S/PV.2317 Security Council

The first speaker is the representative of Cuba, I invite him to take a place at the Council table anJ to make his statement. 4. Mr. ROA KOURi (Cuba) (irrterpretntion from SpunishJ: Mr. President, allow me to extend to you the warmest congratulations of our delegation on the exemplary and brilliant manner in which you have been presiding over the meetings of this forum and for having recently paved the way for the election of a new Secretary.General of the Organization. who will take office on the first day of next year and who was confirmed yesterday by the General Assembly. YOUI recognized talent and wisdom will unquestionably help us adopt a resolution in keeping with the dictates of justice and law on the subject before the Council. 1 should also like to congratulate the representative of Tunisia, our friend Mr. Taieb Slim, for the work he performed as President of the Council last month. Adoptiou of the Agenda The situation in the occupied Arab territories: Letter dated 14 December 1981 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Comicll (S/14791) I. The PKESIDENT: In accordance with the decisions taken at the 2316th meeting of the Council, I shall invite the representatives of Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic to take places at the Council table, and the representatives of Cuba, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Viet Nam to take the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. 5. It is not by chance that we arc meeting once again to consider the complaint of a Member State, the Syrian Arab Republic. regarding the illegal conduct, which runs contrary to the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, of the Zionist regime of Israel. The very logic of this rCgime, which sees itself in an exclusive position, and the inability of the Council to apply to it the measures provided for in its fundamental instrument because of the opposition of a permanent member, have inevitably made it ncccssary for the Council to revert time and again to the discussion of Israel’s aggressive actions which violntc all the norms of law. At GC Orvitution of‘lhe President, Mr. Uhrm (Isruel) md Mr. .!+I~c~IIcI~ (&icr,l Arub Republic) took places NI the C’orrwil ~trble: Mr. Ron Korrri (Cuba), Mr. Abdd Me,~rrid I&~pl), Mr. Abrtlh~~.wtr~~ (Kuwctir), Mr. licc;ni fl.eb1111on), Mr. .4llagtrriy (Snrrdi Artrbicc), Mr. Kirw t’litrkepj cmd Mr. tin Vlin Lnir (Viet Nam) rook the Pisces reserved jiw l/rem 111 the side of f/w C’orrrrc~il i~hcmrber. 6. It seems that only yesterday WC had to mc’o! to condemn military aggression against non-nlignerl Iraq and todny WC must stand by the Syrian Govcru 2. The PR~3SID13N’I‘: 1 should like to inform membcrs of the Council that 1 hnvc received letters from I 7, The adoption by the Israeli parliament of the decision to scizz an inalienable part of the Syrian Arab Republic in reality contradicts-indeed, makes a dead letter of the principle of-the inadmissibility of the **.cquisition of territory by force and is an act of piracy ., hich requires vigorous condemnation on the part of the Council and of the entire international community. 8. The non-aligned countries, meeting in plenary session, adopted unanimously the following communiqud: “The plenary meeting of the Movement of Non- Aligned Countries, held on 14 December 1981, having heard the declaration by the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic in connection with the gravity bf the situation in the Middle East arising from the decision of the Israeli cabinet to impose Israeli laws on the occupied Golan Heights for the purpose of annexing them, expresses its deepest concern over the expansionist and annexationist policies of Israel regarding the occupied Golan Heights and reaffhms that the acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible under international law. The plenary meeting condemns this new Israeli, act, which is a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations,-international law and the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949,’ as well as of all relevant United Nations resolutions. “The plenary meeting expresses its solidarity with the Government and the people of the Syrian Arab Republic in its efforts to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the expansionist and annsxationist policy of Israel in the occupied Golan Heights. “The non-aligned countries supported the initiative of the Syrian Arab Republic in seeking the urgent convening of the Security Council to consider this serious illegal action on the part of Israel. “The non-aligned countries call on the Council to take appropriate action in order to restore the full sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic over all its occupied territories.” 9. Clearly, the policy of the Zionist regime of Israel is aimed at annexing once and for all the Arab territories which it has occupied since the end of the war of 1967. This is the only possible explanation for its determination to continue to expand its settlements in those territories, its policy of persecuting, repressing and cxnelling the Arab citizens of Palestine from their ancestral homes and its attempts to app!y Israeli laws to those territories, including the occupied Golan Heights. This policy is an integral part of ihe determination of the Zionist rCgime of Israel to de-Arabize the 10, If the just and lasting settlement of the question of the Middle East can be -based only on the recommendations made to the Council by the GeneraI Asscmhly. which must, of course, bc rcncwcd at the conclusion of the consideration of agenda item 33 of the thirtv-sixth session, then the decision of the Israeli Cabinet to impose its laws on the territory occupied by Israel in the Golan Heights must immediateiy be rejected as a shameless attempt to annex part of the Syrian Arab Republic. - II. In our ooinion, the Council must demand that the Israeli authorities immediately revoke that decision. If, as they have done so far, the Zionist authorities refuse to abide by the decisions of this principal organ of the United Nations. then the Council must without any further delay impose on Israel the sanctions provided for in Chapter VI1 of the Charter inorder to compel it & abide bythe intenla~lal will. 12. We are confident that the Council will grant the just demand of the Government of the Syrian Arab Reoublic and. in fact, the demand of the overwhelming m&rity of the members of the Organization.

The next speaker is the representative of Lebanon. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. 14. -Mr. T&N1 (Lebanon): Mr. President, this has been a month that will be remembered in the history of the Security Council. Your presence in the Chair has been, in the unanimous opinion of members, almost providential. May I be permitted to join in congratulating you on a superb performance. Rarely has such knowledge of the rules been applied with such discretion, tact and an intimate perception of the psycho-political imperatives, both of nations and of i~tern&k& Qrganizations, 15. 1 am making a statement in this debate only to express Lebanon’s unconditional support for Syria in the face of yet a new form of Israeli aggression-what we may describe as an act of aggression not only against territory, not only against the land, but also against the law of nations, including the international laws of war. The representative of Kuwait has expressed the unanimous attitude of the AElb countries [2316flr nweli~~gl. One would have had very little to add to what he has said and to what the represcntative of Egypt has also said, from his own countrv’s perspective [ikf.]. Judging by the unanimous reaction not only in the Arab world but also in thr Council. as well as in all the capitals of the East and West, Israel seems to have a unique genius for creating unnniinity even when and where it does not exist. 23. The Iraqi nuclear installations were bombed when Mr. Philip Habib was about to reach some significant breakthrough, Mr. Habib has just returned from the area, cautiously optimistic, and his mission has once again been pre-cmpted. I am sure this is more than a coincidence, and the consequences do not escape the attention of the Council, particularly of the members who are most concerned. 17. It would be a very strange world indeed if we were to allow international relations to be governed by the loeic used this morning by the Israeli representative ~ibid.]. The Golan Hsghis represent a sirategic danger to Israel, he claims. Therefore, it is Israel’s right-to +ncex them. 24. It is not the fate of the Golan Heights that we are debating today. We are debating the fate of peace, real peace, and the fate of security, real security, governed by international law as univeisally interpreted and not as subjected to the whims of Israeli logic and ambition. 18. Imagine if this were to happen anywhere else, in the many parts of the world where nations could, at will and at random, consider that their own definition of their own strategic interest compelled them to occupy and to annex other nations’ territories. Imagine how lawless the world might become if we were to allow nations to get away with this, and if this body were to allow Israel to establish the precedent and have the Council codify it as law.

