S/PV.2923 Security Council

The result of the voting is as follws% 11 votes in favour, 1 against and 3 abstentions. The request has been approved. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Arafat (Palestine) took a place at the Council table.

I should like to inform the Council that t have received a letter dated 24 My 1990 from the Chairman of the committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, whi& reads as followat “I have the haour to request that I be allowed to participate in the SeCUritY COUnCil’S consideration of the item ‘The situation in the occupied Arab territories’, in accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s prcvisiiYla1 rules of gxocedure, in my capacity as Chaimm of the Committee an the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.* On prsvious occasions the security Council has extended invitations ta representatives of other uritea Rations bodies in connection with the consideration of matters on it5 agenda. In accordance with past practice in this nratter, I propose that the Council extend an invitation under rule 39 of its ptovisiontrl rules of procedure to the Chairman of the committee on the Eltercise of the Inal ienable Rights of the Palestin ian People. There being no objection, it ia so decidsd. (The President) I should like ta inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 24 May 1990 from the Chatg6 d’affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Xkmen to the United Nations, which reeds as follows: “I have the honour to request that the Security Council extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of edure to His E5tcellenoy Ambassador Clovis Maksoud, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations, during the Council’s discussiar of the item prt33ently on its agenda. * That letter will be issued as a ilocument of the !?nacurity buncil under the ay&ol S/2131 3. If I hear no objection, I ehall take it that the Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 to Mr. Maksoud. There being no abjectiar, it is 50 decided. I should naJ like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 23 May 1999 from the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the Unitid Nations, which reads a% follows8 “In w capacity a8 Chairman of the Islamic Group at the United Nations, I have the pleasure to request thet Ui& Excellency Mr. Nabil T. Maarouf, Aeeietant Secretary General for Paleetine end Al Quds of the Organisation of the Islamic Carference be invited ti participate in the Security Council’s discussion of the item antitied ‘The situation in the occupied Arab territorie6’ in accordance with Rule 39 of the Council ‘9 proviaiCoa1 rule8 of procedure. l That letter will be mblished a6 a Qcumsnt of the Security Council under the eyn4m.l S/21312. If I hear no objection, I ahall take it that the Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 to Ur. Nabil T. Maarouf. There being no objectiar, it ie 80 decided. (‘Ihe President) The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item ~1 its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in response to the request contained in a letter dated 21 May 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Bahrain to the llhited Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/21300). I should like to draw the attention of nembers of the Council to the foll :ring documents: S/21303, letter dated 21 May 1990 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inal ienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-Cenoralt S/21307, letter dated 22 Ciay 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia t6 the llirited Nations addressed to the Secretary-Generalr and S/21308, letter dated 21 May 1990 fram the Fermanent Observer of Palestine to the Wited Nations addressed ti the Secretary-General. The first speaker is the representative of Palestine, iii8 Ekcellency Mr. Yasser Arafat. I welcome him, and call on him to speak. Mr. BOAT (Palestine) (interpretation from Arabic) t I greet my brother the representative of the Republic of Yemen, the unified Arab State uhcxse birth WBS announced a few day5 ago. It is a source of gr-t pri& for nm to be present today for the seoond time in a year and a half in this hospitable country , where I have already had the honour to address the United Nations, in or&r to speak with the voice of Palestine, and deliver the word of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). I should Like, Mr. Resident, to thank you for having given me this special opportunity to undertake this missiar on behalf of Palestine and the Palestinian people. While we cnngit&~r ehja nu a ~--ltt & vtwtr iban ~anihr~e-natt~ -4 bkn ‘--- ---= -..‘--D--..-..T -- -..v dangerous situatiar in our area, we also view it as an expression of sympathy for, and solidarity with, the Palestinian people , who are new being subjected to the ugliest oppression and terrorism while struggling for their freedom and for the implenrentation of the goals, principles md values consecrabd by this international Organizatfcn. (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) (MC. Acafat, Palestine) -. When the Palestine Liberation Gtganization (PID) , with the support of the Arab Group, requested the convening of this urgent meeting of the Seeucity Council, its request stemrimd fcom the cealizatian that the situation has reached an extremely dangerous and explosive point. No longer can hesitation be acceptable or vet bal cardemnatian sufficient. The situation now requires urgent actiar to enforce teverenco for intecnational legi timaoy. Last Sunday - *Black Sunday” - a heinous massacre was perpetrated against Palestinian workers who early that mrning were in sear& of bread for their children. They had already been uprooted from their land by policies of the Israeli occupation ano were forced to seek labour under the worst possible conditions of exploitation and repression. Furthec, the massacre is being continued by the Israeli focoes in the West Bank, the Gasa Strip and Jecusalam, accmpa,ied by an outburst of Israeli racism against the Palestinian masses in the Galilee, the Triangle and the &gav. & a result of thase policies, mce than 25 Palestinian martyrs have fallen and mxe thhan 2,060 have been injured ducfng the last five days. All this -WtibJtea but me lirk in the chain of the Israeli iron-fist policy and Israeli racist pcactiees against the Palestinian people, policies and pcaoticles whioh the international cxnnmunityr Govecnmntd and peoples have unanimusly denounced. It was not the insanity or derangement of an individual that was responsible for the Slack Sun&y massacre , as Israeli officials have claimd. The primary responsibility falls on the insanity and derangement of the whole system, a system whidr is haunted by mythical ghosts, by defunct illusions of racial superiority an8 by an obSession with expansion and invasion , stemming from the etupid arrogance of military superiority, in order to create a ‘Greater Tarael”. (Me. AraEat, Palestine) I am addressing the Council while the wound6 of my people are still bleeding and the graves of their martyrs are still exposed. Every moment, Palestinian &ildren, women and men pay the price with their blood and their lives, faced with the organized Israeli machine of oppression and terrorism against our Palestinian people, who are struggling for a free and dignified life. During the 30 months of the brave intifadah of the Palestinian masse8 against occupation forces saturated with hatred and aggression, the occupiers have been arrogantly waging a brutal war of extermination. Over the past 30 ~lnths, 1,200 Palestinian martyrs have fallen under the bullets of the occupiers. More than 80,000 citizens have been injured as a result of various kinds of repression ranging from severe beatings, the breaking of bones and the u8e of rubber bullets and live ammunition to the uoe of internationally prohibited poisar gases, which have caused more than 6,000 miacarriageo and PermaeM handicaps to tbou%!mds of children, women and men, in additiar to other kind8 of terrorism and repression. Over those 30 months, the Israeli occupation forces have been waging a war of extermination on all fronts. Our people have been the victims of crimes prohibited by international law, divine law and moral and human value68 from the war of starvation waged by laying siege to papub tion centres, the destruction of the infrastructure of our national econw through continuing expropriation of land and water resources thereby devasstating farms, and the imposition of huge taxes and attempts to collect them through terrori,m and theft 88 happened in I&it Sahour and elsewhere , to the war of impc8ed ignOrdInCe which has led to the closing for three years of all educational centres in our country from kindergarten8 to universities. The universities and most schools ar e still closed, as verified by reports anil other BDcumente available at the mited Nations. This has been accompanied by the (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) Claing Of many philanthropic, cultural and voCationa institutions and by the opening, on the other hand, of mass detention Camps and prison5 for more than 85,000 detainees, scotea of whom have been physically eliminated - in addition to deportations and house arrests. At the same time there has been an escalation of the policy of demolishing the houses of Palestinian citizens, by whictr the OXuRttion forces have demolished, destroyed and shut down more than 2,000 houses during the years of the intifadeh, a policy which has left 10,000 person% including 5,000 Palestinian Children, home&as. All of this is in addition to burning and devastating 80,000 dunums of land and 188,000 fruitful tree% the application of collective punishment and the imposition of huge fines by the courts of the Israeli occupation. All this is being carried Cut with prenmditation and racism on the part of the Israeli Government and the fanatic armed settlers against unarmed citizens in the Palestinian and Arab occupied territories. The reoently published report of the Swedish Save the Children organization sates that 159 Palestinian children 16 years of age or younger were killed during the first two years of the intifadah by prohibited terrorist methods, including internationally-prohibited gas bombs, as reports by two United States and Belgian medical teams have proved. That figure naJ stands at 256. The same Swedish report states that during the sama period between 50,000 md 63,000 Palestiuian children were injured and required medical treatment. wenty-five thousand children, some six year5 of age or younger , were beaten and their banes broken. Further . 675,000 Palestinian children in the West Bank and the Caza Strip wete subject to curfews, with their attendant psychological and educational implications for every&Y life. Mr. Arafat, Palestine) Batselem, an Israeli human-right 3 orgmization, has reported that, art of 102 cases examined by them in which Palastinian children uere killed, only tme Israeli soldier wa8 impr ismed - for a mere two months. That confirms the conclusions of the Swedish report, which ShcW the contctmpt of Israeli soldiers for the lives of our Palestinia, childran. The Palestinian people expect the Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities to put an end to the Israeli occupation and to begin forthwith to adopt the necee2ary measures to pro&et the lives of the children, women and men of our Palestinian people and their property mder occupation, especially in the light Of the Lsraeli Gwernment’s refusal to abide by any United Nations resolutions, such as Security Council resolutions 465 (1980) and 605 (19871, which condemn and deplore Israeli practioes and Crimea against the Palestinian people and call upon Israel scrupulously b abide forthwith by the fourth @neva Convention of 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Person2 in Time of War. The Israeli Government, not cartent with these crimes and this official Organized terrorism against out people, has followed them up by bringing in nebt waves of Jewish immigran& from all parts of the world and by starting to settle them in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Holy Zerusalem, and other Arab territories in place of the Palestinian and Arab omers of thase occupied lands, against whom Israel practises organized official terrorism and brutal oppression in order to drive them from their homeland and the homeland of their ance8tir 8. In aMLtion, Israel has displaced Palestinian families. Within this very short period of the intifadah , mre than 256 families have thta far been expelled from their homeland. Settling new immigrants in the quarters belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church and the assault on the Pa triara of Jerusalem and other priests are part and parcel of the policies practised by the Israeli Govsrnment, policies which were preceded md followed by aggression against Islamic gld aistian Holy Places in Jerusalem end the rest of the Holy hnd, places viewed as symbols of sanctity, love, peace and tolerance by Muslims and Christians throughout the world. I have photographic and other evidence of the aggression against the Patriarch of Jerusalem8 of the children, many of them nine years of age or younger e killed by Israel) of miscarriagaa caused by the use of poison gas, which is prohibited internationally. I shall leave these documents for the use of members of the Security Council. In all it perpetrates and in its repressive, bloody actions and practices against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, Israel considers itself to be outside the bounds of international responsibility whi& apply to all States of the world. Indeed, Israel - which was established by a decision of the bited Nations - is the only StaLo whid~ ignores and challenges United Nations resolutions and which does not commit itself to implement them. Israel even refuses to deal with the international Organization when it requests it to carry aut its &c&ions and resolutions. It has now becoiaa necessary for the international comaunity to take a stand on this subject and for the Security Council, and especially its permanent umber States, to shoulder their re8pWSibility to maintain international peace and searity, to implement international resolutions, to end the occupation and to protect the lives of the Palestinian children, women and men under Israeli ocaupation, in order to arrive at a just and permerent peaceful political solutiar to the conflict ln the Middle East through convening the International Peace Conference on the Mitile East, under the auspices Of the United Nations. (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) At a time when the international community is determined to build a world based o(1 co-operation, fruitful dialogue and democracy, when the atmosphere of international &ten&t ia being enhanced and when the peoples of tire world are preparing to welcome the axuing century by undersmring the values of freedom, dentxracy and human rights, Israel and its leaders insist on clinging to their defunct racist and terrorist policies. Our peaceful initiatives, together with our approach and our intifadah, represent a mdel that has been emulated end that has inspired many peoples struggling for freedom and democracy, peoples whfcfi have affirnx?d the harmony ard congruence between the realities of our era and the direction of that model’s principal course. Members of the Council undoubtedly knau that, on 13 EWetier 1998 in this hospitable country, in the name of the Palestinian people, I presented to the General Assembly the Palestin iar peece initiative a&opted by the Palestine National Council in Algiers on 15 November 1988, which was based on international legitimacy and resolutions and which wss adopted by the Arab summit conference in Casablanca in May 1999. That initiative also received the support of the summit of the Movement of Bon-Aligned Countries, the African summit and the wnference of foreign ministers of Islamic countries, in addition to that of many States in Western and Eastern &rope, the Soviet Union, China, Japan and the Scandinavian and other countries. The Palestinian peace initiative found support inside Israeli society and daily increasing support among Israeli democratic and peace-loving forces. It also had a positive influence anvnq Jewish groups in Europe and the United Sbtes of America. Basing itself on Palestinian priorities and rights which are in harmony with international legitimacy, the PKI hao shown itself to be totally responsive and responsible. We remain flexibler we continue to approach flexibly and cincerely all international peace initiative6 adopted by the United Nations, as well as other proposals, including the five points of the United States Secretary of State Baker. We have also reacted positively to the 10 Egyptian points and to the United Sta tea Proposals conveyed to us by Mr. Sten Andersen, the Swedish Foreign Minister, on 16 September 1989. The PI& is still committed to its declared peace initiative and is ready to participate in arriving at a political solution through whi& the Palestinian people will be enabled to realize its legitimate national rights, including the right to return, to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State of it8 own on its Palestinian national soil, ar the b&is of international legality and United Nations resolutions. Lgrettably, those peace initiatives have rmt with rejection and stuMornnesa on the part of the Israeli Government, which has escalated its iron-fist policy in order to rove further from the peaoa process in the Middle East, thereby & fying all international resolutions relating to the wnflict in the Middle East, primarily General Assembly resolution 176/43 of 15 f.