S/PV.2887 Security Council

I should also like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 6 November 1989 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, which will be issued as document S/20949 and reads as follows: "I have the honour to request that , in accordance with its previous practice, the Security Council invite the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the debate on the item entitled 'The situation in the occupied Arab territories"'. The request was not made pursuant to rule 37 or rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, but if it were approved the Council would invite the Permanent Ohserver of Palestine to participate not under rule 37 - or rule 39 but with the same rights of participation as those conferred by rule 37. Does any metier of the Security Council wish to speak on this request? Mr; PICKERING (United States of America): As this is the first' tine that I have spoken during your presidency, Sir, I should like to congratulate you warmly on your assumption of that post and also to thank your predecessor for his work and leadership of the Council. The United States will request a vote on the proposal before the Security Council and the United States will vote against it on two grounds* First, we believe that the Council does not have before it a valid request to speak. Secondly, the United States maintains that the Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Pm) should be granted permission to speak only if the request complies with rule 39 of the rules of procedure. In our view it is unwarranted and UnWiSe for the Council to break with its own practice and rules. As members of the Council we should ask ourselves this question: Does a decision to break with OUT rules and procedures enlarge or diminish the Council's ability to play a constructive role in the Middle East peace process? MY delegation firmly believes it diminishes the Council's ability to play such a role. As all members of the Council are aware8 it is a long-established practicethat observers do not have the right to speak in the Security Council at their own reouest. Rather, a reauest must be made on the observer's behalf by a Member State. My GOVernm?nt sees no justification for any departure from that practice. It is clear that General Assembly resolutions are not binding on the Security Council. In any event there is nothing in resolutions recently adopted by the Assembly that would warrant a change in Security Council practice- General AsSeKbly resolution 43/177, which purported to change the designation of the PLC Mission, did so "without prejudice to the observer status and functions of the Palestine Liberation Organization within the United Nations system, in conformity with relevant United Nations resolutions and practice". (General Assentsly resolution 43J177, para. 3) That resolution does not constitute recognition of any State of Palestine. Like many other Members of the United Nations, the United States does not recognize such a State. The United States has consistently taken the position that under the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council the only legal basis on which the Council may grant a hearing to persons speaking on behalf of non-governmental entities is rule 39. For four decades the United States has supported a generous interpretation of rule 39 and it would not have objected had this matter been appropriately raised under that rule. We are, however, opposed t0 special, ad hoc departures from orderly procedure. The United States consequently (Mr. Pickering, United States) opposes granting to the PLO the same rights to participate in the proceedings Of the Security Council as if that organization represented a Metier State of the United Nations. We believe in listening to all points of view , but not in a manner that requires violating the rules. In particular, the United States does not agree with the recent practice of the Security Council that appears selectively to try to enhance the prestige of those who wish to speak in the Council through a departure from the rules of procedures. (Mr. Pickering;United States) We consider this special practice to be without legal foundation and t0 Constitute an abuse of the rules. For all these reasons the United States requests that the terms of the proposed invitation be put to the vote. Of course, the United States will vote against the proposal.

I thank the representative of the United States for the kind words he addressed to me- If no other metier of the Council wishes to speak at this stage, I shall take it that the Council is ready to vote on the request by Palestine. As I hear no objection, it is so decided. A vote was taken by show-of.hands. In favours Algeria, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Finland, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Yugoslavia Against8 United States of America Abstainingt Canada, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The result of the voting is as followst 11 in favour, 1 against and 3 abstentions. The request has therefore been approved. I invited the representative of Palestine to take a seat at the Council table. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Terzi (Palestine) took a place at the Council table.