The Security Council is meeting today at the request by Syria ihat urgent consid&ationbe given‘ to thi question of Israel’s decision to extend the jurisdiction df Israeli laws to the Golan Heights. We liitened very attentively today to the statement made by the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic in explanation of the just posi!ion taken by his country [ihid. 1. 19. Many examples of this could readily come to mind-on every continent, and probably on every frontier. We, for one, on the Lebanese frontier, feel very concerned indeed. Today it is the Golan Heights. Yesterday it was the West Bank. Tomorrow, why can it not bk Madayoun, Tyre, the Litani riverand -probably the capital city of Beirut itself! 26. As members are aware, two days ago the Begin Government put through the Knesset a bill according to which the laws, jurisdiction and administration of Israel would be introduced into the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Thus, an arbitrary act has been perpetrated which would give legal form to a virtual annexation of the Golan Heights and to the inclusion of-that~region as part of Israel. 20. There would be no limit-indeed, there are no limits-to the psychological constraints of obsessions, particularly of security obsessions. One reality is apparent to all of us, I hope: real peace, while contingent on guarantees of security, cannot be left to the mercy of obsessive expansionism. 27. Can anyone seriously deny the fact that the decision taken by the Israeli Knesset runs counter to all the norms of international law, or that it is, further, a gross violation of the Charter of the United Nations and its fundamental principles, including the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force? Such a decision does not have, cannot have and will never have any legal force. In undertaking such a brazen act, lsrael has issued a challenge to the entire international community, the majority of the members of which have unambiguously condemned and rejected Israel’s occupation of the Arab territories, including the Golan Heights, which belong to Syria. 21. The Israeli representative, with what he believes to be great cleverness, has more than once before the Council and elsewhere in the United Nations sought to divert attention from Israel’s aggression by speaking of the many problems in the Middle East, including problems in my own beleaguered country, Lebanon. We refuse to be trapped into side-stepping the issue, nor can WC ignore the fact that if Israel’s concern for peace in the Middle East were genuine it might be well inspired to cease creating and complicating problems and then claiming that they are insoluble, legitimizing, as such, its further acts of aggression. 28. This provocative attempt by the Begin Government to annex part of the territory of Syria is obviously aimed at consolidating the results of Israeli aggression. It further worsens the already tense situation in the Middle East and sets new obstacles on the way to achieving a genuine settlement in the region and to establishing a genuine, just and lasting peace there. All this more heavily underscores the hypocrisy of the oft-repeated assertions made by Israeli represcutatives, at the United Nations and elsewhere. to the 22. WC shall debate later this week the issues at stake in southern Lebanon. so let US not now preempt that debate, 1 would bc grateful if no one else were to do so, Before concluding, however, may I draw the Couucil’s altcntion, as WRS done by previous speakers. 10 the fact that Isr;~el finds it most convenient, 29. Such actions by the Israeli Government occurred neither by accident nor in a void; they are a logical consequence of the constant support for, and overt connivance with, its aggressive expansionist policies provided by the imperialist circles of the United States. The preparation for this reprehensible act is found in a number of events, which began with the conclusion of the Camp David accords* and recently culminated with the reaching of an agreement on “strategic co-operation” between the United States ;bnd Israel. an agreement with an openly anti-Arab emphasis. The United States bears full responsibility for this act of annexation. Not to say that would be iantamount to saying almost nothing. Only today, the rcprescntativc of Israel. speaking in the Council, made an important statement: he openly admitted that senior officials of the United States, including former Presidents, had called on Israel never to leave the Golan Heights. I am sure that the members of the Cuuncil will take due note of that statement. 30. The delegation of the Soviet Union resolutely condemns the action which has ‘3een taken by the Government of Israel. In such circumstances, the Council cannot remain non-committal. It should, swiftly and vigorously, react to this illegal act. It is essential, in particular, for the Council to pass a resolution condemning such acts by Israel, declaring them illegal and invalid, and demanding that Israel immediately retract the annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights. 31. If, however, Israel should refuse to heed the opinion of the international community and not comply with such a resolution, the Council should, in the opinion of the Soviet delegation, speedily reconvene and seriously weigh the possibility of applying to Israel the sanctions provided for in Chapter VII of the Charter. 32. Israel’s illegal acts with regard to the Golan Heights should bc resolutely and sternly rebuffed by the Crganization, first and foremost by the Security Council. If, because of the position taken by some States, the Council should be unable to discharge its responsibility in this matter, that would serve to give Israel the green light to extend its policy of annexa?on to the other Ara’, territories and to carry out further aggressive raids against nriphhouring Arab countries. 34. The Chinese delegation firmly supports the proper and reasonable move made by the Government of Syria in requesting that the Security Council meet urgently to consider this question. As everyone knows,-the Golan Heights arb an integral part of the territory of Syria. Since the war of 5 June 1967. the Golan keighis have been under Israeli occupation. For a long time, the Israeli authorities. bcsidcs establishing their military rule in that area. and as they did in other occupied territories. have been pursuing a settlements policy and persecuting at will the local Syrian inhabitants. 35. Because of this, the General Assembly and the Security Council have repeatedly adopted resolutions in which they condemned Israel for the illegal cstablishment of settlements in the Palestinian and othct Arab territories under its occupation, and called on it to put an end to all acts which purport to alter the legul status, physical character and demographic composition of the occupied Arab tcrritorics, including Jerusalem. 36. At the present ses,ion of the General Asscmblv. the Special Political Committee has recommended io the Assembly the adoption of a draft resolution on the question of the Golan Heights, in paragraph 3 of which the Assembly determines that: “all legislative and administrative mcasurcs and actions taken or to he taken by Israel, the occupying Power, that purport to alter the character and legal status of the Syrian Golan Heights are null and void and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War’ and have no legal effect.“’ 37. Now, the Israeli Kncsset. in disregard of the norms of international law and of the strong opposilion of the Arab countries and all countries and pcoplcs of the world which uphold justice, has acted in a unilateral and arrogant manner by adopting legislation for the, purpose of annexing the Golan Heighls. a p;irt of Syrian territory. This is complctcly INIII and void and unacceptable to the international communilv. Such lawless behaviour on the part of the Is&!i 44. Characteristically, there is growing discontent with regard to this policy, even in the Israeli Parliament. Opposition politicians are openly voicing their fear that the act of annexation of neighbouring Syrian territory may well lead to the further international isolation of Israel, and lend even more weight to demands that effective steps be taken against such aggressive policies. 38. The -Chinese Government and people strongly condemn the Israeli authorities for their crimes of aggression, expansion and annexation. We tirmly onnose any step taken bv Israel to change illenallv the ~siitus of ihe dolan Heights. We firm& supiori the Svrian, the Palestinian and the other Arab aeonles in tl;eir just struggle to regain their national rig‘htsind to recover their lost territories. 4.5. The decision taken by the lsraeli Parliament with respect to the Syrian Golan Heights illegally occupied by Israel is without a shadow of doubt an act of annexation by force of foreign territory and a violation of the principle of self-determination. As we know, seizure of territory by force is a clear violation of the Charterand also a violation of numerous United Nations resolutions in which, frequently and unambiguously, such steps have been condemned. 39. In our view, the Council must strongly condemn the illegal action taken by Israel in the occupied territories, which is aimed at changing the legal status, the physical character and the demographiccomposition of these territories. The Council must strongly -condemn Israel for its unilateral and arrogant action& changing the character and status of the Golan Heights. The Council should explicitly reaffirm that the above-mentioned measure taken bv Israel is completely illegal, null and void, and-should be revoked. The Council should also call upon Israel to withdraw from the Arab territories occupied since 1967. including Jerusalem. Should the Israeli authorities refuse to-implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, including those of the Security Council, then the Council should, in accordance with the Charter, consider further and more effective measures against Israel so as to ensure the effective implementation of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and of the Security Council. 46. The Security Council is duty-bound vigorously to condemn this new Israeli attempt at annexation and to declare invalid the decision taken by the Israeli Cabinet and Parliament. 47. No one can question the fact that this fresh act ot aggression on the part of Israel makes it much more difficult to reach a solution of the Middle East conflict, as also the task of establishing a comprehensive, just and durable peace in the region. 48. What has long been stated by many representatives of Member States is once again borne out, namely, that the policy of separate agreements not only makes it more difficult to achieve a just and lasting political settlement of the Middle East contlict. but also constantly encourages the ruling circles of Israel to embark upon new acts of aggression against the Arab States.