&cerber 1988 reb tive to the (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) convening of the International Peuce Conference err the Middle East. In addition, Israel has ignored and refused to implement smrity Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 336 (1973). As for the city of Jerusalem and the Israeli decision to annex it and change its status, proclaiming it the capital of the State of Israel - which was unfortunately followed by a decision on Jerusalem by the United States Congress, encouraging Israel and its occupation, terrorism and crimes - Israel still refuses to carry out any international resolutions on the Holy City, including Security Council resolution 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968, General Assembly resolution 2253 (E3-v) of 4 July 1967, which affirmed the inadnissfbility of changing the status of the city of Jerusalem, Security Council resolution 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980, which declared null and void the measures taken by Israel to change the status of the city of Jerusalem, and Security Council resolution 478 (1980) of 20 August 1980 on the nar-reaoqnition of Xerael’s “basic law” on Jerusalem. Israel continues to carry out the policy of settlement by expropriating tie lands of the Palestinians, building Jewish settlements on those lands and changing the damgraphic nature of the occupied Palestinian territories, in defiance of Security Council resolution 452 (1979) of 20 July 1979, which stipulated that the Israeli occupation authorities should cease settlement operations in the occupied Arab territories, resolution 446 (1979) of 22 March 1979, which wnsidered the Israeli practice of establishing settlements a serious obstructicn to achfevinq peace* and resolution 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980, whioh called upon Israel to dismantle existing settlements and cease the construction snmd: piarming of settlements. (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) Recently Lsrael has exploited the carditions that have permitted opening the doors of immigration to Soviet Jews and Jews from Eastern European and other States, thereby transforming the right to emigrate into a political and colonial aim, as represented in forced immigration to Israel cnly, which deprives emigrants and those foroad to emigrate of their right to chcose their own destination= This constitutes a violation of the rights of those Jews. We would recall that the rights of any individual or people cease where the rights of other individuals or peoples - including the Palestinian people - begin. Israel has endeavoured by all means to close all doors but one to Soviet Jewish emigration, keeping only Palestinian land open for them. Israel has been helped in that endeavour by decisions lmda and obstacles raised by 8obm Sates, especially the United States and Australia, within tha framework of a special underetarding and a fundamental and dangerous distortion of the concept of the right of emigration as stipulated in the Helsinki accords, transforming it to achieve the aggressive political aim of preventing the Palestin ian people frcm living in their homeland and depriving Palestinian refugees of the right to return in order to settle new inmigrants in the homeland to which the original owners have a right. It is necessary for me to mint out most responsibly that the issue of kviet Jewish emigra ticm to Palestin ian lads represents a danger to the whole region, not only to the occupied Paleetinian lands themselves. The threat extends to neighbouring Arab States. Indeed, it has begun to thraten the Golan Height6 and acu&ern Labmm _ uhora ki e-c ----a-- ---.- ~ ..----- -..--“m r.mp.rGa..rg is the KGdle &tit pEGvera that ieraei:s greed and expaneionist appetitea knaJ no limits. (MC. Acafat, Palestine) f 888 it a8 my duty to point out that, mast cegcettablyr the *ited States of America has given Israel unlimited support at all levelat this has encouraged Ierael. to continrr, its occupation and escalate ita terrorist and barbaric practices against the Palestinian people, challenging the decisions of the international community and impeding all peaoe initiatives in the middle East region, including the United States proposals themaelvee, quite apart fcau all other peace initiatives. The United States, which raises the slogan of human c ights, has totally neglected the Pabestiniana and their human rights and hire ignored the compcehenaive h-n and moral dimensions of the oonoept of human rights. This has encouraged Israel to persist fn its barbaric practices against the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, where Lebanese villages and Palestinian refuges camps are exposed to xeraeli air raids, destructive hombacdmant and, in the South, occupation. In view of the dangars in the sutrounatng Middle East region that arise from the ccmtinued Israeli occupation of Arab and Palestinian land8 and Sstael’s esoal8tion of State-organised Urroriem and the war of annihilation against ox people, with aggressive md expansionist threats againat many Arab Statee, especially Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, through Israel’8 continuous preparations for aggrsssicm and warr it is high tiim for the Council to shoulder its Ce8pon8ibilitY to imPlW3nt United N8tiOnB resolutions relating to the Arab-Israeli conflict before it is too late. T~POU@B i& practices, thceats and war preparations0 Isca*l is leading the entire region to a CabstroPhe whase danger is unprectienced in the light of the faot that ths Middle East is amorrg the Pegions where oonventionalr nuclear, chemical and biological weapons ace etockf;Iled, which raises the pcoepect of a ~t~tco~e which win go beyond the borders of the middle Smt cegim to threaten international. peace and security. (Mr. Arafat, Palestine) The dimensions of the danqer threatening the prospect of peace in th:t Middle East are now visible every day. They are beginning to manifest thewelves in mass killings, in increased escalation, in the tense situatiar which is leading the area to the brink of war, and in Israel’s insistence on continuing itsl occupation of Palestinian lands, which only a faJ days ago Shamir officially declared to be “liberated and inher ited lands”. The Palestine Liberation Qrganization D which aff irrm its strategic commitment to peace, submits to the Security Cc!uncil the following practical steps which will realize the international axnmunity ‘s ansensus , transforming its resolutions into practice and inspiring confidence and hope with respect to the Council’8 role and effectiveness in achieving world peace, security and justice. Before outlining those steps, I should like to bring to the attontiar of the Council a document concerning *Greater Israel” as depicted on the la-agora coin. The document was published in the Jewish Journal in the United States on 19 Pebtuary 1989. That document speaks of *Greater Ieraell”, which is depicted on Israeli currency, and the map comprises all of Israel, all of Lebanon, all of Jordan, half of Syria, two thirds of Iraq, one third of Saudi Arabia up to the holy city of Al-Madinah and half of Sinai. The document contains a detailed map, with “Greater Israel” marked in blue. The first step would be the designation by the Secretary-General of a permanent epecinl envoy to work full-time CR the peaoa process and engage in the contacts necessary to secure a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Alternatively, the Secretary-General might hi-elf ufi&Ktake the Sutiee of that mission. (Hr. Mafat, Palestine) -a The second step would be adoption by the Council of a resolution PKmidinq inbernqtional protection to the Palestinian people to safeguard their lives, property and holy places in the occupied territories, under the f laq of the United Nations and by means of international emergency forces, to aupplemnt the United Nations oberver force now stationed in Jerusalem, with the purpose of ending Completely thp IBKa&i occupation of our Palestinian land. (Mr. Acafat, Palast.in%) The third step ie the aQption by the Council of a eleac resolution - and the Council’6 essucence of its supervision and implePtntation - to 5top settler immigroticm to the occupied Palestinim tecritotieo, a decision that will PCeVmt oomplet%ly the construction and expansion of Xsraelf settlerntnts, militac; or civilian, in the acoupled Palestinian lends, particularly in Arab Jeruaelem, in implementation of the celevwt international resolutions. The fourth et%, would be for the Council to call the representatives of its permnent smbers to an immediate meeting to discuss the psaoe settlemnt and the peacxa process and to prepare for the convening of the International Peat% Gmferenoe on the Middle East, in implementation of international resolutions. The fifth step is to start to adopt the necessary arrangements and preparations for the imposition of sanctions on Israel in aooordance uith Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations as a response to the crimes comnitted by fstaet against the Palestinian people in the oooupied territories and as a oonssquenar of its breach and violaticn of the pourth Geneva Convsntiar of 1949 relative to the tceabaent of civilian6 in tim of war* as well as for its refusal to implement the relevsrt international resolutions, for it8 deliberate defianoe and its impeding of the peace process in the Hiddle East and, in particular, for its refueal to implement the Counail’s o+gn decisions and resolutions. The expecienoe of the United Nations in imposing sanctions again& South Africa has berm fruit in Namibia, where the heroic Namibian people have gained their ind%pen&nce through the New York Agteemnt, implemnted undar the auspices of tbe United Nations. It has also started to bear fruit for the people of South Africa, with the release of the q ilit%nt hero C&lean Mandela and with the start of buildin peace and fulfilling the rights of the people ,,Bf South Africa, far from raaiel diecr imination and apartheid. In this cmntezct I should like to express out (Mr. Arefat, Palestine) deep appreciation of the active and extremely importmt role of the Secretary-General, Mr. Pf-rez aC Cuellar. Obligation and commitment to the human heritage and to the concepts of justice and righteouanem to which that heritage has been dedicated require that the COUIdl 8haO.d decide to form an international investigation aomnfttee composed of Immbere of the Council bo investigate all the crimes against humanity that have been perpetrated by the Israeli Govertmmnt against the Palestinian people. tiile rclrffirming that our d3oice of the path of peace is a genuine strategic alternative, we also affirm our right to aDntinue our resistance and our self-defence until m end is put to the Israeli occupation. That i3 a sacred right guarantead to us by the law of hmn rights, the Charter of the United Nations, international decisions and the will of the Palestinian people. The heroic peopls 8 intifadah against the Israeli occupation of our country will continue until we wteat our tight to freedom and national independence an our national soil. Out Qeople are axmuittcJd to the issue of peace and to the initiative that 1 announced in the name of the Palestinian p~ple a year and half ago before the General Jissesrbly. Our people are datermined to attain their political, national md human rights like all other peoples in the world. We are determined to do so because we are an indivisible part of the community of nations and of human society, with which we have participated in carrying the tore nf culture, for it MB in Qlr land that tba three heavenly religions were forma, flourished and livd side by sOBe in her-y. It is high time that that people enjoyed security, peace and in&pen&n-. We ace not astring for the moon. We are not asking for the impose ible. It is high time for our children to live as peacefully as other children of the peoples of the (Mr. AraEat, Palestine) would, far frcm fear, de5truction and death. Xt is high time to stop the spilling of the blood of our people and for our flag to be raised over their liberated soil. It is high tirPt, for LB to realize our freedam and for the curtain TV fall once and for all, for the last time and for ever, on the last racist, settler military oecupatian of Palestine, that holy iand of our planet Sarth. The PRESIDR-JT~ The n@xt speaker is the Minister of State for Legal Affairs oE the State of Bahrain, His Excellency Mr. Hussain luhammad Al-Raharna, Who wishes to make a statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States at the United Nations. I welcome him, and 1 invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr- AL+3AWRNA (Bahrain) (interpretation from Arabic) t On behalf of the Group of Arab States, over whi& my delegation has the honour to preside, and On behalf of the delegation of ihe State of Bahrain, 1: should like to thank your Mr. PKeoident, and the Council, for this opportunity to address it on a question Of capital ltmportance for international peace and security. I tiarld also like to take this opportunity to conqratulalate you an your presidency of the Security Council for this month. I am convinced that your diplonratic skills, with tiich we are all familiar, and your wealth of experience will enable you to guide the work of the Council in an effective manner. The convening of the Security Council at Geneva as a result of your effective informal consultations merely goes to prove your outstanding diplomatic competence. In that connection I should also like to extend our thanks to the preceding President , the representative of Ethiopia, for the manner in &ich he conducted the Council’s work last month, It is a pleasant task for m to speak today on behalf of the Group of Arab States in extending our thanks to the metiers of the Security Council and to the representatives of States aa other organizations who are attending this important Council srmeting, thereby affirming their countries’ dedication to peace and justice in keeping with the terms of the United Nations Charter. We, in turnr would aesure them that this event is not taking place at the will of the Arab Group. It is, rather, the result of circumstances with which we are all familiar. We note with satisfaction the presence of t.he delegation of Yemen, which takea its seat in the Security Council following the proclamation of the unififxtbn of (Mr. Al-Bahama, Sahrain) achieve their long-awaited unity. we wish the Lpublic of Yemen md the brave Arab people of Yemen health and prosperity in their unified State. We have just heard the voice of Palestine , represented by ite President, Mr. Yasser Arafat, who clearly set forth for us the sufferings of his people and explained the Palestinian people’s worsened plight in the occupied territories and the circumstances that led to the convening of this meting. There is no doubt that the truth of the events , as revealed by the President of the State Of Palestine, means that all the participants in this meting feel the bitterness and profound suffering caused by the savage snasaacre perpetrated upon the brave