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 3 November 1989 from the Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations , which reads as follows: (The President) "I have the honour to request that the Security Council extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to His Excellency Ambassador Clovis Maksoud, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations, during the Council's discussion of the item presently on its agenda." The letter will be distributed as a Security Council document under the symbol s/20 950. If I hear no objection, I shall take it that the Council agrees to extend an invitation to Mr. Maksoud under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in response to the request contained in a letter dated 3 November 1989 from the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, document S/20942. Members of the Council have before them document S/20945, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal and Yugoslavia. I should like to draw the attention of members of the Council to document S/20902, which contains the text of a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the text of resolution 44/2, which was adopted by the General Assembly on 6 October 1989. I should also like to draw the attention of members of the Council-to documents S/20920 and S/20925, which contain the text of letters dated 23 and 30 October 1989, respectively, from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. (The President) The first'speaker inscribed cn my list is the representative of Kuwait, Mr. Abulhasan, who wishes to make a statement in his capacity as Chairman of the Group of Arab States for the month of November. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr.. APULHASAN (Kuwait) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour to be speaking on behalf of the Group of Arab States, whose chairmanship I have assumed for this month. On behalf of our group and of the State of Kuwait, I extend to you, Sir, our sincere congratulations upon your 'assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. We are fully confident that your diplomatic expertise and skills will ensure the effective conduct of the deliberations of the Council and help it to achieve the desired success. It is a source of special pleasure to us that the People's Republic of China should be President of the Council at this stage. your country is linked to the Arab world by the closest ties and has always been a major supporter of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. I wish also to convey to the representative of Canada, our friend, Ambassador Yves Fortier, our appreciation of the efforts he made during his presidency of the Council last month and of the efficiency with which he conducted' its deliberations. I must also express to you, Mr. President, and through you TV all the metiers of the Council, our appreciation and gratitude for your prompt response and agreement to consider the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The General Assembly interrupted its general debate last month to deal with the arave situation resultinq from the inhuman Israeli policies and practice! which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied (Mr; 'Abulhasani 'Kuwait) territories. The Assembly strongly and unequivocally condemned those policies and practices in its resolution 44/2. That resolution was adopted with the support of .140 States, which were shocked to see the occupying forces persisting in their injustice and becoming more bloodthirsty every day. They were appalled that the occupying forces were continuing to kill many defenceless civilians in the territory, deporting whomever they wished, demolishing homes and inflicting arbitrary punishment with impunity. As members are well aware, in operative paragraph 6 of resolution 44/2, the General Assembly requested .the Security Council to examine with urgency the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory with a view to considering measures needed to provide international protecticn to the Palestinian civilians. We hoped that the Council would take the initiative in carrying out this examination and considering such measures, but delay in this connection and the gravity of the situation in the occupied territories have forced the Group of Arab States to request that the Security Council meet, in accordance with the General Assembly resolution and in view of the special nature of the important role assigned to the Council in dealing with matters that could pose a threat to international peace and security. (Mr. Abulhasan, Kuwait) The dimensions and significance of the Israeli policies, the purpose of which is to insult and humiliate the valiant Palestinian people and break their national resistance to occupation and oppression, are clearly evident in their most recent manifestations in Beit Sahur in the Palestinian territories. I refer to the ransacking of the houses of defenceless civilians , the closure of roads leading to that town, its designation as a closed military area and the confiscation of Palestinian property, including furniture and personal effects valued at . - approximately $2 million, according to the Israeli press, all expropriated to be auctioned off. The international media reported a few days ago on another aspect of the colonialist, savage and oppressive policies and practiges of the Israeli occupation forces which is fraught with grave dangers. The Israeli authorities have mobilized and organized groups of heavily armed settlers to carry out aggressive action against the Palestinians. Those settlers are the invisible military wing of the occupation authorities. They complement the work of those