The delegation of the German Democratic Republic is fully sympathetic to the request made by the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic for an urgent meeting of the Security Council to consider the question of a new Israeli act of aggression. 49. One cannot fail to note the direct link between the most recent events lending to the annexation of the Golan Heights. the policy of separate agreements and the support of Israel by influential imperial circles. This cannot be obscured by statements made by the representatives of those circles to the effect that the! regret this act of aggression -4riyonc who is not prepared effectively to counter the expansionist aspirations of the ruling circles of Israel and who hinders the United Nations from taking decisive steps against the aggressor, thereby assumes a great responsibility, What is at stake is peace and security iu the regioll. The most recent Israeli act of actual annexation ot foreign territory by force should lead to seriou\ thinking about a more realistic approach IO the Middle East problem in the capitals of States which give Tcl- Aviv political and military support. 41, As we have learned, on 14 December, the Israeli Government took the decision actually to annex the Syrian Golan Heights illegally occupied by Israel, and to extend the legislation, jurisdiction and administration of lsrael to that area. 42. This step, which violates international law and which has now in fact been approved by the Israeli Parliament, was already in preparation when the ruling circles of Israel took the decision to establish two new settlements on the occupied Golan Heights. 43. As the latest developments indicate, the Israeli act of annexation has been accompanied by an intensification of its policy of occupation against the Syrian population on the Golan Heights and by threats to the Syrian Arab Republic. Informed commentators have drawn attention to the fact that the aggressor, by annexing thus part of Syrian territory, is making SO. The delegation of the German Democratic Kcpublic shares the view expressed by the rcpresent;lli\,c 51 I In supporting the draft resolution, the delegation of the German Democratic Republic would like to express the hope that the Security Council will act in this spirit,

On I4 December the Government of Israel submitted to the Knesset legislation which would extend Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration to the occupied territory of the Golan Heights. The Knesset passed it on the same date. During the course of this year the Security Council has had to meet repeatedly to consider the heinous actions of Israel against its neighbours. In June, for example, Israel carried out an outrageous bombing attack on Iraqi nuclear facilities, and on subsequent occasions its actions gave rise to critical situations in southern Lebanoa. That Israel has now dared to act yet again in violation of international law and in defiance of various relevant Council resolutions has profoundly disturbed Japan. Because this situation could have serious repercussions throughout the Middle East, the Council has had to convene at this time to respond to the urgency of the situation. 53. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Yoshio Sakurauchi, yesterday issued a statement on this matter which clearly presents the basic position of my Government. I should like to auote it here in its entirety: “The Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) passed legislation on 14 December 1981 which in effect L annexes the Golan Heights. Japan cannot condone 1 such a unilateral change to the legal status of an occupied territory by I&ael, follow%g the annexation of East Jerusalem in July 1980, which is in total violation of international law and llnited Nations Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). “The Government of Japan is deeply concerned that such an action would not only impair the atmosphere that exists for the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflicts through peaceful means, but would also heighten tension in the region. “On this occasion, the Government of Japan reiterates its strong demand that Israel withdraw from all the territories occupied in 1967 as early as possible.” [S//4797] 54. Japan finds it extremely regrettable that Israel continues to carry out actions which ignore the voice of the international community as clearly expressed in 55. The Government of Japan expresses deep concern that Israel has consistently ignored the calls of the international community. For its part, Japan has been making efforts towards the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, Israel’s position constitutes a direct challenge to these and various other international endeavours towards our common goal. Japan strongly urges Israel to change its position and to realize that only by pursuing a solution to the problem through peaceful means can its own security be more effectively guaranteed, 56. In continuing to defy world opinion Israel will unavoidably ::ecome further isolated from the rest of the international community. I can only add that if the efforts of the international community end in failure owing to Israel’s intransigent attitude, its position in the international arena will become even more precarious. 57. My delegation hopes that the Government of Israel will objectively assess the present situation and correctly understand the growing indignation of the world community. We urgently appeal to Israel to co-operate fully with endeavours towards a peaceful settlement of the problem. 58. Mr. de PIN&S (Spain) (O~tc~~rclalior~fiw,,l Spa+ ish): The Security Council is mecting today to consider the decision of the Israeli Government and Parliament to apply the laws, jurisdiction and administration of the State of Israel in the occupied Arab territory of the Golan Heights-a decision which is tantamount to outright annexation of the territory. 59. Yesterday, upon learning of these events. the Spanish Government issued a communiqud in which it rejected and condemned the decision of the hoeli authorities. I wish to repeat here the clear position of my Government that this action is a serious violation of international law, the principles of the Charter and the relevant resohltions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, 60. Whenever the international communitv has tried to lay a foundation for settlement of oue’aspcct or another of the serious crisis in the Mitldlc I&I. the determined, oft-declared will of Israel out to abide by 67, My delegation hopes that, after the adoption of a resolution and a certain amount of time allowed to await the Israeli Government’s reaction-, if there is a negative response, necessary measures will be taken speedily by the Council to force the Government of Israel to rescind and revoke all the measures that il wishes to apply to the Golan Heighls, -61, This scorn for the norms of co-existence among peoples constitutes a new and serious obstacle to the already difficult search for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Middle East problem.