Palestinian people by the Israeli authorities and Covernmnt. BBC% we should like to pay a tribute to the heroes of the intifadah, the people cf Palestine, who are facing the Israeli authorities with bravery and self-sacrifice in order to attain the legi timate rights that the international community has long reagnized as theirs. The Arab States appreciate the readiness of the ambere of the Security Council to heat all views, in particular the opinions of the President of Palestine, and we dlo hope that there will be no other obetacles ti working at Uni ted E3a tions Headquarters , leading to another transfer of the Council’s meetings. The State concerned must Kesp?Ct its commitments, as contained in the headquarters Agreement. The situation in the occupied territories has worsened a8 a result of the practices of the Israeli occupying authorities and in particular pw a result of the supPression of the intifadah. The Palestinian people have again been subjected to a savage trim perpetrated by an Israeli soldier near Tel Aviv. Since the S9curi ty Council has already held a meeting to study those facts, on the baeis of which the Council will adopt a draft resolution, I feel that it would be appropr fate naw to refer to what oaxrred last Sunday, 20 May. [Mr. Al-Bahama, Bahrain) Bssed en informatim ftua Rmters, Agence France Presse and #ited Press Interuational (UPX); and on information publkhed by The NW York Times and a Weehineton Post, a former member of the fsraeli Amy wearing military miform Md armad with a mchinequn foraed ct>zens of Palestinian workers to line up at the side of a road near Tel Aviv QI the morning of Smday, 20 Way. Be then fired his rmchinequn indiscriminately at them, resulting in the deaths of 7 prscns and the womding of 11 others. Subsequently, still according to the press agencies, a dammstretion occurred involving a large nu&er of Palestinians who took to the streets to protest agai~t that slaughter@ in defiance of the curfew imp-ed by the Israeli Army. The Israeli occuwing forces, hcwever, instead of calming the situation ad allawing the Palestinians moved by the slaughter to express their natural feelings and protastr comitted a further savage criae against the demsstrators by indiscriminately firing at them in order to break up the deumstration by foroe of acnu. That led to the deaths of five more Palestinians in the Gasa Strip md tm in the West Bank. That attack against marroad deroonstratore left no less than 650 wouudad - and I am referring tr Security Council document. S/%1309, olhich waa subrititted by the Chairman of the &m@ittee On the Lercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and which omtaine a letter dated 21 Hay 1990. We have already heard President Arafat say that thoee figures have ihcrmml and nae exceed thae I have mentioned. Tbcrre facte ae reported in the world press all oonfifm the treatment me96 out to the Palestinian people in G&za, in the Weet Bank and in Jerllealenr by the Saraeli authoritiefj, who knaw nothing but violence ard slaughter. What do bmic human rights man to Israel, in reference to the Palestinian people7 In fact, they mean noth5ng. lnternatisnal reports ccmfirm that fn the first two years of the intifedah Peraeli for-e have killed more than 700 Pales?.inkns. Since last 04~. Al-Baharnar Paht ain) Sunday they have killed mre than 27 people - indiscriminately, as 1 have already aaid. As we have heard frm President Arafat, that figure has nu# been greatly surpassed. And f am onlY quoting the number of Palestinians killed bY the Israeli hay, a figure that inclu&s children, young people, woson and men. The figure does not, hcueverc include the thousmds of Palestinians who have been warna3d - and ser iouo ly - as a result of the Israeli Army’s opening fire under orders frcia the junta in power, which has resulted in the severe miming of mMY* If we look at the report of Amnesty International for 1989, we see that since the beginning of the intifadah in bcember 1987 up to the time the report Was published the Israeli Governrasnt has wcunded more than 25,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, areas under Israeli occupation. The Israeli authorities have subjected to administrative arrest - without any accusations being brought and without any judgeaents being hmded down - more than 5,000 Palestinians, some Of whcan were arrested merely for crimes of opinion. The report also states that the Israeli Government has put hundreds of Palestinians QI trial in 8 very ewgeditious manner and has impriacned aountlese detainees, many of whom have died in questionable chwllstances. The report confirms not only the fact that Israel continues to violate its obligations as set forth in international instrumento relevant to the human rights of CiVilhns in aunrdmca with the principles of international law, but also the fact that Israel has not even managed to comply with the simplest moral and human aspects of those instruments. Nevertheless, that Averment still boasts that it holds dimsracy dear, notwithstanding the fact that that claim is not reflected in everyday life in Israel, particularly when we oonsider the sufferings of the Palestinian people. The massacres carried aut very recently by Israel against Palestinhno in the West Bank, in Gasa and in Tel Aviv, clearly reveal evactly what Iafael’s trrra pceitim is. (Mr. Al-flaharna, Bahrain) hbt very long ago, the conscience OP the internatiorral comm~Lty was revolted by the crimes In Nnkhalin a>d Eeft Sahour an& before that, in Kfat Qasim and Qibiah, in Sabra and Shatila - ali crimes perpetrated by the Israeli forces against &lestinians, not to mention the first savage slaughter knaJn as the I&ir Yassin mawacre, in the early 19409, the years of the founding of the Israeli State. Those ctfPl@8 were Brwtrated against. the Palestinian people, a people that had c&tted no crime whatsoever save to reject Israeli occupation and refuse to live in condition8 of oppression, massacre and degradation. In this connection we must recall that the Security Council has cn more than one occa8ion condemned the practice of settlements in the occupied Pales tinian territories - in resolutions 446 (19791, 452 (19791, 465 (1980), 471 (1980) and 47a (1980) - all of which affirmed and confirmed the illegality of the acquisition by fOrCe of the territOPie3 of other States and prohibited the establishment of Settlements in them, inClUding JerU3&?m, a practice in total contradiction of intemathd custom and rule as well as of the Gneva Convention. (Mr. Al-Baharna, Bahrain) In the light of all that we call upcn the Security Council ad the great Powers fully to assume their responsibilities, to bring Israel to respect the hunran rights of the peoples in tha occupied territories and to prohibit immigration, tiich is taking place on the pretext of granting freedom of movelnant to Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Unim and other States. Such people should not be allowed to immigrate to the occupied Arab territories when Israel rejects the right of the Palestinians to their OWI territory and their own State. Israel is also attempting to create an exodus of the Palestinian people from their own lands. Over the past 40 years Israel has never paid any heed to United Nations resolutions relating to the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. The establishment of a growing number of Jewish settlers tr the oaxpied Arab territories, such as is occurring in Mar Elias, hag serious conuequencea and requires that the Security Council urgently adopt steps to maintain international law and order and reject the acquisition of territory by force. i& feel that the Security Council hss a duty to adopt a araft resolution dealing with the subject in order to ntaintain peace and security in the region and to put an end to the intransigent policy of Israel and its &fiance of the international community. We call upon the Security Council to protect Palestinian citizens from the oppressive and inhuman practices of the Xsraeli occupying authorities aa to assume its responsibilities under the United Nations Charter, which calls for respect for the principles of human rfghts. The present immigration should not be allowed to C-0rii;iM.w OR the pretext of the human right to freedom of mOvBm3nt, for it is being carried out at the expense of the human rights of the Palestinian people. The C&era1 Assembly has in nrany resolutions - the latest being resolution 44/2 of 6 October 1989 - taken a bold stand that deserves ceoognitfon. The General (Mr. Al-Bahar na, Bahrain) Assembly has requested the Security Council to take effective steps to protect Palestinian civilians in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel. We have high hope3 that the Council will reapand to the international feeling of unanimity and that it will adopt a resolution that will provide as much security and protectico BS possible to the Palestinian people who are facing the bxtality of the Israeli occupiers. The Palestinian people have a right to international protection in the occupied territories given the degrading treatment to which they have been subjected on a daily basis by the Israeli oocupying authorities, whase action8 prove that that State cares nothing for international values. The Council must intervene, in accordance with its international reeponaibilitiesr to plt an end to the blood-bath in the occupied territories that has been going on for 30 cfr~ths nowr since the beginning of the intifadah. It is unreasonable to abandon the Palestinian people as hostages to such oppressive practices# which flout international and human rkxe1it.y. Given the present circu=tancee, the Security Council mlrst attempt to get the occupying authorities to put am end to their terrorist practices by prwiding internetional protection to the civilian population, in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention QL the Protection of Civilians in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, ana its &JO Prottacole of 10 June 1977. I would add that with its inhuman savage practices in the occupied Palestinian territories Israel is violating not only the C;eneva Convention relating to the Protecticm of Civilians but also the principles of international law in a more general way as they relate to international WXrmitments in occupied territories. In the light of the foregoing, we can see the importance of international measures to cowene the Xnternational Conference under United Nations auspices to find a solution ti the Arab-Israeli conflict over the question of Palestine in (Mr. Al-Baharna, Bahrain) accordance with General Assembly resolutions 4~~42 of 6 December 1989 and 43/176 of 15 December 1989. I need hardly say that the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Arab States have opted for international legitimacy in laying the foundation8 for a just and lasting peace based on the right of the Palestinian people to regain the lands of which they have been despoiled and to exercise their legitimate right5 in their cwn national territory. We believe that the International Conference is the only way to achieve those objective5 , always provided, of courser that the permanent metiers of the Security Crxrncil and all the parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict - including the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the sole, legitimate representat.ive of the Palestinian people - participate in the Conference. The process of occupation and settlement taking place in Mar Elias in Arab Jerusalem shows that such in operation can be repeated in other guises elsewhere. Attempts to seize property belonging to the Grthodxc Church and aggression against religious premises only serve to buttress our opinion that Ssrael cannot be trusted to protect the Holy Places, which is why the international community, represented by the Security Council, must safeguard and protect all the Holy Places of Christianity and Islam from Israeli control - especially the Mosgus of Abraham in Galilee, the Church of the Resurrection and other Holy Places. & the Security Council msets today in Qneva the Palestinian people, under the yoke of ocxxpation, have every hope that the Council will take the necessary measures to eliminate the threat that is hanging over them in their land, for the situation in the Arab territories requires rapid action on the part of the Security council. The present situatiar will not brook any postponement of a decision. Therefore, we must rapidly find a solution to the question of Palestine, a just and comprehensive eoluticn that will return te the Palestinian people their legi timate rights in their independent horaeland. (Mr, Al-Baharna, Bahrain) The State of Bahrain believes that the only way to deal with the currently deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian Arab territories is for Israel to put an end to its perpetration of such crimes against the struggling Palestinian people. This can be accomplished only through the adoption of a strong reeolution by the Security Council carrhming these inhuman Israeli acts and guaranteeing international protection for the population in the occupied Palestinian Arab territories by sending international peace-keering forces to the region. A6 the competent body established under the United htions Charter the Security Council should take such decisions in view of the worsening situation in the oc~upi& territories, in particular given the opportunity provided in the circumstances to lay the foundations for peace md security in the region. The State of Bahrain calls upon the Security Council and the intir national community to take advantage of these present favourable circumstances and not allow this opportunity to be lost. The PRE33EBJTt I thank the Minister for Legal Affairs of the State of Bahrain for the kind words he addressed to nmr The next speaker is the representative of Jordan. I invite him to take a placx2 at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. SALAH (JorChn) (interpretation from Arabic) I I am pleaeed to cargratulate you, sir, a, your assumption of the presidency oE the Security Council for this month, and I hope that this debate will lead to speedy satisfactory results thanks to your proven cunpetence and vast experience and the cooperation have led to the conven ing of the Council today. I am also happy to convey our total appreciation to your predeasaor, His Excellency Mr. Tesfaye ls&ase, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the Mited Nations, for having so ably guided the work of the Council durLng the previous month. (Mr. Salah, Jordan) St ghvea llpe great pleaewe to extend my cmgratula tions to our Yemen i brothers on their proclamation of unidn and the creation of the Republic of Yemen. The Council ha5 heard the important stateement just nade by the Haild of the State of Palestine, Preeident Yasser Arafat, who informed UQ of the suffering5 of the Pales&is, people under Israeli occupation and described the grave eituation prevailing in the occupied territories. he reaffirmed his commitment to the peace initiative he announced approximately one year and a half ago and listed the measures to be taken to protect the Palestinian5 suffering under occupation and to continue peace efforte. We believe that the Council should give this it5 full attention and react favourably to the regueete made in the statement of the President of Palestine. The Seaarity Council is meeting here today to conaider the eituation in the occupied Pale5 tin im terri tor tee. The convening of the Council ie again the result of hostile acts aolPnitted by Ierael against innocent Palestinian victims under the yoke of Israeli occupation. It is regrettable md frmtratfng that sach time the Council aonaiders the situation in the occupied Arab territories it is because of the painful and grave events taking place in that region of the world, whereas in reoadt time5 there ha5 been an increasing nu&er of Council meeting5 devoted to the positive evalu tion of the sftua tion in other part5 of the world. tie can say that the fate of the Mi&lle East and the occupied Poleetinian tertitoriee in particular L to live through Buch painful events one after the other owing to the aggrsasive and irreeponeible behaviour of Israel in the region. Xerael pereiote in it5 occumtion of Arab territories, and daily violatee human righta and the principles of international law. 15rael rebuffs the Arab peace initiative8 and hinders the