authorities in the continuance of insane terrorism, the destruction of houses, and the burning, killing and displacement of Palestinian civilians. Matters have gone further than this. These practices have encompassed even the holy religious shrines. The most recent of these irresponsible manifestations occurred when the Zionist r&gime laid the corner-stone for what it calls the renovation of the Temple of solomcn near Al Aqsa Mosque in Holy Jerusalem. This event has shaken and continues to shake the feelings of Muslims the world over. It constitutes a blatant challenge to Muslims and t6 the Muslim creed. His Highness the Ernir of Kuwait, in his capacity as Chairman of the Fifth Islamic Summit Conference, issued a statement cn this matter which was distributid on 23 October 1989 as an official document of the General Assembly and the Security Council under the symbol A/44/666-5/20912. (Mr. Abulhasan, Kuwait) We believe that these recent manifestations are nothing new; rather, they are premeditated schemes for the purpose of eliminating the valiant people's intifadah. But the intifadah is destined to be victorious and to r-tore to the Palestinian people their freedom, dignity and independence. The Israeli policies, no matter how varied, vicious and savage , will not be able to drain the force of the resistance. In recent months the Israeli authorities have striven to divert the intifadah from its objective , committed approach to civil disobedience, non-violence and political action. They have tried to drag the struggling Palestinian people to the precipice of violence and the use of arms. The Israeli authorities would like to succeed in this to justify the waging of war against the population of the occupied Palestinian territories in order to liauidate the entire population. Yet today Palestinian citizens in Beit Sahur resort to the principle of the American Revolution, as they raise the slogan of 241 years ago by young people in Boston as they carried out their acts of resistance to the colonialist occupier: the slogan "No taxation without representation". Anyone who follows developments in this spontaneous popular revolution can fairly conclude that the principles and bases being consecrated in the village Of Beit Sahur will become the rule rather than the exception. Furthermore, it is to be expected that the constant Israeli plundering of Palestinian properties and the expropriation of property and means of production in an attempt to force entrepreneurs to pay the so-called tax dues will lead to widespread civil disobedience whose effects will spread to other areas of the popular resistance. On behalf of the Group of Arab States, I call upon the Security Council which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, to adopt all the measures necessary to compel Israel to end its -ferocious onslaught on the population of the occupied territories and stop the armed Zionist settlers property of the population of the territories, including the desecration of their . holy shrines and holy books. The Council is also called upon to compel Israel to comply with that corner-stone of international law, the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War , whose provisions have been constantly ignored and flagrantly violated by the Israeli occupation forces under the very eyes of the world public and with total disregard for its increasing indignation and denunciation. We alSO call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, . - in accordance with resolution 44/2, to ensure compliance by Israel with all its provisions in all circumstances. The Arab Group calls upon the Security Counci1,t.o request the Secretary-General to establish the necessary machinery to monitor developments in the situation'closely and report periodically to the Council. We. call upon the Security council to compel Israel to pay reparations for the damge that has resulted from its blockade-of Beit Sahur since 11 September last. At a tiara-when optimism permeates many regions of the worid as a result of the de'tente in international,relations and when a new dawn is breaking in the world of the rival political blocs, a dam that augurs well for progress in the promotion of international peace and security , the Middle East region, because of its strategic importance, w ill continue to constitute a grave threat to international Stability and to positive results from de'tente so long as .Israel persists in its occupation, d. its imposition of the policy of fait.accompli by oppression and terrorismr its rejection of peace and its polemics regarding every initiative taken and every constructive proposal made within the framework of international legitimacy. It has become clear that that is not merely the opinion-of a certain group of metiers of the international coxnnunity. Rather, it is -supported by the overwhelming majority of the States of the world. The positive posit ion taken by the States of the European Community is the best example in this connection. In view of the magnitude of the crimes, the nature of the atrocities and Israel's persistent defiance of the international will, as expressed in a nunber of resolutions, it is amazing that an influential international Rower, whose .smial and political institutions are based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, continues to condone those blatant violations and does not join the rest of the international community in calling for an immediate end to the suffering of this oppressed people and to the atrocities committed against it by the occupation forces. 