The Tunisian delegation has had more than one opportunity to state before the Security Council that the escalation of Israeli aggression against the Arab countries in the region is the expression of a continuing and clearly conceived policy. The escalation of that aggression is premeditaled and designed to maintain a permanent state of tension in that part of the world. To expect hegemonism and expansionism to come to an end is to cherish a mere illusion. 62. After a decision such as this, we have little cause for optimism when to a decision of that kind are added the arrogant explanations that have been attributed to the Prime Minister of Israel. 63. Mv delegation has listened with particular attention to ihe various statements made in this debate and is reallv surprised that it could possibly be thought that in order foi’ Israeli law to be appliedio acts sfecting individuals it is necessary to replace the law of the occupied territory by the law of the occupier. That is a violation, pure and simple, of the norms of international law. If Israel reaily had any scruples about the plight of those inhabitants and had abided bv resoluiion 242 (1967) and withdrawn from the te&itories it was occupying, then it would not have had to inform us of such scruples to justify a completely unlawful act. _~ 69. My delegation has on many occasions drawn the Councii’s attention to this strategy of hegemony and invasion, this practice of presenting the world with a fair accompli which may well recur in the future with an equal probability of its being extended to other countries. 70. How many times have we had to repeat that Israel has no scruples about justice and law when it comes to repeating daily violations of all those norms recognized by the community of nations? This is in fact the consistent behaviour of a country which continues to base its policies on the laws of force. terror and defiance alone. The new escalation of events that we are witnessing today does not tend, unfortunately, to disprove what WC have said. 64. We are also surprised at the attempt to justify the occupation of heights in order to control a valley. In my delegation’s view, that is a somewhat outmoded strategy not in keeping with modern military technology, airborne divisions, rockets and all the means of warfare which, unfortunately, are at the disposal of mankind today. Only a political settlement, based on respect for the right of all countries in the area to exist, and on respect for their borders after Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories-one which does not lose sight of the rights of the Palestinian people to its own homeland-can deal satisfactorily with the grave problem of the Middle East, which is worsening from day to day. 71. On I4 December, an indignant and outraged world learned that a further stage in this policy had been reached against a sovereign Member State of the United Nations. In a matter of hours, Israel decided quite simply to annex the Golan Heights, an integral part of Syrian territory, in a new attempt to destabilize the region, to rekindle the tension that had already reached white heat and to impose the Zionist vision of “Greater Israel”. 6s. My delegation believes that the Council must act speedily, clearly and unequivocally on this subject. Israel must be called upon immediately to abrogate the measures it has adopied. which certainly callnot be accepted by the Council. We are prepared to support a draft resolution containing this request in no uncertain terms. We must be welt aware ofthe fact that action by the c’ouncil carinot be limited to calling on Israel to perform certain acts aimed at invalidating those designed to justify its annexationist policy. 72. For its part, Syria chose to come to the Council, responsible as it is for the maintenance of international peace and security, two foundations against which Israel has struck a further serious blow frnught with consequences. Therefore, it is our duty coda) not only to restate the law but also to see it is resnccted and fully implemented. This is the purport of ihe request made bv Svria to the Council. This is whal cmt.rCcs quite cfeariy from the particularly CC~CIII s~;~~rn~nt made this morning by the reprcscntali\ c d’ Syri;,. ‘I‘hc Council cannot fail to accede to his request. 60. hfy d?lcp:ltion hclicvcs that the Council, acting IICN as speedily as the CBSC rcquircs, must bear in mind fully its responsibilities as the guardian of 74. No longer should any country be allowed to escape with impunity its essential oblirations unde\ the Charter inrespect of international peace and security. The deliberate and typical act of violating United Nations resolutions and international law committed by Israel cannot be given the least sem- -blance of legality, nor have we found anywhere any justification whatsoever for those acts which are an attack on two fundamental principles that have been affirmed and reaffirmed by the Council in all its resolutions on the Middle East, namely, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of ten’itory by force and the applicability of the fourth Geneva Convention’ to the occupied Arab territories and, thus, to the Syrian Golan Heights. 75. Israel’s most recent steps are not an isolated incident. In complete disregard for the collective -~opinion of the civilized world, those measures are -designed to strengthen a premeditated and systematic @icy designs4 ~0 @nsfoem fact into law. 76. The Council is therefore in a position fully to grasp the dimensions of the problem before us, in its essence and as it has developed, through the resolutions that supply the background of the crisis in the Middle East from its very inception. Confining ourselves to the context of the present crisis, we would first retail that the United Nations has never ratified the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights; on the contrary, it has constantly reaffirmed that Israel, as the occupying Power, should withdraw fro1n all the occupied territories, including Jerusalem. Further, we would recall that the Council, specifically in resolution 465 (1980), which was adopted unanimously, denounced any attempts to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the occupied territories. Finally, we would point out that never has the population of the occupied territories--least of all that of the Golan Hc1ghts---shown the least sign of acceptance or resignation to domination. despite the vain attempts made by the occupying lsracli authorities to impose on Syrian nationals living in that territory an Israeli idcntr1y 1n order to assimilate them once and for all 01 to cxpcl them from their home:; \~nd lands. ‘I‘he It, As we have frequently stntcd. tIlis~new~Viol;ltioll is part of an overall plan based on two csscnli;\l premises: expansionism and thefitir twcw~~pli. First of all. it should be stated that rcpeatctl acts of viohrtion se& to be !sracl’s pccuhir melhod of cxerling diplolnatic pressure, Have WC nol become IICCUStomed, whenever any sort of diplom:\tic action is undertaken in the Organizatio11 or oulsidc it in connection with the Middle East, to seeing \I f\1rthc1 outbreak of hostilities and \I furlhcr increase of tension? Must we give exnmplcs of this? 78. Last year, it was the unacceplablc decision lo annex Al-Quds. The whole world. although \m\\nimous in its indignation and condemnation, was once agnin. of course, confronted with a./ilir rrc~cwr~pli. L;\st June. the Government of Israel decided to send iIs bombers over Iraq to sow death and destruction. Once \\pain \I fuif accompli was prescntcd. As Pdr as 1.Clx11lon is concerned, whenever it begins to st\\\\nch its wu~~nds, Israel always reminds it that it is still hcing w;\tchcd. The particularly violent and deadly nggrcssions and bombings which occurred during the summer against that mar’yred country are still fresh i11 o\1r memories. That was.also a/hi/ &omp/i, which led to death and devastation. Today it is Syria. Whose turn will it be tomorrow? By such acts I&\el intends to thwlrt \IIIY initiatives or imaginative efforts to restore comprchcnsive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. 79. There can be no doubt that the internationnl commtmity is at one in considcriug (hat \\ny UllihtCr\\l step taken by the occupying aulhorilics ta irnposc their tmspeakable practices is null end void, but how much longer should we merely criticizc Ihcsc pr:\cticcs h! purely verbal condemndtions? For how long should wc simply give our moral supporl to the victims. without providing them with any cffeclivc hclt,? 80. Have we wondered what would h:\ppcn lo the Organization if the Member S~aics were fin;\ltv to lost confidence in its ability to oppusc blind policies h;\>ed on outmoded concepts’? I-IWC WC h;\d occasion to wonder about the credibility of the Security (‘ouncit and its capacily to have the law rcspcctcd, to ;\ct .iustly with regard to victims and to protccl the weak against the aggression of the powerf\d? All these arc (Jibquieting questions which will find their replies in the decision taken by the Council at the cm1 of IIICSC deliberations. 81. TO that end, 3 ctcar and firm resolution h;\sctl WI justice and law could plovc to Iw ;I tlccisivc ;III~ e<scutiel cori(ributio11 to the :\cllicvcmplj1 ofib CC: ,\twhcnsivc PCilCC. liven if such ii rcsoI\\\1on \~‘cI.L’ in11di)

Without any semblance of legal or political justification, the Israeli Government submitted a bill extending to the occupied territory of the Golan Heights the laws, administration and jurisdiction of Israel. That bill was passed by the Knesset the snme duy, namely, 14 December, Thus, coming after Israel’s unilateral decision to consider Jerusalem the capital of Israel, a decision which was censured by the Security Council in resolution 478 (1980), the highest authorities of Tel Aviv are once again applying their policy of fuif rrccotttpli, in disregard of international opinion. 82. In conclusion, allow me to state that,-after Israel announced its decision, the Tunisian Government issued an official statement denouncing and condemning in the strongest terms that decision, which can only contribute to increasing tension in the Middle East and throughout the world, and calling upon all States to reject and resist that violation. Tunisia, which stands by Syria and gives it its active solidarity and its unfailing support, considers that Israel’s decision to annex part of Syria’s territory is completely null and void. We are convinced that the Council, in its wisdom, will with-one voice take the same view. 89. The French Government shares the legitimate emotion which has been provoked throughout the world by Israel’s attitude. It entirely disapproves of that unilateral initiative, which has been taken at a time of serious tension in the international situation. II has always opposed legislative or other measures taken by the Israeli authorities in the occupied territories, either for the purpose of integrating the part of Jerusalen occupied since 1967 or of creating new settlements. My Government considers, indeed, that such a policy runs counter to the rules of international law, according to which the occupying Power must preserve the demographic, economic and cultural character of the occupied regions.