peace effort5 of it5 closest and aincereet friende. Moreover, Israel ha5 for certain reason5 been araking explicit threat5 againet 5ome (Mt. Salah, Jordan) Arab countries. Similarly, Israel. creates new aettlemennte in tie occupied Arab territories for Jewieh immigrants. This is a very serious developPent jeopardizing ohances for peace and the peace md securifq of the region, thhua cardarming the entire region to inaecur ity . That is uhy the Council must implenant its resolutions QI the illegality of such colonizaticn and prevent Israel from proceeding in such endeavours. I am convinced that the Council, given its very great responsibility with regard to international peace and security, is well aware of the prevailing situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. If this situation persists, it will result in woreenimg the Arab-Ieraeli conflict end make the regicn even my)re explacr ive. Hence the Council has a very special responeibfifty via-‘lr-vfs this conflict, which continues to take a tack totally different frcm that of other regional oonfl icta. What happened last Sunday in Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territories should lead the Security Council to reconsider its approach to and ita handling of the events taking place in the occupied Palestinia territories, namely the acts of repression and terror pecpetcated by Israel against Palestinian ci tiaens. AEI the Gouncil knous, Israel that day added a fresh chapter to its record of hateful practices when one of its citizens committed a heinous crime against a group of Palestinian workers who had come from the Gaza Strip to work in Israel. He opened fire on them near Tel Aviv, killing seven and woundirrg ten otiera. when Palestinian citizens ocganized dxaonsttationa in the West Bank and Gazer the sane day in order to protest that crime, fscaelf forces opened fire ap these demonstrators in an sot of oolleotive terrorism that killed seven and wounded hundEeds. The scene uas repeated in the morning of the next day@ when Israeli force8 4illed four Palestinian citizens and wouncbd approximately 100. These practices ace continuing to this day. Any human being with a conscience and any responsible b&y respecting the principles of civilfzed behaviour can but denounce these crimi;ral acts in the clearest mnnerl take action to pit an end to such behaviour and &man8 that sanctions be imposed on Israel for having committed these crimes, for it is inconceivable that these Israeli acts should continue to take place without Israel being made accountable to the international community, and the Security Council in pactioulac, since this body has special obligations in the matter. rt ip qd+_n 4ebuar4--4t.%- fcg ----. & -..““Y-YYIYLG Isea& to -8ttmr~ 8uiiln osiiaes 5nd be able io get away with it on the false pretexts that it was the act of a mentally deranged man or the act of a civilian posing as a militacy person. Such pretexts cannot ec asf Israeli responsibility, as Israel has repeatedly resorted to such acgun-ents in the past. (Mr. Salah, Jordan) We recall in particular the fact: that Israel has provided the same kind of justification when it committed the crime of arson of the Holy Al-Aqsa MOsque, imputing this act to unbalanced Israelis. These massacres against unarmed civilians are nothing new in Zionist behaviour in Palestine before or after the creation of Israel. I recall the massacres of Deir Yassin, still fresh in our memory, and the massacres perpetrated by Israel in the Kafr Qaaim and Qibiah. The beino\rs criminal act perpetrated laet Sunday by Israel is but a lirk in the chain of Israeli racism and extremism and Israel’s psychological terror against the Palestinian to drive them out of their lands, in order for a new wave of in&grants to take their place. There ia grawing extremism which is fed by the intransigent policies of the Israeli leadership. We CannOt consider the latest crimes without taking aoeount of the general carte%t of Israeli wacticea against Palestinitm ci tfzena, m the one hwd, and feraeli behaviour with regard to peace, on the other. For Israel hae been carrying out all manner of hc-attile policies and inhuman practices in the occupied Arab territories, violating all international instruments, in order to eliminate all form3 of resistance against Israeli occupation, which is fully tejected. Specificallyr Israel has recourse to arbitrary means of repression to eliminate the be intieadah, which glrn in the occupied Palestinian tarritoriee 30 immths ago, even though Israel knuve full well that the intifadah is not a pausing event after which the situation will return to the status quo ante. In fact, the intifadah io a compreheneive peaceful revolution with profound roots which seeks to achieve its -. -l--L. -La--l.,--. iegz GAIPBW LVJS~~LA-G. te pGt -? =!x! * the rrr?e>*tticm and f2nJov a free an8 _ _ dignified life in an independent State* ae is the case with other peoples of the td0ria - thi8 despite Iarrel’e obstinacy, intransigence and arrogance. Israel spares no effort to kill any peace initiative by resorting to various mthode, such aa vague and ambiguous gosbtione, hesitation, delaying tactic5 md (Hr. Salah, Jordan) oven the dissoluticm of the Government and the iustallaticn of a provisional government that goes cn governing for several months. That is the situation todayt it is to gain tilne and to stall, avoiding coming to grips with essential problema in a direct and explicit mdnnet , and unleash great. harm upon the Palestinian peaceful resistance, even to ruI the risk of involving the regicn in a new war Israel believes tight serve its expansionist goals in the area. We have repeatedly drawn attentim to the consequences of the ccmtinuaticn of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the grave danger this poses to the region and the whale world. Xt is inccmceivable that the Middle East should be left to live in 8 stotm of violence, tension and instability, whereas all the other regions of the world are enjoying the fruit of international &tent3 and witnessing a crucial evolution serving the cause of peace, co-operation and development. That is why . the Council is today more than ever befoee invited to assum its responsibilitiee tcwards the region and adopt the appropriste measures to cnntribute to the necessary peaceful solution. (Mr. Salah, Jordan) The Council know that there is almost international conaermus cm the Framvork for an international settlenrent - an international mntierence under United Nation8 auspices, with the participation of all patties concerned, including the Pale8tine Liberation Oxganiaation (PLO) and the five permner.t mnbers of the Security Council, an the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. That is why we exprem the hope that the Council will take the necessary measute8 to convene the conference as soon as possible in order to reach the necessary settlement with international support and the neceeeary guarantees for the peace and security of all the countries and peoples in the region, including the Palestinian people, within 80 independent Ralestinian State. Such a settlement is the only solution to the problems afflicting the region, particularly the Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation. Pending euch a settlement, the Security Qtuncil must take the necessary measures to ensure international protectiar OS Palestinian citizens nw under the yoke of occupation, for if such maaures are not taken man nothing will prevent Israel froar etarting again to perpetrate heinow crimes against the Palestinian people, such 89 the most recent massacre , thie time probably in an even bloodier manner and on a larger ecale. In this contertt, I wish to recall the important report (S/19443) submitted by the kkcretary-General, Mr. JavPer Ferea de Cuellar, to the Security Council two years ago, which Cmnteins rec.‘ommsndatione on way8 and mans e0 protect P+3qrtiniim ei tisens under occupation. Unfortunately, the Council was not able, a5 a result of the oppoeition of one of it8 permanent mmbers, to adopt the recomendatione at that time, when the intifedah ~8s just beginning. If the Council had then adopted three recommndations the eituation rpoukI not have (Mr. Salah, Jordan) dateriocated to such m extent aul thousmds of victim would have been saved- X refer b thy@ killed, wounded, detained and tortured by Israeli repression in the past 30 mths. ft is also necessary to send au international fact-finding mission to Israel md the occupied Palestinim territories to investigate the events in guestion properly so that the international oomnity may be apprised of the reality of what has happened. In the light of that inqluiry, the Security Council should take the necessary measures to diamurage Israel from starting to carry out such criloes again and see that Israel applies the relevant international conventionsr including the Fourth Geneva Convention. I reaffirm that any measures adopted to protect the Palestinian citizens us&r occupatim C&I only trs interim, palliative measures0 pending our reacbimj a basic solution to the problem to pit an erd to Israeli oocumtion and to quarmtee the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The Council has m opportunity to act to that end. We hope that it will not fail to take this opportunity, as other oppoxtunities have been missed in the past. The PRESiIDeSTc I thank the representetive of Jordan for his kind words addressed TV 1183. Sir Criepin TICKELL (United Kingdom) 8 We welcome you to ylour high office, sic. The bcurity Council is a flexible institution. &der your guidance it has been wafted as cm a mgic carpet acrass the grey Atlantic from Naw York to Geneva to hold this important debate. I wieh ycu well in your reaponsibilitiee= t &O thank your predecessor , our friend and colleague the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, for his valuable work during April. I also welams the new Soviet Permanent Representative, a man of international distinctian and a most welcom colleague cm the Council. (Sir Crispin Tickell, United Kingdom) Our felfcLtations go to the Permanent Representative of the Republic of ‘Yemen on the unification af his country. There are longstanding historical links betWf2en Briterin end both parts of 4men, in particular the South, from which the Permanent Representative of Yem3n comes. We see the unification of his country as a force for stability in the region, and he greatly welcome it and congratulate all those concerned in bringing it about. The British Governnrsnt shares the dismay of the international cosmnunity at the murder of seven Palestinians by an Israeli civilian at Rishon le Zion cn 10 May. The Twelve members of the European Community have already expressed their strong views cn the subject. We note that in Israel the d@ process of law again& the civilian has already begun. Given the explosive situation in the occupied territories, it ia no surprise that this incident should have provoked apontaneolrs demonstrations in the West Rank and Oaza and among the Arab population of Israel itself. We are deeply concerned at the response of the Israeli Government to these demonstrations, which left further Palestinians &ad and hundred5 injured. The episode io yet more conclusive evidence - if any were needed - that the policy Of the status quo, of hoping that the problem will go away, is bankrupt. Its product in yet more bloodshed. At the beginning of this year there Were grounds for optimismr the proposals wvrkcd cut by the United States and egyptian &vermments for the eetabliohment of an Israeli-Palestinian dialogue offered a tealietic and promising baais for giving new life to the peace process. It is a matter for regret that Israel was unable to proceed on the bash of the fiw @iit5 proposed by the United States Secretary of State , and that Israel’s political crieie has frozen all mment since mid-March. Sor& good might come out of evil if this tragedy brought home to Israel that to do nothing, to close one’s eyes to reality , is unworkable and uneuetainable. Palestinian aspiration cannot be suppressed. Dialogs rust be opened as so0cI as poarible betwwn Israel and a ctadfble and genuinely teptesmtative Palestinian delegation. Such a dialogue, which I repeat is the only alternative to blmdshedr should be the meana to advance tauaede an intetnational conference to ostablbeh a durable aattlement in the Hiddle East. This must be bmad cm threa eSSentials~ land for peace, security for Israel, and self-determination for the Palosstinians. (Sip Crispin Tickell, United Kingdom) My C;ovemment hopes that the latest tragedy will bring horpe to Israel how damaging for 6ny praepect of peace is the expansion of Jewish rMzt1wnt.s beyond the 1967 borders: in other words@ the Wast Bank, the Gaza Strip, Eust Jerusalem, and the elan Heights. Such settlements are illegal. They are no lese illegal aan the settlers are recent Soviet Jewi& immigranta. We welcome the Soviet kvorrrPsnt*s new readlneas b allm its Jewish citizens b leave for Israel or elsewhere if &ey so wieh. But it would be a grove injustice if the freedom of Soviet 3-s were to be at the expense of the rights, the h-s and the land of the people of ‘the occupied territories. Me shall be ready to look at ptoposolo for further United Nations involvement to eme the present dangero&a tension in the occupied territories and beyond. HearMile, the British Government. calls upln Israel to respond urgently in two wayrr. First, Israel should exetciea the utnmt restraint in the occupied territnries, so a8 tm prevent further ions of life and the spread of violonse. It &ould go without saying that the Palestinians should exercise a corresmding aenae of responsibility. It le in the inbrest of neither el& for the differmow ktuem them ta be dmegned by further violence. Secondly, Xsrael aharld loove rapidly towards the cration of a Government able ad iietermined to take ths peats process forward. Only progress in this direction apuld begin b reeve the fru8trations and the anger of which the recent events are an all ta, tragic eymptcm. & a time when dialogue is helping to aahiem peaceful obange in so aany other parts of the world, particularly Eastern Europe and . . _ -L. - _-._. southern Bfricrr, It is qurre mlenwu3 tci acyra tiCat it L iiii*Gibh for the Israeli Governmnt to laeet a oredible and representative Palestinian &legation. I urge Israel to put this propaeitiar to the test, md to & it nw. The TGRESIDi!NTa I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for his kind vords addressed to me. The next speaker is Mr. Saoud Kohammad Al Gsaimi, Ministar of State of Rulait. I welcome him &d invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statearant. Mr. AL CBAIMI (Kuvait) (interpretation from Arabic) t I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to addtesa the Council as it discusses one of the most fmpxtant issues relating to peace and security in the Middle East. I also congratulate you tis you take the Council’s chair this month. Your wisdom and ability are a token of your great cagacity to lead this body. I also express my esteem for your country, Finland, with which my country has Close tie8 of friendship and mutual reepect. f also wish to thank your predecessor, the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, for the outstanding vay in which he guided the Gouncf1’s work last month. That the Security Council is having to meet outside Headquarters in Kew Yotk is in itself an event, an expression of the seriousness of a subject which has to be discussed and which cannot vaitr the Council’s refusal to accept the obstacles erected by the host country to the holdin of this debate. The host country’s reegoneibility under the Headquarters Agreesent ia clear , ana should not be given interpretation that serve domestic policy or reepond to preeoure. Therefore, Kuwait hoPes that in the future no obstacle will be erected to prevent the Security Ckwna5.l carrying out ite tasks under the Charter. The Security Council is meting here in Geneva to hear the iwpnntint, exhaustive etaWnent by the representative of Palestine, Mr. Yasser Arafat. President Arafat hae called upon the Council to face up to its historic resPonsibilL Lies. The Council hes been dealing with the problem of Palestine eince (Mr. Al OS lmi, Kuwait) it8 very beginning. Several reeolutions have been adopted relating to Certain aspecta of the problem on the basis of the historic role played by the Organieation in the Palestinian problem. Unfortunately, the reaolutions have not been implemented and the problem is still unresolved. Far from it? the problem ha8 worsened 8s the brutality and acts of atrocity committed by Israel have grown. The criraea perpetrated by Israel, the occurring Pwer, and the escalation of perreeeuti4n are merely links in a &ole chain of Israeli policies intended to eliminate the Palest.inian Rople, deprive it of its right to its homeland and usurp itra righti to the rest of its territory, thus creating despair in the hearts of the inhabitanta of the Wrritory and achieving its aim of expansion at the expense of the Palestinian people. The State of Kuwait believes that the crime perpetratea last Sunday and paat and present crimes are part of the policy of state terrorism end aggression based on blind hatred and out-and-out racism adopted by Israel. These Israeli practices have not achieved theit aims. Furthermore, the Palestinian people under occupation began the intifadah, naw in its third year, which ie now more powerful, and the people are more resolved to achieve victory. The intifid& hae gained the support of the Palestinians, the Arabe and the whole international community, which will eneure that it maintains its strength until its legitimate, recognised goal ie achieved - freedom for the Palestinian people from the yoke of Ieraeli ocmqation and the creaticm of km independent State, whose capital wi 11 be Jerusalem. The whole world believes that the eXM%rbation of i&-n practicea by ferael - murder, breaking of bones - --..m.