1 It is high time for the Security Council to carry out in-depth, objective reviews and assessments of the reasons and factors preventing implementation of its resolutions. .Thekefore, it must carry out a study of the various instances in which Israel refuses to comply with the provisions of .those resolutions. It is incueent UPon the Security Council to take the effective necessary measures to restore the Organization's credibility and prestige in the Middle East, if this _. international body is to play an effective role in ensuring collective security in all parts of the world under' the dgtente and cowperation which today prevail on the international scene, The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Ch.inese),: 1 thank the representative of Kuwait for hiskind words addressed to me. The next speaker is the representative of Palestine, whom I invite to make his statement. - Mr. TERZI (Palestine): We wish to express our gratitude to all the members of the Council, including those who voted against us. Maybe they will learn from our being permitted to state the factst that might benefit and help them. Tb those who abstained in the vote I express our gratitude and the hope that in the future they, too, will join the consensus. -. We alSO express our appreciation to you, Mr. President, as the representative of China, a country, a nation, a continent, with whose people and Government my Government, my President and my people maintain the best of relations and for which we have the highest respect. I should be remiss, Sir, if I did not express our thanks to your predecessor, Ambassador Fortier of Canada, who, albeit cn the last day, did his best to address this matter by the shortest possible means with a statement from the Council to express the position of its members and of the interna tiOna1 CommUIitY- Unfortunately, he did not succeed. We had hoped, Sir, that your efforts would spare us this meeting, but, as we say in Arabic, this is our fate, so we have to cope with it. The Council meets today primarily to consider the situation in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, which, per.se, has exposed the true nature Of the occupation as well as of the forces and troops of the occupying Power and the so-called civilian settlers , citizens of that State which is the occupying Power. Occupation by foreign Powers is by definition a flagrant violation of the rights - human, social, cultural, political and economic -of the population under occupation. It is a crystal-clear manifestation of the anti-democratic nature of the ideology and practices of the occupying Power, the sore so when the occupying Power - in this case Israel - acts in contempt of world public opinion and in violation of its legal international obligations. In the case under consideration today it is acting in violation of its legal international obligations. Here I am (Mr. Terzi, Palestine) referring to the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection Of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949. As a matter of fact, the members of the Council meet today in order to discharge one of their obligations as individual States, as High Contracting Parties to the Convention, under which they undertook to ensure respect for its provisions. As metiers of the Council jointly, they are meeting to carry out the' obligations arising from the Council's functions and responsibilities as spelled out in the United Nations Charter. They are also meeting to cronsider a request made by the General Assembly nore than 32 days ago in resolution 44/2 Of 6 October 1989. If I confine my statement.to describing the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory up to 7 October this year, I shall be able to auote a few I daily occurrences, the persistent pattern of the policies and practices of the occupying Power and, of course , of the conduct of its troops and agents* IS it only the fate of Beit Sahur that prompted the meeting of the Council? Is the fate of Beit Sahur an isolated case? Definitely not. The heroic stand by the people of Beit Sahur and their mass response in exemplary civil disobedience is a phase in the struggle of our people against occupation and tyranny. The occupying Power has described the situation as one arising from the decision of the people to refuse to pay taxes. It said that the tax collectors had to seek support from the army , the military corranander , the kinistet of Defence and the Israeli Cabinet in order to deal with such a situation. But the question arises* how does any administration address such a situation? I am sure that in a civilised, democratic country there are legal channels , or semblances of such legal channels, but the situation here is basically different. The occupying Power is imposing taxation. It is absurd to believe that people will contribute voluntarily to the maintenance and perpetuation of foreign occupation. The Palestinian people are not that naive and accommodating. It was proclaimed in a revolution that brought about the birth of a great nation' - the United States - that taxation without representation is tyranny. our : people are not only struggling to liberate themselves and their country from foreign occupation but at the same time struggling against the tyranny of the occupying Power. It is now clear - to judge from the conduct of its troops and agents, the tax collectors - that the occupying Fewer, Israel, has no legal system* or semblance of a legal system, to collect the taxes. . : ’ ., * I I’:.. .3. : : One could embark on a discussion of the legalities in addressing such an issue. If action were carried out legally, by resort to a court and by the issuance of warrants, one could understand that the remedies should be sought through counter court warrants. But in this case it was brute force that was used. No legal system was invoked, brute