Mr, President, as this is the first time I have taken the floor at a formal meeting of the Council under your presidency, allow me to congratulate you on behalf of my delegation on the exemplary manner in which you have been conducting our proceedings. You have worked hard to get us through a most difficult and delicate stage, the election of a Secretary-General. 84. We should like also to thank Mr. Slim of Tunisia, who demonstrated his skills as a distinguished and ~expert diplomat while he was President, in the month of November. 90. The French Government firmly condemns this act. which is tantamount to annexation and is a direct attack on the sovereignty of Syria over a territory which belongs to it and was occupied by Israeli forces in 1967. This act is contrary to international law and to United Nations resolutions. II constitutes a violation 01’ the principle of the non-acquisition of territory by force which is laid down in resolution 242 (19G7) of the Council. My delegation therefore considers that this law, which cannot in any way modify the status of the Golan Heights:, is completely null and void. 85. The Council is meeting at the request of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic after the Israeli Parliament approved a law whereby the legislation of that country is to be applied to a foreign territory occupied by force, that is, the Syrian Golan Heights. This irresponsible and dangerous action committed by the Tel Aviv authorities has not only been repudiated by the international community and the mass media but has been criticized within Israel by sizeable political sectors. There cannot be the slightest doubt that this is an act of outright annexation. violating the most elementary rules of international law, and that it adds to the instability of the already precarious situation in the Mlddle East. 91. Finally, this decision seriously jeopardizes the search for a true peace in the Middle East on the basis of the principles acknowledged by the international community and with respect lo the recognizcd rights of all the peoples and States of the region. 92. The French delegation would solemnly warn the Government of Israel against such procedures as have brought about the meeting of the Council. We would appeal to it IO abide by the rules of international law and not lo jenpardize the chances of a pence which must bc sought in a climate of understanding rather than of provocation and confrontation. 86. My delegation therefore wishes to associate itself with all those wh, ‘\ave raised their voices in protest, condemning al, ncI which shows that the Israeli authoritics are lacking in respect for the Organization and for its principal allies and friends and. ;I~OVC idI. have demonstrated a very singular itnd curious desire to live within sc’curc houndarics.

The ne\l spcakcr is lhc rcprcscntativc of Saudi Arabia. I invite hi111 13 Ii\lic ;I place at the Council mblc aud IO make I& stmcmenl. 87. ‘I‘hc Government of Panama hopes thal the Kncssrl will rcconsidcr and speedily corrcst ils illegal 95. Before proceeding to the discussion of the main item on the agenda, I must also thank YOU, Mr. President and meibers of the Council, for having given me this oppo~ tunity to address the Council. May I also congratulate Mi*. Taieb Slim of Tunisia on his presidency of the Council during the month of November. %. I find myself in the peculiar situation of questioning the wisdom of this approach to the Council. We have repeatedly stated that, despite many setbacks, we continue io have strong beliifs and hopes in the Security Council and the United Nations. 1 would be less than candid if I did not admit that those beliefs land hopes have been severely shaken at times by the abuse of the veto prerogative of some of the permanent members. In fact, while preparing this short statement on the subject before the Council, 1 could not help feeling a sense of despair and frustration, for the question kept posing itself to me: is this exercise going to lead to anything more than a vetoed-or unvetoed-condcmnation? 97. We have frequently heard in the past that the application of sanctions against Israel, or even its condemnation, is likely to exacerbate the situation and undermine the propects of a negotiated settlement. Does it not occur to anyone that the creation of new SZIs uccortrplis by Israel in defiance of the Charter, the fourth Geneva Convention’ and the General Assembly resolutions is more likely to exacerbate the situation, and not only to undermine a negotiated settlement, but to undermine the very existence of the United Nations and its role as an effective instrument for world peace and security? 98. ~=Anyone who has followed the events in the Middle East in the last three decades will have foreseen this most recent development in the Israeli actions and the timing they have chosen for it. They had started to prepare public opinion for the eventuality of annexing the Golan Heights, illegally seized from Syria in 1967 and, gradually, illegally filled them with Jewish scttlcmcnts since 1967. The General Assembly was apprised of the reports indicating the intention of the Israeli authorities to enact legislation applying Israeli laws to the occupied territory, which mcanl a &fifcxfo annex:llion of the territory. 99, The General Assembly, in paragraph 1 of resolution 351122 B. having expressed grave concern at and, in paragmp!! 3, determined that “all legislative and administrative mcasurcs and actions which might be taken by Israel, the occu- -pying Power, thatpurport to alte;* the character and legal status of the Syrian Arab Golan Heights arc null and void, constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time ot -War and have no legal effect”. That resolution was opposed by only two Mcmhcl States, Israel and the United States. .~ 100. It would seem that with the more representative character of the United Nations and the experience it has gained over the past 35 years, one would have expected a greater degree of maturity and rcsponsibility from the Organization. The organs of the United Nations cannot and must not bc allowed to operate in conflict with one another. The Security Council must be a retlcction of the will of the international community, represented in the Gcncral Assembly. The failure of the Council to implement Assembly resolutions or even, for that matter, its own resolutions, constitutes a clear challenge or tOlill indifference to the will of the international community and an irresponsible undermining of the very existence of the United Nations. 101. Unfortunately, in the cast of Israeli aggression, this has become the rule rather than the exception, which has undoubtedly encouraged Israel IO flout the will of the international community and to proceed from one act of annrcssion to another in violation 01 the letter and the-ipirit of the Chnrtcr and ths very letter and spirit of Council resohltion 242 (1967). 102. I wish to recall to the attention ol’ the Council the statement made by the reprcsentativc of the United States shortly before the adoption of that resolution. He said: “We have sought to assure accepta~~cs of the political independence and territorial intcaritv of all States in the-area: Arab Statch and IsracJ alike, all Members of the United Nations, all Mcmbcrs entitled to the protection of the Charter. . . . Above all, we have sought the conversion of the Armistice of lY49 into a permancnl pcacc as contcmplatcd in the General Armistice Agrccmcnfs thcn~sclvcs. “WC have not cli:uigctl our views or politics about the entire si(uation because 01‘ 11~~ III~(~V. tunatc events which IlilVC occurred rcccnlly.” I13581h rnw~it~g, pcwtr.s. 8.~ mu/ H61 104. It seems to us on this occasion that there is unanimity in the international community and among members of the Council that Israel’s action with regard to the Syrian Arab Golan Heights is a &al violation of Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). But is it not ironic that we had to wait until the long-foreseen annexation took place to understand this? Was not the establishment of Jewish settlements on the Syrian Arab Golan Heights also a clear violation of thcsc resolutions? Was not the establishment of Jewish settlements on the West Bank, let alone the annexation of Jerusalem, also a violation of those resolutions’? 109. Ireland is well aware that the problem of the Middle East is complex, and we know that in such a conqhx issue right is not always on one side. not wrong on the other. We try, therefore, in our approach to all aspects of the question to be fair and objective and tojudge the actions of the parties involved on theit merits. It is precisely because that is our approach that we find it necessary to reject the present Israeli decision and to declare it unacceptable. 110. For many years, we have held firmly to one basic approach, the need for a comprehensive peace settlement which would take account of all aspects of the Middle East problem and which, for that reason, would be stable and lasting. We believe that an essential basis for such a settlement must he the principles set out in resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Taken in colijunction with other principles which will supplement and complete them. these principles remain fundamental to every effort to establish a comprehensive peace settlement. 105. The Council has repeatedly called upon Israel to refrain from further acts of aggression on the territories occupied by it since 1967 and has repeatedly taken note of Israel’s persistent refusal to do so. Yet, the Council has not b&n able to agree on measures or to summon the will to give effect to its **esolutions under Char?er VI1 of the Charter. We submit that this is precisely what has encouraged Israel to continue its opportunistic acts of aggression. It has hitherto enioved corn&e immunity from the hand of internat&al law &id internati&al justice, It would be another exercise in futility if the Council, on this occasion, failed to impose appropriate sanctions against the culprit State, which has premeditatedly and defiantly violated the provisions of the Charter, of the fourth Geneva Convention and of resolutions of the Security Council itself, thereby foreclosing any prospects for peace in the Middle East and gravely und_crmining peace and security in the region. 1 I I, The decision by Israel within the past few days goes flatly counter to one of those principles. that is. the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force. For this reason, we consider that the Israeli decision, which in effect anncxcs the territory. is ;I challenge to the international community and to OUI hopes for a comprehensive settlement. It is important. thcrcfore, that the decision bc rejected formally and explicitly by the Council.