*I4M UA , aestruGLicin Oi iiGi.ES, ~dbpu~~--.. --- indiecrimeti crinr3s against w-n, children and old people, actions intended to de&my everything Palestinian - mean that fsrael ie ncsd trying W put an end to (Mr. Al Osahi, Kuwait) thn gloriaurn intifadab, uhich can be eeen &8 a hiotoric challenge to Israel and its policy QE sxpaneion at the expense of the Palertinian paople, by replacing the Faleotinian people with Jewish clettle-ss. The intifadah reminds the whole world of the truth tbat it is illegal to confiscate territory by force or to expel a people Prom its homeland. (Hr. Al-Oeaimi, Kuwait) Thus we 5814 it as the role of the international community in general, and the Security Council in particular , to assum responsibility in accordance with the Chert.er and international law. That responsibility regu free that Pacael be forced fully to withdraw from the West Bank, Qza, the Holy City of Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Arab territories. Until that withdrawal has been completed, the Security CQunc?il*s responsibility can be sumarized as follows. First, it should con&m and oppose them practices, which cmstitute a violation of human rights and international insttumonts, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention, of 1949. Secondly, it should invite the Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Conventicm to comply with its provisions in all circumtitances~ if the occupying authority refuses to do 80, the other patties have the right to take all necesserry measures to enaute the Convention% application in accordance with international law. Thirdly, it should ensure international protection of the population of the ocCupied territories under United Nations auspices thrarqh the &plOY=nt Of United Nations forces and observer& The General Assembly has already adopted several refiolutiom to that effect, the latest of which is it8 resolution 44/% of 6 October 1989. Fourthly, there should be an immdiate cessation of the establishraent of settlements in the occupied Arab territories, and all colonies already established should be considered illegal and dismantled. Pifthly, Israel must be brought to respect the security Counoii’e &&&ii G send representatives to the occupied territories and should create ID further obetaclee ta the accomplishfaent of its tasks. The latest slaughter committed by Israel took place at a time when the Palestinian cause was witnessing a regrettable event: the flow of emigrants (Mr. Al-Osaimi, Kuwait) from the Soviet Union and their installaticln in the occupied territories. The recent international develownts that led to the emigration of soviet Jews to Israel and their establishment in the occupied Arab territories, including the HO1.y City of Jerusalem, present a serioue threat not only to the security and integrity of the Palestinian people but also to the security of the entire Arab world. Worst of all, these events are occurring under the pretext of *human rights”, but the international conscience re jacts that pretext, which disregard the rights of the Palestinian people to life and to live on its ancestors’ territory. The establishment of Jewish settlers in occupied Palestinian territories constitutes destruction of the peace process and threatens all the efforts mede so far to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. The members of the Council, in particular its permanent members, must, in aazordance with their responsibilities, ensure world peace and security. They must exert pressure on Israel to bring it to stop the eetablishkmnt of settlements in the occupied Arab territories and to refrain from providing material aid or aid-in-kind for those settleasente, because any change in the demographic situation in the occupied Arab territories is null and void and in profound contradictian of Israel’s obligations as an occupying PaJer . The Palestinian struggle, like all moveraents in defence of inalienable rights throughout history, aims, through the creation of an independent State, to help to spread and consolidate peaceI which is &y, on 15 November 1988, the Palestinian people, throu$) its National Council, on the basis of Security Council resolutions GEd ?ii~riEi~~OX~ :a%, S&e& i’rEi hiizithtive, apprw&i by aii Arab States, faking account of the ilemands of the international community. That initiative did not find a sympathetic ear in Israel, which did all it could to ensure its failure and (Eir. Al-Oeaimi, Kuwait) definitively to annex Palestinian territories and to ensure their Judaization through the massive inflow of Soviet Jewish immigrant5 in the future. Israel’s intention is to act as a nucleus for a Zionist project and not as a State with reoognized frontiers. The intesnational community must through the Security Council put an end to these grave expansionist projects, which threaten peace and security in the region. Peace can be achieved only if the Palestinian people acquites its legitimate rights, and first and foreraost the right to create an independent State on its territories before it is too late, taking the path sketched out in United Nations resolutions, includirrg those on the holding of an international oonference for peace in the Middle East with the participation of all the parties concerned, including the Falestine Liberation Organisation and the State of Palestine. The world is now reaping the fruits of a certain easing of tension and the peaceful ssttlement of difficult regional issues, the latest of whfh was the Namibia issue. It is a pity that that easing of tension has not affected our region. And, as we congratulate the people of Namibia on their independence@ achieved with United Nation5 assistance, we feel that that practical example can be seen as a possible formula for the occupied Arab territories. It is the Security Cilrrncil’s role U, take up its responsibilities. We must work together to ensure that the 1990s see the beginning of the return of rights to those to whom they rightly belong, and peace prevailing in the indapendent State of Palestine. The FRRSIURRTr f thank the Kinieter of State of Kuwait for the kind .-.@A,. (rr rAT%rrramQ 8.A -- “V.“O ..” Y--“..-w.- -- .-- Mr. RIVAS FQ3ADA (~lombia) (interpretation from Spanish): At the outset I should like to exprew my delegation’s satisfaction at seeing you, Sit, presiding over our deliberations, which under your expert guidance will oettainly achieve all the objectives we seek. (Mr. Rivas Fosada, ~lcmkbia) It is with profound dismay aad concern that we are attendiw this meting Of the Security Council devoted to consideration of the situation abtaining in the cmcupied Falestinim tetritorieo, which hae deteriorated gravely because of the repercussions of the recent act perpetratea by a man who supposedly is mentally ill. Ihis chilling adt ccmpels LB to reject the my in which Popular discontent has been ougpressed. Behind this tragic developnmat can clearly be seen the evolution of the couflict that has lasted for more than 42 years and continues to demand a just and lasting solution. cola&in is proud of its balanced stand on the Arab-Israeli problem. It recognises Israel’s sight to live within secure and internationally recognized bowdsrierr, free from threats and acts of force. By the same token, it supports the aspiration of the Paleetinian people to establish their own State in the region and to Betermine their ewn Beetiny. (Mr. Rive3 Pcnada, Golcmbia) Bcwever, we are aware how often acts of violence succeed each other in the occupied territories and the apparent indifference with tiich the State of Israel hae received the repeated appeal of the iuternatianal commmity to apply in the occupied Palestinian territories the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Tim of War and the ccmtinuatim of practices and policies parmtrated by that State against the civilian popialation, violating their fundmental rights and freedom and the basic principles of intetnaticmal law. The XSraali authorities have so far not been able to guarantee any restraint of their 8ecurity forces. The State of Israel nust be aware of the political nature of the uprising in the occupied territories and the need to handle it as such. The way in which it is currently trying to amtrol the uprising has dmerved universal rejection, and ecarcely favoure the creation of the necessary climate of canfidence which will make a solution to the pm&lens puseible, within the framework of negotiations ubcee peramtexs have already been defined by the internatiaaal cmmnity~ The bvermmnt of colmbia profoundly regret8 the nw escalation of violence, the reptessiar carried out by the Israeli anay, and, particulerly, the kcic of a true p0litiCal dacieion in take a dacisive step towards an effective peaoe proceee that will perdt the Palestinian people to satisfy their raaet cherished aspirations. Cdanbia has repeatedly ergteased its opposition tm the policy of eettlenmta in the occupied territories. WhLTe not dieregarding the right of the &wish people to settle on Israeli territory, we regard it as inconceivable that the Israeli QUthoritieS should continue to aiiae ti% fLiw at 5ez L-V.C.- -- -. A--t---k In pokkle in the occupied territories, with the serious ameequemee that that entails for the dmmgraphic caapcaitiar of thoee aress. The VariOtEI faC53ts Of th8 WnfliCt md it8 Wmplexity demand imt&iate action by the internaticmal commmity to have Sorael eccxtpt the convening of an international conference on peace in the Middle East, under Wited EIntions auspices, with the participation, in addition to that of the permanent imsbers of the Security Council, of all the parties involved, including the Palestine Liberation Organization (PUN, as the legitimte representative of the Palestinian people. We reaffirm here our amviction that moderation UI the part of the Israeli security force8, faced with the mrnmaent of the Palestinians in support Of their claims, is indispensable to favour the atmosphere of confidence and goOd will with wi-dch one should come to the negotiating table. The ESESIDEXUT: I: thank the representative of CdLmbk for his kind words aBdress.4 t;o rye. The next speaker is the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Israel, Ms* Benjsmfn Netanyshu. f welcome him and invite him to take a seat at the Council table and t0 make his statenmnt. Mr. CSETANWKJ (Israel) t Israel believes there is tu) justification for the convening of this special meeting of the Security Council. We say that for four re35ons. First, the tinctl was convened not to advmce peace and setnrity, but to retard itt it was convened to inflame passions and to incite violence. That that is 80 is readily demonstrable by examining the different attitudes of Xsrael and #IS At& sib to the attacks on Jews. Xt ie instructive ta compare the Arab reeponses to attacks on Arabs. f b+m *ith cue rwe~t ezqzi:eie. X Zi4 &,iriiiri we have had many, many example8 of attacks by Arab-e on Jews, but I will cite two recent bus attacks. The first was a horrific incident in which bus ND. 405 en route to Jerusalem from ‘M Aviv was sidetracked into a ravine of death by a Palestinim who knifed the driver. Sixteen people died in horrible agony - innocent passenger8 - and 25 wete woun&d, all J-s. (Mr. Wetanyahu, Israel) The second incident a few mcnths later was in Ismail is in Egypt I where an Israeli tourist bus was attacked by two Palestinian qunmsn who riddled the bus with bullets. I stood at the foot of the aeroplane that brarght back the bodies. I shall apare the Council a description. Seventeen others were wcunded soxm terribly - all Jews. What was Israel’s response to those outragecus massacres? Did we call for revenge? Perhaps we exhorted our population, our citizens, to riot against the Arabs in their midst. No, we did not1 we did nothing of the kind. We called for restra ht. We said again and again and again that the solitary actions - in the case of bus WO. 405 - of a single Arab lnadman did not reflect on the entire Arab community. fn the other caeer when it was not a question of madness - I am not sure that it was in the first case either, but that is not the point - when it was clear that the two killers were sent as emissaries of a terror organisation, there was again reetraint. Those calls worked. There was no violence, no revenge. What was the Arab response to thcsse Sam4 massacres8 Arabs killing Jews? The PID hailed the killers as heroes and it promised ar the PII) radio from Baghdad and other PI& voices more such heroic actions. That was met with frenzied approval from must Arab capitals. In undertones more applicable for the West? F&tan Abu Sharff said “This is a natural human reaction to deprivation and oppresoion. In any case there will be mOre.” So such for restraint. Perhaps we should askr What about justice, what about bringing any of thase killers to justice? On the contrary, they are not br61~qht ‘;r f-ust?ce; they QLti a hsvenr they are prmted. Sam amber8 of the Council were present and will reo&er than we dimzueaed the Achille Lauro cruiseship aurdsr. I remind thase with abort memories that that was a killing of a retfred old man in a uhealchaft, Ee WM first Purdered and then thrarn overboard8 to the glee of hie killers. The mstermind of that outrageI a aan callad Abu Abbes, was convicted in an Italic court of the aurder. What hapesnad to him? Be vas elevated in his position in the MI) &eautive Comittee. Xe now serves as Yasser Arafat’s right-hand man. I euppoua if Arafat bad mare hands he would be even cloeer. They talk about justice, except for umrdarerm in wit. There is me grim fact that emerges about justice in the -tire history of the Atab-IsPaelf conflict over many decades not a single Arab tetzntociet killer of Jews hPe ever bean beatght to trial or puuiahed by en official Arab body ot Government. That ia what haPPen when Arabs kill Jaue. Now let ua see what haPpen when a Jew kill6 Arabs. Xet us emmine the tvo reaotion0. “Unfortunately these thinga happen., Pte@i&nt Mubarak said after m IQyptian roldier went berserk in Ras Burka &td gunned down Ssraeli tourietp. Vbey oannot reflect on the entire aountry.’ Se was right. Qtey do hapPen. Vhey happen in the Chitid States, Britain, ana probably, I am afraid, in nmy of the other countriee reprasenlsed here taday. %ey seldon happen in lerael. I am hard preaaeil to find ouch e%aaplea in our history, but it did haagen last week - once. What wa0 rsur reapmae, when a eolitary laad individual want batsark and killad these ineoeant people? f3ia w say Wmt WM 1 nrturrl key *-date t!! :kk ---s-w. Of siege that the Arabs have foraad upon us , to the five ware they launahed again&& u& to the 15,000 Israelis they have killed that nar taake Iotael on9 big bereaved faraily”? Of course not. (Mr. Wetanvahu, Israel) What we aaid ie what we felt. We felt shock. We felt revulsion. Wa felt grief. We fel;: sympathy for the victim of this horror. The leaders of Israel, the President, the Prim Minieter, every one of them expressed shock. Mr. Shamfr said “This is a criminal act, a shacking act of lunacy.” Ife said “I am saddened tbat innocent people were killear murderea , through m fault of their own. We cammt allow this act to transpire ever again axong us.. We apprehended the Criminal immdiately, and we will bring him to justice. That was the Government’8 reaction. What abcut the reaction of the people of Israel? It was shock, gcief, revulsion, sympathy, yes, but also throngs flockfry to hospital& calling hoepital.8, donating blood to help the Arab victims. Wbat about the Arab reaction? What was a day of tragedy for so many people around the world was a day of joy for 6omzr a day of opportunity for the PII), for many Arab re’ginrers. Eke was a chmze not to reject vialesrae but bo foment it, not to restrain it but to incite it, Yweet Aiafat aaid “Here is au opportunity to u3e this incident 8s a new starting-point, aa a new eecahtion” - end they have says. Qie Palestinian population w&8 toldr %rael wau behind this. Israel orgautaed this maw killinq: I think the Ambasea%or of Bahrain pretty cm& used tha same language when he asked that this meting be convened. Many Palestinians believed this nonsen8er thie prepaeteroue PLD aanaed. They took to the streets and attack& Ieraeli care with Holotcv cocktail8 and rocks. I should be specific about the rocks. They were not as mall e~9 this ashtray I am ilOlding upr but three time63 aa big. - * 1 t&k56 tG ‘rh Ciither 02 P cyy. -..- --- ~-..---.-a**-1 A ahild, Ahikam Simon %v. They were tiding in a car when a small boulder three time as big a8 this ashtray went through the reinforced windshield, hit the fourmth-18 child cn the head and cracked hi8 skull. Babies on both aides are hurt. (Mr. Netauyahu, Xsraal) They attaeked with Molotov cocktails ma boulders and then embarked OEl a rampage of burning and rioting. We moved in, as we had to, as is our right, our obligation, under international law, to restore Order. Inevitably men One does that a number of casualties ensue and, as often happens in riots, ~IORIQ innocent bystanders are hurt as well. We deeply regret the lose of any innocent lives, Arab or Jewish. But I must tell the Council that the PLO for iu Part Prayed for this blood the way a ferMr prays for rain after a long drought, because the intifadah has been dying out, or more precisely it has been turning cm itself. In the past eix montlm as all responsible international bodies, including those very critical of Israel, report, two thirds of the casualties and fatalities caused iu the intifadah were not caused by Israeli troops, in confrcmtations of Palestinians with Israeli troops8 but by PU2 death squads, with the PI.43 murderi~ the very people it purports to represent - nurses, doctors, teachers, pregnant wcaren. They are not shot in the head or neck. Their heads are lopped off and rolled so that everybody can see thmn in the aUeYs of the bazaars in Nablus. To fuel the m, to fuel the world-i& media campaign against Israel, to fuel the political and other warfare againat the Jewish Stab, the PEO nse& Arab blood shed by Jews, and the &xe blood the better, enough blaed to inflam passioru in the territories, to energize the international Arab front against Israel and to convene this sorry spectacle here today in Geneva. Having incited, prcmted, famed the violence, epreadiug it 8~3 far 88 --4LIrw---yLoI the =o,” iisi he the iieauriiy Gwncii cxmveneki to conckn IsraeI for putting it down. It8 convening will of course foment more ~iolena3~ beeau5e there can be only one m&wage TV the pergetratore of violence fran such a i-meting. That k the first re@xn why these meetingr should not km taking Plscatl the Security Council should not assist in the incitewent of violence. (Mr. Netanyahu, Israel.) There is, however, a second reason. St is that this mating is a transparent attmpt to violate international law and more precisely to encroach ~1 Israel’s rfghtr duty md tesponsibili ty to govern the territories. The Fourth Geneva bsrvsntion ia absolu+~Ay explicit about that. I hear call8 in the Council EOE cbaervers, and the amsertiar is that Israel has not acted with euffioient reStrafnt in putting down the violence. I want to exa~~ine that preposition. In the face of severe PDb violence, in tin3 face of the loass riots, the number of fatalities in the past few day8 hm been respectively 6, 4, 0, 0, and 2. Each lace of life is tragicr hut we should ask bar it caupares with the record of other countries. (Mr. Uetanyahu, Israel) records, but if he does mt P will cite mm examples of hew Jordan puts Qwn vicllenoe. ft did not have an intffadah, but I shall give exsmplcs of how It addm3sed the pr&lem of dioturbmoas in the very tertritoriea In question uhen it ruled them fat 19 years* In October 1954, in two days, the Jordanian for-6 killed 90 end vounded 117. On 24 April 1963 they killed 12 and wounded 185. On 22 November 1966 they killed and wounded 50. I do not recall anyone - since it was in 1966 I guess the PLC) could have been anyone - asking for the Security Council to be convened and for observers to be sent. In the early 1980s various PXQ factions engaged In an intramuralslaughtee, slaughtering thousands of Palestinians. There was no call for convening the Council or of sending observers. Nor do X remPber any call to oonvene the &unctl in 1982, when Syria in are afternoon killed over 10,000 in Ham. Nor do f recall a request to convene the c#moil in l9988r when Algerie put down its awn version of the intifadah, killing 500 in cae day. We do not want to be cornpam to the Arab Governments. After all, they are dictator5hips. We want to be ccinpared to the dmmcracies where we belang So the question is how the democracies of North ard South America, Europe and Asia &al with their cmfrart5tion5. They have had ethnic strife, secaasionist RouemntsI raaial vlolenoa. What have they done when it broke out fn their major &tier and -*br* n,rru -A r-.1-1-.-- -L-.- - - -W.-w w-ran ma.” .-cyruurr ULLTrnee. i am not iure I uan’c to speii OUt every example or to give any by nane, but the lPe&ers of the Council kncrw them. There are cams am the dmmctaciea in which these outbreaks of violence have been put Qwn with a casualty and fatality toll that exceeded in me day the total fatalities of the ia in two and one half years. There is a conflict right (Hr. Netanyahu, Israel) nar in l dimpubd torrit~~ involving a dsmcraqp in kia. A total of 4 60 pcloPle have died 8inca the beginning of the ywar‘ with 60 iu me day a few days ago. In Atria yesterday 50 students were gunned down. There was no call for the 8eCUritY CsMcil eo met. Thor4 was no call for obeemera to be sent. So it appaars that we are dealing here with three sets of standards by which to juctge ooun tr iea - one for the Arab dh?tator8hipa, a seooud for democractea d yet a third, mique, otandard for Israel. Wellr meshare of the Cumcil, I wish to iufom you that Israel is prepared to be held to a higher standard, but not to a double standard, and certainly not to a triple seandard. Why have the Arab6 asked to have observers brought in? They say they want to oroteut the PalestAnian population. Pmtect them fra, whoa? L3et yoar’8 toll brought to 216 the total Palestinians that they themselves have killed. Is that what they want obrremere for - to proteat the Paleatiniaus againat the PIID? They say they want to introduce oboervere to mmitot events, to see that thkgs are taken 084~8 of, m it the territorfae laak oheervers. There are thouaauds of newsmnr cmmra crewa reprtare aa well as hundreds of politiciana, aenatora, diplomts, perham mmbere of this audience here as well, either aaering or regularly visiting these brrikorfa. Qually, the Palestinian gopllation is Lroo to oatgrem itrr grievmaes, at new aonferenoes and in newspapate = I think there are em &am papers that, of ~durse, did not es&et under dordanian rule. There aro endless briefings to the lsdia and even before the Xcrad krPre= hurt. f&e of thie @tieQad before 1967, betire the Israeli “omreseionm. Thte met ho tb most reported, th wt obmermd, tb m&t raaritored gStQ, of earth sryaheret so it dueo uot need additional dmervers, although we never atop privaate individuals ming. (Mr. Netanyahu, Israel) So what is the real call, the teal reamor behind this attempt to bring in, to insert, United Nations observers? It is to usurp our rights aud duties wclet international law as the responsible governing Eower in the territories. The Fourth Geneva Convention specifically authotizes the <;overning Fwer to maintain orderly government of the terrttorim and to ensure the security of its forces, their facilities and their lines of communication”. Those powers are given exclusively to the governing authority and no one else. As fog’ observers, there is no precedent that we knw of for sending them to help protect the civilian population in internal disputes or in what are tetaad occupied te f: r itor ies . If observers have been sent in at all it ha8 been bD supervise an armistice or peace agreement that has already been conc&.~ded and 4th the mutual wnsent of all parties amcerned. Ncoe of this applies here. The only remit of introducing United bations observers would be to provide the professional inciter6 with yet an additional incentive and focuo to praaote and provoke violenae, and it would encode international precedent and international law. That ie the seoond reamn the Council should reject this idea. But if it Qee not terse1 will. There ie a third reason the Council should not convener and I euggrose we are indebted to the PID for araking it 80 eminently cleat. It L that it asrvea as a Bpringhoard for total war on Jewish immigration. I note that they talk of the territotfes. That ie what ccmcerm themr the territories, they say heret in the Ad? uorld they say e-thing else. Here, they eay~ We are not against iZ&graticm to fsraei , only to the territories , because Israel ie directing this human tide into the territories, displaoing Arabs, Paleotiniane, destabilizing Jordan” and, we are told, even from more responsible quarters in the Arab world, “This will lea6 to war.” It ie remarkable. I heard here a statemnt that no land is left in Israel and only Falastinian lands are left and that is where the Soviet (Mr. Netanyuhu, Israel) iemigrant ata going. Where are they going? Ninety-nine and a half per cent - actually a little mre, if one can believe it - are going to the gPaleetinion territories’ of Tel Aviv, baifa, Jerusalem and Beereheba - all within the green line. If the Counell wants to kmw the precise magnitude - how many - have CraseeB the green line, the great engulfment into Judea, Samariar the West Pa* ad %zar 1 can say that it comes to a gtmd total of 200. This is nonsense# but it is dangerourc noneense. It is al50 purposeful nonsense. If the Council wants to knw the purmse, the PLC will tell it - but not in Geneva. It will say this, for example, in Al tiialla, a Saudi newspapefr on 13 March this year - here I quote Abu &x&in, a mnber of the Pu) kecutive %mmittee and of the Fatah Central CommLttecrt ‘When Israel began the number of its residents was 609,000. f am sure that had the number remined as it was in the past Israel would not have been able to last until llQi* The immigration for Israel is like an important artery connecbd to a man’s heart. It nourishes Israel in its econmyr its soldiers* its workers and its fafmrs.” l?felchz.ly. That is *y this war again& imigration in lawched, not war against the teffitofiesr but wer against immigraticm to Israel. By the way, it is not newt it began in 1922, when the Arabs sent a delegation to Churchill, who threw t&m cut, and cartinued in 1936, whar they started Arab rlota, and then in the 19508 and again in 1982, when they had a resolution pasaed in the United W&ions against iimigratim to iefaei. in none of &a -- --- -- -m-e- LA-ra brr4- mu\cimcaa, cncx3e CiuDrzI loFlicl COL*L-“L--=- -___ -- __. (Mr e Netanvahu, Xerael) Then in bgust 1989 in the Patah conference they formad a special coumittee to organixe the war against ix&ration. Not a word about territories. They have learned that they canhot talk like that to the civilised world, so they cooked u? this canard. But they will fight, because they are fighting a war against Xsrael’s very existence and its tight, like that of any other sovereign nation, to accept people, to absorb people, and they will use other mm& They threaten to. Yaeser Arafat eaya this in Al Majallar Wret, I want to say clearly, open fire on the new Jewish inmigrants, be they Soviet, falashae 01 anything else. 1 want you to shoot m tin ground or in the air, it sakes no difference if they live in Jaffa or in Jericho. X give ycu explicit tmtructiom to open fire. * That was on 10 April, just a few weeks ago. It so happens that they do not live in Jericho, but they Bo live in Jaf fa. The PI& has just called here for the right of return. By that it mans the fluoding of Jaffa, Acre, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with millions of Palestiniane sworn to lerael’e tSeettcuctfon, tso they say. What they went is BO prevent Israel from exe&sing ite sovereign right6 and to bring about our diesolutiar through their dexogtaphic engulfmnt. At one time that CsPlgaign 0ucceeded~ because frcm 1936 through 1939 the cmpaign to block Jewish imigration suaceeded. The great Powers gave in and there was no Jewish &ate and those Jews went up in emke - they did not rise in Ierael - in Auschwitz and Treblinka. But there is a Jewish State today ml there ate reeponeible Govermants represented here that should know the difference, that should have learned the lessen of hietory. We will atma up and ihsiet bm the support of all responsible Governmiants and the right of every Jew to corn to the Jewish homeland. (Mr. Netanyahu, fatael) This campaign m immigrationr I have said, is beitq touted as a pretext for MI. This brings m to my fourth and final reason why the Council should not ba convened - because it is a pkeluda to a war council that will meet next week in Baghdad. It will bs an Arab summit, convened at the behest of and with the Patramge of Saddam Hussein, who the other day promised ti incinerate half of Israel - by the wayr to the wild applause of most Arab capitals and especially the iucmt fervent aplplause from none other than Yasset Xrafat, who said ‘%a will liberate Jerusalsra with the aid of the Xraqi R1 Abid misSilema Make m mistake about it: there are run3;lings of war in Baghaaa. On 8 *Y Saddam Hussein’s Foreign Hinieter saidr “war with Israel is imvitable. Xpaq wpeute the &yptian Amy to join it within two weeks.” ais DepIty Prime Minister said cn 19 Msyt “I haven’t the slightset cbubt that thie will man the end of the existence of Israel. ” And Saddam Huaaein haa aalled fat an matern fret, using the territol:ieo of Qtia >d Jordm to enable the Itqie o 90 division ts enter into battle with Israel. On 23 May Arafat spekeeinan Al-Hasan agreed that an aaatepn ftant wa8 a BTX) objective, and offered to enlist 3ytk*s auppott to join it. Sorae peace! 8ome change: Soins &%ente! The change is a tactical one - what OM be said heto, but nat what goes QI there. So we have four reasons @ rejeut this Council meting. It is an invi~tion to incite violence. It is a uhaAienge to international t*o xt :e ppzt z!! 2 ---- b&&L1 war against Jwish imigtation and it is a prelude to a war council. In the face of these four challenges the Semurity Counoil should Bo three thinge. First, it shcmld send a cleat mssage to the dictators. The international (Hr. Netanyahu, Israel 1 community, emecially the d3mcfaciear has a tragic record in dealing with such dictatore. They should not be assuaged. They should not he appeased. They should be stopped. gentlemen of the Security Council, are you stopping them? What is the message YOU are eanding to Baghdad? What is wming out of this meting? Are you going to encourage them or discourage them? If yau bring Israel into the dock on these preposterous charges, what effect do you think you will have on the trend towards peace or the trend towards war in the Middle East? That is what you will have to vota onr and nothing else. The second thing we should do in these halls is to ineiat on the truth, because a peace baaed en lies will not hold. Arafat talked about peace here. He talked about it today and he talked about it over a year: ago, when he made tiat was terned his famous breakthrough towards peace. That is, of cour6eI what he says here, but we lietin to what he saya over there, and an 1 May, three weeks ago, he &aid thie to the Libyan news agency8 ,The Paleetinian people’s struggle ought to be aseiated until the complete liberation of Palestine from the river to the ma. We will fight until the last bullet, until the last drap of blood.