force was available and it was used. It is important for the world, and specifically for the metiers of the Council, to have an idea of the daily occurrences that affect the lives of the Palestinian people under occupation. But one must always bear in mind that the legitimacy of the struggle against alien domination and foreign occupation has been I affirmed and upheld unanimously by the international community. I shall begin by citing what happened cn this very day, 6 November. In Gaza, occupation troops raided the school in‘Hafah. They beat up students and the director.. They arrested six students and detained them at the administrative centre of that city. In Jenin, this morning, 13 Palestinians suffered the effects of inhaling, toxic gas. In Khan Yunis and Jabaliya , eight Palestinians.wero wounded. by bullets fired by the Israeli army. In Hebron, a 17-year-old student also was wounded, in her right leg, by a bullet .fired by the .Israeli army. In -Jenin, there were demonstrations today during the funeral of a 20-year-old Palestinian who had died as a result of wounds from bullets fired by the Israeli army. In Qalsilya, soealled frontier guards attacked five Palestinians, including a baby, while they were leaving the mosque after prayer. In Tulkarem, a 24year-old man is in the clinic of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNHWA) - the victim of another metallic or rubber bullet. In Jerusalem today, income tax,agents, supported by the occupation forces , raided a number of stores on Saladin Street. . That is what happened this morning. We could still receive more information -. about today's events. But, again, I should like to describe the conditions in which our people live. (Mr. Tetzi, Palestine) For example, on Monday, 16 October, students in Jerusalem demonsttated.againSt the "Faithful of the Temple". That is an extremist, fanatic group of Jews - but a very active group. It plans to construct the Temple on the site of Al Hatam Al Sharif - Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem. The Israeli police intervened on 16 October and arrested a'number of students who were demonstrating against that plan. In the Ramallah area, a curfew was imposed on the villages of Janieh and Ras Karkar. Israel confiscated 15 dunums from a Palestinian in Janieh in order to set up a military camp. In the centre of the city of Nablus, the tax collectors placed the city under siege and confiscated all the property they found there.' In Beit Sahur, the siege that had started around 20 September continued on that day, 16 October. The people sent an appeal to His Holiness mpe John Paul II, seeking his intervention. Let me interject at this point an expression of our gratitude to His Holiness for his immediate response. ‘On the same day, in Gaza ,.a three-year-old boy died as a result of wounds he had received in the Shati refugee, camp. An eight-year-old boy died as a result Of bullet wounds received in the Khan Yunis refugee camp. But, on the same day, a member of the Israeli Cabinet, Sharon, the butcher Of Sabra and Shatilla, was laying the foundation stone for yet another Israeli Jewish settlement in the occupied territory% Kfar Drom. They plan to set up tW0 additional such settlements in the occupied territory in the Gaza area. That is what took place on only one day, 16 October. I shall now relate what . happened on 17 October. In Beit Sahur, the tax collectors persisted in their action and arbitrarily raided and ransacked homes, stole - if one prefers, "confiscated" - property, and seized food'.stored by families for the approaching winter and dumped it in the (Mr. Tetzi, Palestine) streets. Again in Beit Sahur, on the sama day, 17 October, Israeli army bulldozers were used in order to destroy the water pipes of the city. The city has been left with no water. In Jerusalem, four schools were ordered closed, one of them an UNRWA school in Sur Baher. Sometimes things happen which are innovations. A certain Mustafa Issa Laham had bought 3 kilograms of grapes in Bethlehem and was on his way to his home in Jerusalem. His car was stopped, the 3 kilograms of grapes were "discovered" - as though they were crack or a similar substance that might be found in other parts Of the world. He was fined 100 shekels for illegally transporting those grapes. It is perhaps not the amount of the fine that is significant here - but the practice itself. On the same day, 17 October, five persons were expelled from their homes on Palestinian territory and &ported across the river, east of the Jordan River. One of them is the wife of Hassan B'erat. She is 25 years old and the mother of three children. Another woman Munifah Nag'eib Saffa, 30 years old and the nether of. three children, was also deported. Nazira Tirishan, 60 years old, Muhammad Ahmad Jaber, 65 years old, and Muhammad B'erat, 70 years old, were "transferred" or expelled from their homes and deported across the Jordan River. The reason given was that they had no resident permit. Since the occupation by Israel, Palestinians need resident,permits to live in their own homes and on their (Mr. Terzi, Palestine) That is the pattern of life of our people. Let me add the following. Judge Advocate General Amnon Strashnow has admitted, on 19 October, that 13,600 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli concentration camps and that Since December 1987 - that is, the start of the glorious intifadah, which is nowapproaching its third year - more than 40,000 Palestinians have been detained, and Only 18,000 have been brought to trial, the rest being arbitrarily or "administratively" held. General Amnon Strashnow announced, furthermore, that a new Concentration camp to host 4,500 additional Palestinians