The Security Council is meeting at the request of Syria to consider actions taken by the Israeli Government and Parliament on 13 and 14 December. 112. Our concern about the decision by Israel is incrcascd because of the context in which it was taken. The decision to annex now a territory occupied fol many years was gratuitous. It was taken in haste. iltld it was pressed through the Parliament in the course ot o;,c: evening. Furthermore. the decision was acc~~mpanied by sta~emc~~ls made by Israeli leaders which speak of the boundaries in the region as arbitrary ad which claim that the Golan Heights will forcvcr rcmnin part of lbc land of ISrilCl. 107. Ireland believes that those actions were both wrong and dangerous, and we believe that they should be dcclarcd formally by the Council, on behalf of the international community, to be Unacceptable and invalid. The law adopted by the Israeli Parliament on 14 December decides to extend the jurisdiction of the Israeli Stntc to the occupied territory of the Golan Heights. The word “annexation” is not formally used. hut it is clear from all reports and, indeed, from the slatcmcnls by lsracli Icaders, that this in effect is what is involved. 113 In his SI;~I~CIII to IIIC <‘ouncil Ibis morning. thr ~Cp~CscntilliVC of ISl’ilCl offcrcd a numhcr ol’jnslifisolions for lhis :\Clion. Iic slnlCd lllilt Syria docc nol :~ccept resolution 242 (1907) and lha( il rcfusc\ IO wwgnizc isr;wl or IO makr pence with il. Ilc rccnllcd II :!ll4. These points may illdeed help to show the complexity of the situation in the Middle East, but nowhere in them or in any other arnumcnt advanced since the decision of the- Knessctcan we see any justification for what Israel has now done. On the contrary, we believe that the present decision, amounting in effect to annexation, was gratuitous and unjustified. Furthermore, it could be dangerous lo Israel’s own long-term ir.:erests. It aggravates tensions in the region, it flouts the basic principle on which any peace must ultimately be based and i: may well evoke at some stage, if not a direct, then an indirect response which will further increase present dangers, 115, On 15 December, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs joined his counterparts of the Ten member States of the European Community in issuing a statement on the lsraeli decision [S/14807]. That statement has already been referred to this morning by the representative of the United Kingdom [see 2316th meeting, para. 751. It strongly deplored the Israeli decision r3:l described it as tantamount 10 annexation. It declared that the Israeli action was contrary to international law and therefore invalid in the eves of the Ten. It noted that the ster, taken bv lsraei prejudices the possibility of the imp&entati& of resolution 242 (1967). and that it is bound to complicate further the search for a comprehensive peace seltlement in the Middle East. 116. Speaking this afternoon in the Council on behalf of the irish Government, I wish lo reiterate that position. In the face of the many complexities of the kiddIe East situation, we judge-any action according to whether it advances or sets back hopes for a settlement. Judged by that standard, we believe we can say with assurance that certain actions are wrong and dangerous. In our view. the recent Israeli decision was such an action. We believe that a formal action of this kind calls for a formal response from the Council and we are ready to join in a decision by the Council declaring the action to be null and void for the international coInmu& as a whole and calling urgently on Israel to rescind it.