“ That ia the PI0 No. 1. What dloes Rob. 2 say? That is Abu Iyad. In Al-&bar Kuwait, on 16 December 1988, after the grand epeataale here in Geneva, he eaid8 “At first a small State, and with the help of Allah, it will be arade large and expand to the eaetr west, north and south, I am interestid in the liberaticm of Pale8tine etap by atea. a lakrb. AnAm UA -e-m- -we ‘W. ;? - ub-ah. P&CGiik Q&&jumi - say? Gn 5 April 1989, again after the famous breakthrough for peace, this tims uncharacteristically QI the BBC - in fact, the only quotation that i have here , and I have many, that was broadceet by the 00C, but cn the BBC Arabic Service - he Bait3 this in Arabic 8 (Mr. Netanyahu, Israel) “The recovery of but a part of our soil will not cause u9 to forsake OUT Palestinian land. We shall pitch cur tents in those places which cur bulleps can reach. Those tents shall then form the base from which we shall later pursue the next phase, and the next phase and the next phase.* And then there are scme lowly officials. One, for example, Faruk Natshi, the ~~ representative in Saudi hrabia, a nmber of the Fatah, explained what the difference is between the Fatah and the fundamentalists, HRHAS, as followst “SkMAS says all of Palestine is ours and we want to Liberate it ftcm the river to the sea in one go.’ But Fatah, which leads the PLO, “feels that a phased plan ratst be pursued. Roth sides agree on the final objective. The difference between them is the way to get there. ” I think Atafat sumraed it up best when he said on 2 January to the Saudi news agencyt “The Pfb of fera not the peace of the weak but the peace of Saladin.” For these uninitiated I explain that in 1192 Saladin could not defeat the Crusaders, so he made a peace treaty with them and then massed his foraee and ehortly thereafter drove them out of the Holy Land. We do not want the peace of Saladin) we do not want the peace of the grave8 we want peace. So much for Arafat the peacemaker. I cannot possibly leave this point without dealing with Arafat the cartographer. Hs produced a coin. f invite anyone intereeted to look at the coin. It has an engraving of an ancient symbol with w ancient background. I doubt very much they had cartographers at that time. This IUBnOrah dates from the period of the Second Temple, roughly two millenia ago. I am not sure they knov the outlines of the Middle East at that time- (Mr. Netanyahu, Israel) Xf you look closely, Mr. President* you will have to exercise not Only extraordinary eyesight but extraordinary powers of imagination and a capacity to leave fact and enter the realm of high fancy. This is a joke. But here is something that is not a joke. If we are &aling wfth a laapr here is a map. It is cm tbs cover page of Arafat’s speech delivered here today at the United Nations. There irr a symbol here. It is mall, so I wish to enlarge it. Here 4.e m exlargement of what the Pu) tapes cm its masthead. It includes the ticritory, as Arafet said so often, “between the river aud the sea. - the West Bank and Gaaa, Bure, but everything in between, toor Palestine, in their term& Israel - Paifa, Jaffa, Tel. Aviv, Jerusalem. Since the Council tight think there is a differeme between the nroderateo and the radicals, as we are often told, I ham produced here the mPs and the matbeads of everyone in the PIl), all the amstituent factions. They all carry the 5am aam- &XBB of them, like the Fatah, have croesed rifles and blood and fire. SOW Of thm, like the PPLP, include aleo the map of Jordan, with ~1 arcbeginning with Jordan and then panetrating the sea as a second stage. It ie un&m&mlable that ammg friends thete will be differenms QI hto achieve the organizatianal objective, but the objective renrairrr tho samer Wh tever the namer the aim is the aam. If Mr. Aoafat &es not want to rerad his wn etationery he can look at the blue patch on his shoulder. Here it is enlarged for your benefit, gentlemen. It inoludee all of Israel. We do not need anaient coins and babblings. We need fact& If we are tp have real peace* we need truth. It must have a foundstim of fact. Qur thira ena final suggestion is that this ixxly support the real forces of peace. That begins with an understanding of what producee peace and what ti the relationehip between peace and violence in the #iadle Ea6t. We are often told that (Mr. Netanyahu, Xsrael) the absence of progress towards peacxl produces the violence. It is understandable that people IBS~ think that way. But in the Middle East it is often the oppositee, it is oftar that the presence of violence prevents progress towards peace. It is true whether are is dealing with Saddam Hussein, Qadaffi, or Assad, who threabned Arab leaders and Gwernments that might by disposed towards peace. It is equally true of the PIA and IWAS and their campaign of murder against Palestinians who would take up our psacs plan, because we believed there is a different track that can be follc~ed. We believe there is an option for peace. We are committed to it. we have presented it. It relies ar tm foundations. The first is non-belligerency pacts between us and the Arab States. The Arab States are going to Baghdnd. I challenge them to make a statement there. I ask them thisa say that you will resolve ylaur conflict with Israel, nor: by military means, but by Political ones - no concessions, except a concessiar to deal politically and not Secondly, we have offered a path towards a political solution between us and the Palestinian Arabs in the territories of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. We have includsd free elections, the rehabilitation of eefugee camps and a period of autonomy followed by negotiations over the final status of these territories. Peaoe with Arab States? Yes. Repirations of the Palestinians? Yes. But thcae that can b eicmmmdated and the existence of Israel, but the nullification of i ta &steno3 is not one sudr aspiration. We stand by our peace plan, and a new Government, when it is formad, will PurelIe it. We want to make peace with cmr enemies. But we can &I SO not with thwe who use the words of peao~ for the purposes of war, but with those who genuinely want peaa3. This is our iwst fervent Bream. It is aw deepest hope. It is our mbst (Hr. Netanvahu, Israel) sacrificed for pwceI that has yearned for peace more than tha people of f steal. We ate prepared to grasp the hand of any Arab who shares in that equal vision. And &mu such Arabs muster the courage to grasp our hand in return, whsr they summon the will to resist the war cries of the Saddam Iiussefns, the Qadaffis aud the Arafats sf this world, then we may expect Arabs and Israelis alike to see the millenium visiar of the prophet Isaiah materialize in our cwn time, in our mm days. Mr. RAZALI (Malaysia) r Even though we are in the final week of Msyr Sir, slay I offer you felicitations over your presidency. You have deumnstrated Ln the first three weeks of this month your able stewardship of this Council and, given the aoqelling reascns that have brought the Council bz~ Ganeva, we are fortunate io have you as President. I should also 1 ike to take this opportmity to express my delegation’s appreciation TV yrour predecessor, Ambassador TadBsse, Rmmnemt ~preseutative of Ethiopia, for the eutstarding way he managed the Ccxmcil’s work during &ril. f wish also to take this opportunity to a>ngratulste my oolleague frm the Paapublic Of %msn an the birth of the Republic, a merging of two halves, a salutary example of reaondliation. Sf I my depart fran my prepared baxt, I cannot help but try to respond in 6Om measure to what the representative of Israel has just said. P am sure others uill do so a6 well. What stagger8 m ie his inability t0 uuderstend the eseems of the mtter and the obsessive, single track approach to the Problem. It is 819 if everybOdy else is the bad guy and anly Iarael is the good guy. The fact is that there is no Arab country trampling wer Ieraeli lander there are no Arab settlements in any Part of Israelf there are no Jeas incarcerated in Arab territoriese, but there are Palestinians subjugated by t!!e Israeli army in occupied territories belonging to Paleetine. (Mr. Razali, Malayek) The bottxm line is that Israel has no right to be there, no tight to set up aettltments there@ no right to flood the occupied territories with Jewish migraticm. Tha bottcm line is that Israel &xould pack up md leave, make peace a\d live in safew and hanour with it8 neighbours. Iet the Palestinians have their lads iit3a become a natim. &tt meeting in Geneva is inndeed historic, if not least for the peastm that it has given u3 the opportmity to listen for tha first tima to m important statement by the leader of the Palestinian geople, President Y&seer AraSat. That this meting is being held away fca Wted Rtions Headquarters tndem%WzS the 9cqortance that the Council attaches 4~ t-he issue uniher discussion. (Mr. Raaali, Malaysia) We are gathered here to consider the latest ccmplaint againat Israel and the plight of the hapless Palestinians, in the wake of the brutal msfssacro on 20 May of 6evan innocent Palestinians, and to consider the brutal actiar taken by the Israeli authorities to Put down the spontaneous shcw of protest by the Palestinians both in Israel am3 in the =cupiea tettitofies. That the slaying QcCUrEed eV6fh *a the Council has still not completed its consideration of the iaaue of the immigration of Soviet Jews has given au d3ea dimension and added urgency to the tiuucil’@~ work, highlighting again the gravity of the situation. Clearly, thie latest incident is further proof of the bankruptcy of Xeraol’e policies and PraCtiCerJ in tho occupied territories. The Maleyeian delegation mndesms the killinqe and the brutal actions of Israel, following the incident, in Xsrael and the oacupied territoriee. The killing of seven Palestinians cannot be considered aa an isolated incident. It ham to be 81em In the context of the culture of violame and 13limte of hatred in Lerael. Not only one man ie dement%d~ the incident is symptomatic of a larger cmlaise, spawned by Ioraelf policies of hatred, racfsa and entremiun - all at the entgense of Palestinians who, despite heroic reeietanao and tho intifadah, aontinua to be beymd the reach of international protection. Responsibility met alao ba placed on &me who oonduct a continuous poliw of aPpea8-M and 0~ thme that provide blind eupport for Xerael and its flagrant disregard of all offorte to estebliah durable geaoe in the region. fsrael*s policies and practices in the oaaupied territoriee have been well documented by observers*. The documenta include reports on human rights ofobtion@ published by the Unitea State6 Repartrnent of State and Rianesty Pntornational. Amnesty International, for instance, has catalogued a long liet of abuses, whiuh include indiacriminats use of firepower and aephyxiating gaer beating8 and the (Hr. Pazali, Malavaia) curSewi~ and closures of homes and educational institution8 and detenti - not to mention dsportatione and other physical and ptrychological pressures on the Palertiniane. All tbeae things are beirq done by the eoTalled on8 &mocratic State in the Middle Eamt, a champion of human rights. The Security Council and the international comunity are only too aware of those acte. A degree of culpability has to be attached to the Council and the international cmmunity for being unable to do anything effective over these aationa. If the Counail continues to be unable to act or ie prevented from taking the neceseary coum3 of action, Israel will 40 further duwn the road where brutality and repreaeion will he a natural omditian and reflex. QI the larger questiar of the plight of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, the Cmncil met fulfil its -ta1 and legal responsibilities tD ensure their protection. Malaysia calls tm the Council, a5 we have repeatedly &no in the past, to censure Israel for its continuing police5 and practices and to &mnd that the Tel Aviv Govemmmt desrst from contiuuirrg them. We al6o call an the CounafL to urge IeraeL rrcrupulously to adhere b clear international obligations m&r the 1949 Fourth C8neva anvention relative to the Proteotian of Civilian Pemons in Tim8 of War, which Israel ha8 continued aontemptuouely to ignore. Clmrly, umabiguously, the Council muat condemn and even penalise ferael for it5 cmtinusd tranagreseion8 and mietreatment of the Palestinian people. An additimal measure that ie urgently reguired is the diepatch of a Wnited Nattone abeorver inieeion to thr ocoupiad t8rritoriee +s lasnitor the eituetian an thf3 ground. Such a mission should be in a @ositPon not only to make observations on the human rights situation, but aleo to suggest practical ways amd seam of alleviating the plight of the PalerPtiniane. We believe that a cmpreheneive report on the situation obtaining in the occupied territories would provide the Counoil (Mr. Pazali, Malaysia) vith valuable information m uhi& it muld base its futura course of action. My delegation hopeo that a dbcieion to send an observet mission to the occupied territories will be one of the important results of this meeting in Geneva- In considering the proposal the Council should not tolercate any obstructionism from Israel. The role and responsibility of certain permanent awnhers of the Council will be Atal in this instance. Their role expandad here is part of their larger oblhgatian to solicit and institute an honourable peace in the Middle East. This can be attained only on the basis of negotiations on an equal footing for a comprehensive solution and through the convening of m international conference. We have just heard an impassioned appeal fran President Arafat echoing long-held aspirations of Palestinians for a nation and their cherished hopes for peace. The Council vill need to respond in equal measure. The Council cannot, in the mistaken belief that others are better placed or better disposed to do so8 avoid the role of facilitating a resolution to the conflict. There is a strong ti& for conflict resolution sad peace. The Palestinians awet also benefit from the process of rapprochemnt and a oonsttuetive approach that has characterised the international scene. It would be a travesty of justice and the height of double standards if while the world trumpeted principles of human rights for all the Paleetiniaus were denied their inalienable rights, includiug their right to a nation. The PRESIDRWr I thank the representative of Malaysia for his kind words addressed to me. D . WRONllSOV (Union of Yoviet liocialiot Rap&lice) (interpretation ~XCXD Ruarian) 8 It io a particular pleaaure for me to conqratulatQ your Sir, the Permnent Representative of Finland, a neighbour of the Soviet Union with which we ham firm ties of friendship and co-opera&n, on aseuming the post of President of the Becurity Council.. I also wish to extend to you my deep appreciatxon of your kind words of welcome to me at an earlisr meeting at which I begm my work with the Sear ity Chun.41. I: &ould slim like to thank other colleagues who congratulated me cm my nBr appointment. (Hr. Vorontsov, U3Sh) I welmlr the unificaticm of the People’s Rmmcratic l&public of Yemen aud the YesItn Arab Republic, and wish the friendly people of Ye-n prosperity, well-being md success cm the path of proguess. 