$Lf@ynfy&” hfy, Au#wt ad S~mtbw JW2, doat- ‘/b&J., e30aAmt s/15317. Waited Nations, Tray Series, vol. 75, No. 973. 7Sec Oflclal Records of the Securlly Council, TJtlrly-j)jh Year. Supplemenl/or Ocrober, November and Jkcemkr 1980. document S/14268.