The next speaker is the representative of Viet Nam. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. President, my first words of thanks are addressed to you and to the other mcmher!; of Ihe Council for allowing me IO make a statcmcnt. agenda for this mol~th has Con~ilhCt~ CXtl’ClnCl)’ illl~M’- tUnt and Co,mplCX problems, bul, 1hr111ks lo your ability and your polihl wisdom, you have ~CCII t\blc to -conduct its proceedings successfully. 1 i\nI Stll’C lhal under your brilliant guidance the Council will tikcwisc =bc-ableto resolve the problems before it-this mon(h. 120. -Once again, the inIernatiomd community is confronted with a brutal violation by Isrncl of 111~ nrincinles of the Cbartcr of Ihc Unilcd Nations, an TntoleEable act of dcfiancc of the GeI\clal Assembly by the Zionist r&inIe. iust as the Asscn~hly is in the midst of its debate & the situalion in Ihc Middle Eusl, By declaring as under their “laws, jurisdiction ;\nd administration” the occupied territory of thr Golan HcighIs, the Tel Aviv authorities have coolly committed au uC:t which can only bc called ~III ;\ct of SI\CC~ tlagranl aggression, for the outright annexalion of an integral part of the Arab land of Syria, in detiancc of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. consIiIuIcs a gross violation of the sovcreigmy and Icrritorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and of cvcry norm of international law and morahty, in pill~tiCUl:\~ of the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force. l3y imposing Iheir own IcgislaIion on the syt:ian poputation.in this occupied arh, they have infringed the spirit and the Ic~tcr of the Gcncvn Convention relative to liie PIotcclio\I of Civilian Persons in Time of War.’ 121, Following successive acts of cncro~\chmcnI -the establishment of settlements. the confiscation of land, the diversion of waterways. the intcnsificat\on ot repression and the imposition of Isr;\cli cilizcnship on native-born Syrians. all of thcsc acts co\nmiIIcd systematically in rcccn1 years in !t\c Golan Heights region-and above all, t’ollowing the decision IO aI&x the Arab city of Jerusalem, the new Icgihlatrvc’ ;ICIIOII by Tel Aviv shows to those who still harbour tloub(s Israel’s clear determination to expand and IInncx. ‘I‘llis is not limited to Palestinian and Syrian lands, but :\i\\\s much further, to the fulfilment of the drcnI\\ OI’ ;I hocalled Grcatcr Israel stretching from the Nile Io the Euphrates. 122. Clearly. this is a m:\IIcr of i\ cnlCgo19c;1l prUClamation, in word and &cd, th;\t Isri\ct will ncvc\ return the occupied II\IIds to the Arab countlics. Il\:\( it will never return to the borders of June 1907, b\II rather will alter those borders a1 any COSI to suit ll\c aggressor and mis\\se the pretext of Isrwt’s sccurily needs as camouflage for the grccdicst of cxp:\\\sioI\\aI aims. When he placed lI\c tcr’rhory of ~hc Gol;\I\ Hei!:hts under Ir;fi\cli lcpisliition. did IIOI the ‘l’cl /j\riv Prime Ministc\. slate arrog;\nIly thaI no pc~plc, \\I) Power, no one wilt succectl in foi’ciiig Ib\ XI IO rcI\\r\\ to the frontiers of4 JUIX 1067? This ti\‘\( cbil\\gc in ll\e official boundary of Israel. i\\ his vre\v. \vill I\()\ be [l\C Only UIIC, but will hc followed bV OII\L’\~‘i ol’ llI’Ui~(JL’\ 123. During lhe debates at the present session of the General Assembly on the question of Palestine and on the bihuilion -in the Middle East many delegations, including my own, have denounced the recent strategic co-oji&tion agreement between Washington alid Tel Aviv and urcdictcd a new outbreak of Israeli aggression, Ev&ts Iwe proved this to bc true. This act of anncxalion against Syria, which is clearly provocntive in nature, would not have been possible without that fresh encouragement from Israel’s over- *cas protectors. 128. Last but not least, if Israel again obstinately disregards the resolution adopted, my delegation wishes to insist on the application of the global mandatory sanctions provided for in Chapter VII of the Charter. 124. ‘I‘tic ilCtS of aggression, intervention, terrorism and provocation of the Zionists against the Arab peoples of the region have thrived on the fertile soil of this co-operation und in the context of the intensified military presence of lhc United States in and around the Midtilc I:,ast, of the Brighf S!nr manoeuvres and of other similar displays of military might. The Washington Covcrnmcnt bears a heavy responsibility to the Arab pcoplc and to the peoples of Africa and the world because of its complicity, encouragement and protec. lion so gcncrously granted to the Israeli aggressors. 129. As stated by the spokesman of my country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on I4 December last:- _~ “The Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam vigorously condemns and opposes this act of aggression by the authorities of Israel and demands that Israel should immediately cancel this ~illegal decision and strictly respect ihe independence and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Kepublic. As a companion; in-struggle of the Syrian people, the Vietnamese people expresses its active solidarity and firm support for the persevering struggle of the Syrian and Palestinian peoples and the peoples of the other Arab countries against the Israeli Zionist aggressors, for the recovery of all the occupied Arab territories and of their fundamcnld~ national~rights. The more it clings to its aggressive designs, the more Israel will encounter the vigorous response of the Arab peoples and the peoples of the world and will head for even more severe certain defeats.” 125. Uccnusc the annexation of the occupied territory of the Golan Heights constitutes a11 act of aggresslon, suitnblc sanctions should be applied to those rcsponsihle. My delegation believes that the Council must reply positively to the clear request made this morning by the reprcscntativc of Syria. In the fxc of international indignation, there is talk of WiiSllington’s reacting in a certain way, But a question nriscs: is this a purely vcrhal condemnation, or will the United States join the overwhchning majority of the international commuaitp and help thi Co&ii to take the necessary effcctivc action? Any avoidance of its duty, any hesitation. will further re&al the true role of the United Stetcs as protector of the Israelis and its war-mongering imperialist policy which posts a scrious threat to lhc rleacc and security of this trouhlespot and of the world. 130. My delegation has no illusions about a prompt settlement of this serious international problem, but we remain convinced that the struggle of the peoples concerned-more determined and more effective as a result of their own experiences and benefiting from international solidarity-will succeed in achieving their fundamental national rights, defending theh sovereignty, preserving peace and security, and advancing towards a better future. No reactionary force can resist, still less reverse, the historical progress of the national liberation of the peoples. in the Middle East as everywhere else. 126. The people of Vict Nam IIWC always supported the jist struggle of the Palestinian people. and it supports the cfforrs of the Arab Steadfastness Front to restore pee and scL’urity to the Middle East, on the IXlSiS of the realizilion of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian pcoplc. It also supports the Arab countries in dcfencc of their sovereignty rind territorial integrity against the a(l;lcks and I~~I~O~II~‘ITS of the Zionists and impcri:di\l~. III Ihi% spirit. ;lnti being linked by fraternal rclnlions \vith the Syrian Atd l&public. the Socialist Rcpulrlic of Vic1 N;ln~ vigorously condemns this new 131. The IJKESIDBNT: The next speaker is Mr. Clovis Maksoud. Pcrmancnt Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations. lo wllon~ the Council has extended an invitation 1231601 ,,rc~c~/i/r,~] under rule 39 of the provisional rules of proccdurc. I invite him 10 take :I seat at the Council table and to mnke his statement. :\Cl Of iI#!l’CSSi~1ll by ISIYICI. 127. ‘fogc~hcr \&ill1 the Arab counlric\. the hlove- IIICIII 111’ Nwl- Ali!!ncd C’ountrics antI the forces of I3 133. The ominous developments that h&e taken place in the wake of the legislative piracy by annexation of the occupied Syrian Arab territory of the Golan Heights constitute the most dangerous development that we have seen. They bring us closer to the brink of a confrontation which the Arabs, by resorting to the Council and to its mechanisms, are trying assiduously to avoid, Our faith in and our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, the resolutions of the Organization and the principles of international law have rendered our faith in the Security Council and in United Nations mechanisms as vehicles for peacemaking one of the fundamental criteria of our international relations. We are keen that that faith be rendered more and more credible by the resolution and firmness with which this lawless act by Israel is handled. What is crucial at this moment is that the annexation of the Golan Heights represents a sort of logical conclusion to the pattern of behaviour and ideology upon which the Zionist State is predicated. ~-What this further represents is that Israel has always sought and is still seeking to create new fairs accotnplis in the occupied territories, thus establishing a physical and demographic precedent to its expansion and the realization of its_expa_nsiopist a!ld 3ggreJsive objectives, 134. Furthermore, what is perhaps more relevant at this moment is that Israel is trying to undermine the credibility and effectiveness of all United Nations resolutions, of the very mechanism of the United Nations, through non-compliance, through insults, through pre-emptive strikes against the diplomatic efforts of the Organization. It is, in fact, trying to create a sequence of acts of contempt for United Nations resolutions and international law in order to create a countervailing legitimacy: the legitimacy of conquest, the legitimacy of colonizing settlements, the legitimacy of occupation, the legitimacy of exclusivism. It is this countervailing legitimacv which Iqr:apl is seeking to impose by prevdillg lhc c)lgdmLallun from functioning in the various areas of lsracl’s I 135, It is this pattern of behaviour that epitomizcs the looseness,~the lawlessness, adopted by Israel, of which the annexation of the Golan Heights is but the la&S! maq&station. I 136. By annexing Jerusaiem, by establishing its colonial settlements in the occupied territories, by physically annexing more than 35 per cent of the West Bank, by disabling the Lebanese Government and thus preventing it from exercising full sovereignty over its whole territory, by its ability to strike at will, b,y rendering might the new right, Israel seeks at this juncture to render impotent the mechanism of the United Nations and to render irrelevant the diplomatic and political options available for-resolving crises. 