will be completed in 1990. But in the meantime, he said, it will accommodate 1,500 inrates. He added that 86 soldiers and officers had been court-martialled during the uprising for offences such as causing deaths. violating open-fire orders, assault and damaging property. Such offenders may very well be brought to trial. The'Jerusalem Post, international'edition, of 28 October 1989 reports: "A Jaffa military tribunal.has sentenced an Israeli Defence Force reservist to / two years in prison for shooting dead two Arabs in an .intifadah-related '( incident" - two.years for shooting twc Arabs dead. "Sergeant Ilav Arev" - that is the name of 'the officer, who is 25 years old - "received a One-Year suspended sentence. According to his own statement, Arev had knelt and taken aim before shooting." So the criminal act of murder is very clear. Yet, they bring him to trial and give him just two years for killing two people. Here general Mordechai intervenes to order a delay in execution of sentence. Of course, there must be some justice; the man - who knows? - say appeal. In order to comprehend the situation in, let us say, Beit Sahur, some statistics may help. Out of 'the 898 persons there subjected to harassment, brUlXIliZa~iOn or confiscation of property, only 330 are shown as "delinquent". We must always bear in mind that they have the right to resist and reject laws and (Mr. Terzi;'Palestine) regulations imposed 'in order to perpetuate the occupation and give it a semblance of legitimacy. But what about the non-delinquents, the other 568? They were totally innocent victimst yet they were harassed. Of course, 40 were arrested and detained, but charges are being brought against only 36. So out of the grand total, alleged grounds for being brought to trial were provided for only 4 per cent of those who were harassed. Again, they were only indicted and they have yet to be convicted of any wrongdoing. Let me quote some more statistics. In the Gaza Strip during the month of October the following figures were given. There were 10 deaths as a result of injuries and wounds sustained - seven died of injuries and bullets in the head, two of bullets in the back and one who was shot in the chest. There were 252 wounded by live ammunition - real bullets; 271 were wounded by what are known as rubber bullets. There were 852 cases of beatings, 227 cases of gas inhalation and 25 cases of miscarriage as a result of beating and gas inhalation. Five houses were demolished and three others were sealed. One of the most tragic events is the followingt In the raids and attacks against unarmed Palestinian civilians, Israeli troops'indulged in "exemplary" inhuman and brutal conduct. In Beit Sahur, troops broke into a house. A wos& was stretched out on a mattress, being attended by a midwife to deliver a new baby - a new Palestinian to see the light of day. After breaking into the house, the troops confiscated all around them but left the mattress. One of them said; "We shall not take it away1 we see your condition and we believe you should not be forced to lie cn the barren floor. You must be thankful that we have decided to let you keep that mattress". What could be more inhuman or more brutal? To add fuel to the existing flames, the occupying Power has decided to establish a company of settler-militia. The arming and organizing of that special (Mr. Terzi, Palestine) settler company was approved by General Yitzhak Mordechai. But the Israeli Ministry of Defence rushed to deny that any new policy had been established. The Ministry confirmed that settlers had always been incorporated into the army for local defence and security purposes. This new - not so new - policy indicates that the occupying Power has failed to suash or terminate the heroic intifadah, despite make-believe statements and some wishful thinking that the intifadah is over. On the other hand, it proves that the so-called settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories are not civilians. The Israeli Ministry of Defence cannot claim that the settlers are civilians, not even vigilantes* they are an integral part of the occupation troops. One may recall a corunent by an Israeli citizen: "We have many cases of vigilantism by the settlers. We have many cases in which Palestinians were shot, wounded and, unfortunately, killed by settlers. To give them this special status only makes things Worse." But the members of the Israeli Cabinet still maintain that force of arms, humiliation and dehumanization of the Palestinian people is the only way to peace. The Council may have been informed that the siege of Beit Sahur is over. What is the difference then? This news is based on a report published in the Daily Bulletin of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of 31 October, where it is stated: "The Israel Defence Force lifted its siege of Beit Sahur on Tuesday, claiming a successful operation against residents of the West Bank village who had refused to pay their taxes. The Israeli authorities said all persons who owed taxes had either paid them, had their property confiscated or had been arrested during the five-week confrontation." It is known that Israel's Minister of Defence, Yitzhak Rabin, saw the tax revolt, as he called it, as a test of strength against the Palestinian intifadah. (Mr. Terzi, Palestine) Mr. President, I should like to pass this messager through youl to Mr. Rabin: the confrontation with all the Palestinians in the little town of Beit Sahur, and against only 330 so-called delinquent persons, has had an unsuccessful end. How long, and how much fire-power , will Israel need against the Palestinian people, who are determined to see the end of Israeli occupation so that they can enjoy life in *ace and democracy in their own independent and sovereign State of Palestine? We have earlier reported to you, Mr. President, and to the Secretary-General that Israeli troops have denied entry to Christian clergy. Yesterday, Sunday 5 November, mass prayer was celebrated in the town of Beit Sahur. More than 5,000 people participated in the prayer , which was held both at the town's mosque and in the chapel of the Latin Convent. In both observances the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Sa'adeddin El Alami, Archbishop Lutfi Lahham and the Reverend Ckleh Bantisi officiated. Fifteen hundred Israeli troops again laid siege to the town, as was seen on television last night. Israel has persisted in its policies and practices against the Palestinian pkple under Israeli occupation. We still recall that in December 1987 the Security Council met to consider the situat,ion in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Council adopted resolution 605 (1987) on 22 December 1987. The Secretary-General submitted a report on 21 January 1988, in accordance with the request in that resolution. .In that report, the Secretary-General stated that the purpose of the visit by the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs to the territories was twofold* I *lo examine on the spot the situation in the occupied territories and to explore ways and means I could consider recommending to the Security Council, to ensure the safety and protection of the Palestinian population of the territories." (S/19443, para. 2) (Mr. Tetzi, Palestine) The report remains as vivid a description today as it was in January 1988. It bears witness to the brutality of the occupying Power and inhumane treatment it meets out. In doing justice to the commitment of the United Nations to ensure respect for human rights, the Secretary-General expressed his opinion about ways c. and means of ensuring the safety and protection of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. He did not forget to state that such ways and means "can only be palliatives" (ibid;;-para. 201, and cannot cure the underlying problem, which is the continuing occupation by Israel of the territories captured in the 1967 war. The report was not made on the basis of hearsay or exclusively Of media reportst it was the result of an on-the-spot examination of the situation. In our opinion, such on-the-spot examination and monitoring of the situation, the subsequent immediate ,reporting of developments , and the action to be taken by the Security Council should be the first and immediate priority. In our opinion, the Secretary-General has the means and mechanisms to ensure that he can depend on whoever represents the United Nations on the spot to supply on-the-spot reports. I implications", as some may *:,?i do not believe that that will have any "financial believe. It is incumbent upon the metiers of the Security Council, individually and jointly, to request that the Secretary-General submit such reports on the SitUatiOn as often as need be. Such reports, aga'in, should be based on the information transmitted after on-the-spot monitoring or supervision, whether by a team, teams, or whatever. The situation cannot and should not be permitted to perpetuate itself. The Fourth Geneva Convention clearly states that the High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the Convention. That provision is an international legal obligation , not of Israel alone but also of the other High Contracting .Parties to the Convention. (Mr. Terzi, Palestine) The Security Council is addressing a concrete situation, a factual situation. Israel, the occupying Power, is committing State crimes. It has confiscated the property of innocent civilians. Israel must be ordered to return their Stolen property to the victims , or compensate them for damage. The Council, in our opinion, must demand from Israel compensation for the victims. The Council, again in our opinion, should invoke whatever powers are vested in it by the Charter to make Israel comply with, respect and carry out its international legal obligations. Israel cannot just be told to behave and not to be so nasty. It is rather unclear why , while the Council and the international community are expressing concern about the situation, the Government of the United States authorizes $1.13 billion in economic aid to Israel. Aid by any other name is aid. Will not that aid help to relieve the economic situation that Israel faces? Will it not provide additional funds for the military occupation and the atrocities, crimes and general conduct of the occupation troops? Will it not be construed as a reward or benediction for the atrocities committed against my people? On to)? of that, the United States Government will soon award Israel another grant of an additional 51.8 billion as military aid. Perhaps the rubber bullets and gas canisters are not enough; perhaps Israel needs more money from the United States. Here, Sir, through you, we ask the Government of the United States to think. Will it, through its representative here , join in a consensus so that the Secretary-General may at least be enabled to discharge his duties and immediately dispatch or assign a monitor or a monitoring team to provide the Council with on-the-spot reports? We believe that this is of immediate importance and urgency.

I thank the representative of Palestine for the kind words he addressed to me. (The-President) In view of the lateness of the hour, it is my intention to adjourn the meeting. With the ccncurrence of the members of the Council; the next meeting of the Security Council to continue consideration of the item on its agenda will take place at 3.30 p.m. today. The meeting.rose-at.l;lO.p:m.