137. How long is the international community going to continue to witness this unravelling expansion without taking the necessary punitive measures to deter any aggressor from achieving his objectives’? For how long will the Security Council be satisfied with deploring or censuring or condemning the acts of Israel, when the Council and the international community know full well that Israel’s contempt for the United Nations is built into its system, inasmuch as it has taken a final decision to render all resolutions irrelevant and marginal? I 138. It is this countervailing legitimacy that it is seeking to impose, the latest attempt being the act of legislative piracy it has committed in the Knesset, in order to exploit an international situation fraught with increased tension, with the cold war becoming more and more the doctrine of the day. 139. Israel thinks-and it has so interpreted it-that the strategic agreement with the United States is a means of extracting from the United States at least an abstention on its behaviour pattern if not a green light for it. We in the League of Arab States have been registering the various statements by the Secretary ot Defense and other officials of the United States Government who, in the last 48 hours, upon learning of this annexationist development, have sought to distance the United States and at times disassociate it from this pattern of behaviour and to declare-boldly, we hope-that these acts are illegal and therefore do not receive the cecog$tion of the United States. 140. We consider this to be a positive development, but it will definitely be insufficient if this development and the distancini and the disassociating from the behaviour and annexationist pattern of Israel arc not matched by a consistency of performance with the present utterances, because the Arab world-and, I am sure, the entire world-can nr; !onget acquiesce in Israel’s ability to shape its methods and policies to ~hc conco~~ns of United States policies, to the detrimcut of the latter. I4 142. It is this discrepancy between United States utterance and performance that has clogged our communications and prevented Arab-American relations from being on a par with what WC seek to achieve and with the understanding that has been our objectivc, 148. The League of Arab States, representing the consensus of the Arab nations, shares the assessment that the issues in the Middle East are complex but that they have been rendered complex by the permissiveness that Israel enjoys. They are symptoms that lie at the core of the issue-the Palestinians’ right to national self-determination, If that issue is solved, the2 the stability, peace and security which this body seeks to achieve will be realizcd. 143. Thus, the whole debate in the Security Council is predicated, in a way, upon the intentions of the United States itself. the principal Power, whose policies in the Middle East have been built on three pillars: Council rcsohrtion 242 (1967), the Camp David accords! and the strategic co-operation agreement, all three of which have set aside the core of the issue of the Middle East, namely, the rights of the Palestinian people.

The next speaker is the representative of India. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his stdtcment.

1 should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the office of the presidency of the Security Council for December. Although you have been at the United Nations for only a short while, we already have abundant evidence of your initiative, drive, high diplomatic skill and wisdom. We have no doubt that the Council will discharge its responsibilities cffec!ive!y RIX~ with f&ncss during the current month. 144, But despite those three pillars, which in many ways arc inimical to Arab national interests and which Israel has been ab!e to interpret as license for it to strike at will, whcrcver it wants, WC hope that at least on this occasion the United States will rejoin the international consens..’ snd bring about international Icgitimacy, -inslcad 01 ‘owing the discrepancy bctwcerl utterance and performance to enable Israel to create new “facts”, new colonial settlements, new amlcxations. in order to create in that region a new legitimacy which is colonial. annexationist and Fascist. 151. My delegation is grateful to you and the members of the Council for inviting us to participate in the current debate on the decision of the Israeli Government to apply Israeli laws to the occupied Golan Heights, Our decision to participate in this debate has been dictaicd by our concern at the deteriorating situation in West Asia, compounded by the latest decision of the Israeli authorities to consolidate their occupation of Syrian territory by applying Israeli laws IO the Golan Heights. 14.5. WC therefore rcalizc that, despite the attempts IO deal with Israel, whether through the Camp David accords or through the strategic co-operation agree- I~CIII, ISIXI has a patlcrn of interpreting any kind of at<rC‘cmcnt, any kind of treaty, any kind of relationship, in a manner that enables it to act freely on its own, bccausc it considers itself unaccountable to anybody ml feels that cvcrybody should be accountable IO it in its designs, 152. This morning we listened with great attention to the statement made by the representative of Syria. 1 should like to assure him of the full support and solidarity of the Government and people of India with the Government and people of Syria at this critical time. 146. It shields itself with the notion that ally WCstiming of ISIXC~‘S policy. cspccially in the United Nations. :any ilItclnpt ;II critici/& its behaviour. being 153. The tragic irony of Isr~l’s most regreltablc and inadmissible action in respect of the Golan Heights. which have been under its illegal occupation since ScCptiCill ;ibour iIs objcctivcs. criticizing alld COW dcmniny its aclivitics ;~nd its annexation would bc conslrtrcd and orchestrated as il form ot’allli-Scl~litiSl~l. or lingering anti-Semitism. and it therefore introduces by inrlucntlo or openly new cxfr;~r~ctrus factors that 1907. is tllilt it c;\mc at the very mumcnl Wh tllC General Assembly W;IS debating the situation in the Middle East with ;I \‘icw lo finding :I solulion. Israel’s dibrcg.lrd for the purpuscs and principles of the Iwe no relationship or relevance IO the present dcbatc. ‘154. The Council is familiar with Israel’s record of defiance of United Nations resolutions, its intransigence towards its neighbours and its expansionist .policies. Israel has continued to occupy Arab territories and deny to the people of Palestine theh inalienable right to a State of their own. Threats of use of force, the actual use of force and thz acquisition of territory by force appear to be the principles on which Israel’s policies are based. In pursuit of its own vision of security and of secure boundaries, Israel has launched wars against its neighbours, caused untold suffering to the Arab population in neighbouring countries, occupied lands belonging to sovereign nations, established settlements and resorted to outright annexation of Arab lands. But Israel’s recognition of the Golan Heights as temporarily occupied lands belonging to Syria was reason for optimism that Israel would be willing to withdraw from them soonel or later. The opposition within Israel itself to the earlier moves to annex the Golan Heights showed that any attempt to colonize the occupied lands would be universally condemned. We condemn the Israeli action and strongly support the Syrian demand that Israel should immediately revoke its decision to apply Israeli laws to the Golan Heights. The only laws which 155, The Council’s decision in relation to the Arab territories occupied during the 1967 war camiot but be dictated by earlier United Nations resolutions on the “.*I.:^^. . . ..“..^..l-..l.. _P.L.^ n ^....^ !I ,I..., ^.-- I.,. size the inadmissi6ility of the acquisition of territory by war and call for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories, We therefore urge the Council no1 to hesitate to take an immediate decision to declare the Israeli action null and void and to ask Israel to rescind forthwith its decision to extend its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian territory. III the event of Israel’s failure to heed such a demand, we hope the Council will be ready to proceed to apply the measures under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to deal with the situation. 7’~~evneeting rose at 6.10 pm. ’ United Nations, 7ireu1y Series. vol. 75. No. 973, p. 2X7. ’ A Frnmwork for Pence ill lhe Middle East, Agreed at Camp David, and Framework for lhe Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between EEYPI and Israel, signed in Washington. D.C.. on 17 Sep tember 1978. ’ NSPCI361L.22. --