1 weal& also take this omrtuniw to welmrae the presence of the President of the State of Palestine, Yasser Arafat, whose attendance at this meeting is of par titular importanca. I congratrllate him on the impressive, convincing and con8tructive statearent we heard with such great attentim a short while ago. The daaision of the Security Council tp hold this meting in Geneva testifies to its &sire to hear the representatives of all concerned parties, including the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole, legitimate representative of the struggling Palestinian people. The Security Ccmcil is me.ting in Geneva to ameider the situation in the ocarpied AreS, territories in connectian with n6t crime8 perpetrated against the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation authorities. Three brute1 crime have aroused deep avereicn in the Swiet Union. Theoe tragic event8 began with m inci&nt on 20 May, when a r&au in tsraeli military uniform opened fire with an sssault rifle ar 4 grasp of Palestinian WOPkoP8. The victiuim of that terrorist aate were Arabs - aoven kills& and 11 worm&d. of courser an Israeli who cpens fita on unarmed workers 0a.o be called a aradmn, but, a8 PPOSident hEaft& rightly aSked in his statemmt, haw should one then dsscribs the Israeli gsnerale who gave ordse to fife QCI arowda front heliCi#erS and with aaahine-guns inetalled on tanks and arrauured vehicrlee? ma& -up EG;SSlt PO;;^e;; &CO g=tii i& Ci~iZi&i ijfuf&ity. k-n8 QC PolestiniMii5 have bean killed, and huhBred have been wounLd. The situation oohtinues to wor85n with carthued escalation of the violence. ‘IbBay we have heafd from Presidant Arafat the horren&us totals of those killed and warn&d by the Iura4i ocmpfers in Palestinian lands. Ln the light of all thaw falacte, whick indicate a aharp upeucge in the violaa; one cannot but ask if the Iacaeli leadera eeciou8ly expect incceaaed imigration to a country whit% they themselves have turned into a dm9eCoW war aone. Thr tragic events of the past few days in the Middle East ace the natural coa8equence of the militaristic p~ycimsis being fanned in Yscael, which CeSults fro the policy being putoued by that country’s authorities in stepping UP the socupatian of Arab lands tmd trampling upar the aspirationa of the Palestinian people. ‘&era ie particular amcan at the way in which Israel umtinues to flout the resolutions of the United Nations, which unanimously con&an the actions of the RstaeU authorities again& Palestinians, leading to the death of defenceless aivil ian8. 1 should like to guoti pact of a statewnt made by the MiniatcY for Borbign Affairs of the USSR on 22 Maya “The Soviet Union etrcmgly con&-s the criminal actions of the Israeli nilitary and &man& a inmediate end to the violence. Ef feCtiW3 measures aurst be taken, inter alia in the United Nationa, to protect the Paleatknian uopulatim in the occupied territories.’ In Erie c%mu3otion YB would like emphatically to etate that we suppxt the eatablimt of % teaar of international observers that could eubsequentiy be converted into a permanent standing body. The effOrtS that have been m&e Poe two and a halZ yeate nrm to crush the iutifndab W forae of arms have abom that the Israeli autbonitie~ ace pCMecleB to do 00. At the aam timaa, their parsuit of theme efforts leads ta further exacetbatian of the eituatiar not only in the occupied territories but in the oegfan as a whole, driving effort6 to achieve a settlerPent to the Middle Past confliut into a blind alley. (Hr. Vorontscyt, ‘VSSR) In this connection I would recall that in his etsteaent condea!aim~ the violence against innocent civilians on 20 May in Israel, in the occupied Paleatinim territories, the Secretary-&metal. stressed that the lack of progrese towards peace had led to increased disillusionment rmong the peoples of the Middle East ad also to increased tension in the region. We consider that Tel Aviv dmuld finally take a hard look at the realities of the situatiar and ceoognize that the Palestinim uprising, m the one band, and the coustructive approach of the Palestine Liberation Organfzation, which enjoys international support, cm the other, open up poseibilities for progress towards a Middle E&at settlexent, and to that end mobilize the efforts of all concerned parties. In his statement of 15 May of this year, the President of the Soviet Union, uthai 9. Gorbachev et8tea that ‘The Middle East is a subject of oonoern au8 pain for the entire world cmamnlty. It is high tfs@ kr the Middle East to turn the helm towards peace and ehbility, toward6 nor-1 celations between the peoples inhabiting it. This ~1~18 ensuring equal security am3 equal rights fat 811 who live there, Snd fir& and fqCeSOftt it @Jeans Creating Conditions in which the Palestinian $eople cm exercise its right to self-determination. The Soviet pxition on a Middle East eettlemnt, whioh vas put focwfd during the visit by the Minister of Poceiqn Affairs of the USSR, WC. Shevacduaaze, to Middle East countries in February of last yearr an8 in particular in his etateasnt iii& iii Gaic9, semius uhohanged. we are oonvineed that the univereal areohaniem for its aohievemnt is an in&rnational amference w&r the aegis of the Unitea Nations with the participation of all interested parties, inaludirst the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the five permanent cembers of the security council. That is the only way to achieve , as rapidly and reliably as possible, the establishment in the Middle East aE peace based in the nornu of intarnational law and a balance between the interests of the parties, principle5 recxgnized by the world community. In tif8 UxlneCtiOkl it is necessary to take into account the following fundaalental elements. First, the territorial basis for a settlemnt is 6fined in Security Council resolution 242 (19671, which provides for the withdrawal of Israeli force5 from all territories occupied in 1967 and subsequently. Geccndly, the right to eelf-determinatian of the Palestinian People ehould be implemented to the same extent as that: of the wople of Israel. Thirdly, all parties to the conflict have the right to a Peaceful and secure eXiStmfS within internationally recognized borders and should comply with the Principles of equality, equal security, non-interference in internal affairs, respect for political inQ&%n&nae and sovereignty, and non-use of force. The &viet Unicm is prepared to support any consttuctive propoaalsr intic alAa, proposals of an interim nature, aimed at the achieveumt of a axnprehensive settlement. Part of the work undertaken in Preparation3 for an international cDnferen= could be bilateral or multilateral with the aim of arriving at a ~)nuxn denominator for the peaoe proce55 acceptable to all Parties. That aPPraaQ, is shared by many Arab oountries, a8 was noted, in particular, in the Swiet-Egyptian declaration cn the resolte of the recent visit to the WSR of the W&h?ent of Qypt, Wni Mubarak, which statesr “The situation emerging in the MLddle E&t requires mobiiizaiion of the effort5 of all intereat;ed Bartie 01 both a bilateral and a rmltilabral basis, r. ’ ti the u5e of th5 mechanislas of international organfzations, and first and for-et the Unitea Nations.” The United Nations role is of particular fmportauce in finding a solution. 1Iqyever. it must be recogniztd that by no means have all opportunities been utilized. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Javier Perez de Cuellar, in his report to the forty-fourth session of the general Assembly on the work of the Organisation, felt bound to note that %& constant attempts to pave the way to an effective negotiatfng process, which have included repeated contacts at the highest level with the parties directly concerned and with the Permanent metiers of the Security Council, have . . . until nan proved frustratingly inconclusive.* (A/44/1, P - 7) We are ounvinced it is the duty of the United Nations and the Security buncil to make fuller use of the Organization’s potential in the interests of achieving a comprehensive settlement. An LnRortant step in that direction oould be the speedy initiation by the Security Council of Preparatory work for the -Waning of an international a>nference on the Riddle E&st. Despite al& the tragio events, including those of the last f&w days, and deepfte all the obstacles that continue to stana on the path to paaQsr we should not forget that the political. basis for a peaceful settlement already exists. These are its fundmental elemenm: the reediness of the Palestine Liberation Organizatian to undertake talks with Tel Aviv withln the framework of an International conference on the basis of Security Cauncil. resolutions 242 (1947) and 339 (1973) 4 the Paleetinian peoDle*s desire to coeriet with fsrael in CmRlitions of peace end seeurityr the broad support of the international taxmunity for propaeals for the emedv mmvening of m intetn+tiMmZ ~*ferrmao rn %* Y%&Ge East: the new situation that has emerged around the peace Droaess as a result of the intifadah; and the constructive, realis tic posi tian adopted by the Faleetine Rational Council at its nineteenth 8essiom wtrich CM give a strong iW?atQJ to the PeaOe effort8 of the international cmlpnunity in the Middle Elaet, Ths main task today is not to mis the opportunities that have opened up rind hot to allow stagnation, and especially backsliding, to occur in the search for peace and to avoid exacerbation of the aituaticm in the region as a result of the cxmtinued pursuit by the Israeli ruling circle8 of their hard, uncomprcmising course. Xn conclmion I should like to stress that in the Soviet Union the Palestinian uprising, the intifadah, is seen 69 testifying to the Ralestinian EwoPle'8 determination to decide its future for itblelf. We are in full solidarity with the intifadah. W consider unacceptable and unjustified a eituatim in which Xsrael continue8 to hold on to Arab territories that it seized %8 a result of aggression. We demand the cr~tian of conditions in which the Palestinian people cm exercise its right to eelf?-detetmination. We believe that the international amswnity, and firat an8 foremost the Security Council, Should take effective eteps to protect the Palestinian population. The PRESIDl%Tt I thank the repteeentetive of the Union of Soviet Sodali8t Republics for hia kind words addressed t6 ~9. Mr. DEW Yuenhusq (China) (interpretation fram Chinese)1 At the outset 1 wish to aaagretulate you8 Mr, an yaw assumptian of the presidemy of the Gecurity Council for this mnth. Your rich experience and diplomatic ekille will prove eaaential to the eucaessful aecompliahment of the heavy tacks of the %ourity mimcii this mmth. I should ales like to thank iii8 Excellency Ambaseat%x Tesfaye Tadesse of Ethiopia for his brilliant performawe in guiding the uoek of the Security &mail lastrsontb. The Chinese delegaticn wishes to take this opportunity to extend its warm Congratulations to the reprerrentative of YelWn al the birth of the new unified Republic of Yemen. Hay the friendly Republic of Yemen enjoy prosperity, and it5 fraternal people wall-being, At the request of the Arab countries, the Security Council ha5 decided to hold this meeting in Gmeva, after overcoming ntany difficulties, to consider the worsening situation in the occupied Arab territories and to hear the statenant of Mr. Arafat, Chairm~ of the Palestine Liberation Organization. This is highly necessary. are, the Chinese delegation wiehes to salute Chairnm Arafat and to welcome his presence. The question Of intensified Israel settlemnt of Jewish immigrants in the occupied Arab territories has been under cohsideratioo by the Council since March of this year. The Chinese delegation has made its principled position QI this question amply cl ear. The parties concerned have bee5 conducting COnSUlbtiO~ On a draft resolution. It is unfortunate that before the Council umld wihd up its deliberatioiis Q\ this item a tragedy occurred in which more than a dozen Palestinian Civilians in the mupied terxitoriea were killed in a single day. The Chinese Government is shocked and indignant at this, end wishee to register it.8 5trong condarrrnation of the Israeli authorities for their criminal act8 in suppreseing tha Palestinians. A5 is known to all, under the Fourth Geneva Ccmvention Israel, as the &cupying Power, has an unahirkable responsibility for the ecrfety of th5 POPUbkiWk in the ocaupied territorimt Tha B~I.s-*(~~~ -A-L*- ---- --a----.*-Y.. . .“CLuy *, **:a GX ee;a 6:: peaceful labourers who were entitled to groteation. Instead, they were slaughtered for ID maeon. The ensuing wave of anger among the Palestinian people is cmly natural, and their protests and Bemnstratione are fully justified. lioWeVetr What they have enamtered ie a frenzied crackdown by the Israeli authoritiee, which has resulted in maesi~ casual.ties among the Palestinian reaf~ents. The Israeli authorities have all along pursued a high-h&>&d policy in the occupied aKKitcKie8 iu an attempt to put dam the Palestinian uprieing with violent force. At the 5ame time they have stemd UQ their efEorts in establishing Jewish ~tt~e~ut8 ifl the occupied territories, Wtri& accommdate m increasing nu&er of Jew&h i&grants, in the hope of permtuating their cnxupftlon. Moreover they have amnived in the use of force by the Jewish settlers against Palestinian residents, which has aggravated the situation In the CKXuQied territories. As long as the Israeli authorities da not change their erroneous PolicrY, the eituatian in the occupied territories will continue ti be turbulent# thus threatening peace and security in the Middle East region and the world at large0 The recent even& have once again shcwn oonvincingly that the only way out, as fegaKd3 the Middle East question, lies in continued pushing fat the develqxnentof the peace process and in a fair settlement of the Palestine question. For m years, the call for the convocation of an international conference an the peaceful 6ettleSmtof the Middle East question ha8 become increasingly insistent. The Palestine Liberation Organization end the Arab countries in particular haue gut fcr~nrd many reasonable ptop~sale which have provided a sound basis for 5 fair settlement. However, clinging to its policy of aggression and expansicm the Israeli tivernuent has obstinately refused to hold any dialogue with the PI0 an? rejected the international peace ccnfereme, thy stalling the Middle East peace process. FJe are of the viev that the international axmunity should take effective steps to bring preeeute to bear tn the Israeli avernanznt so that it will be casipelled to alter its errammo policy* stop ins suppression against the Palestinian people, abide by the Geneva Convention ad effectively ensure the ssfety of the Palestinian residents in the occupied territorietl. & the same time, the Israeli Gmernamt should dam~trate its good faith for a settlemnt of the Middle East question bY endorsing the convening of the inte;ernst;onal omference and agreeing to hold a dialogue with the PUB. Only in so &i.ng cm there be an end to the present stalesme and a turn for the better in the situation LR the occupied territories. In recent years the Security Council has am&a pcsitive contribution8 in settling regional conflicts and maintaining world peace and security, thus winning widespread acclaim. It 5s dieappointing, however, that the Couhcil has failed so far to PlsY it5 expected role vith regard to the Midibdle East question. In view of the urgency of the current situatia,, we believe that the Council should do somsthing tangible. It is our hope that aU the Me&m States vi11 make efforts 00 help the Council fulfil its responsibility m the Middle Past question. The Chinese bvermnt and pewle have aoneistently sy~pathiaed vith and supported the Pafestlnian and other grab peoples in their strugglen to r%covet 1-t territories and regain their legitimate national rights, and have also supported their reasonable propositiona for a fair settlement of the Middle East question= .% Caii on al the patties to tim tii&Jle East issue and the international oxmunity to make continued efforto with a view to pushing forward the Middle East peace prccesa and finding a fair and reareonable solution to the Palestine question, 80 a~ to change ems and fez all the lcng-etsnding turbulent situation in the Middle East W&On. Aa a permanent member of the Security Councils China will amtinue it5 endeavour for the realiamtion of this lofty goal- The HiPS1DEWF.r I thank the represeutative of China for the kind word8 he scat+ %w?d co alo* >-A’. MAW !T=arrce) (interpfetition from French)t On behalf of my -- , <._ del%g= czm ‘i ‘&ET pleamd to c(Jngr* tula te you , sir, cm your assuaption of the Presidency 0.‘; *-ire Security Council, wL...h places you in the select category of the three Presideute of the Security Council who presided over the Council both in New brk and ela here. I wfsh to bake t?is opportunity to thauk air Ethiopian colleague, vim has the rare privilege of receiving outsi& New York the congratulations no# adclreseed to him here in Geneva. I should like to renew to the representative of the l&public of Yemen our cmgratuhtions and best wishes for w.tme~s for hi8 aeuntry. To our Soviet colleague, I reiterate out uords of welcoma. He has joined uo recently8 he is now a me&er of our club, and we feel he has aiwaye been with us. I& holds a rearsrd difficult to beat: to have met in the Security Council in two places kr the six days ahat follawed the assuxptfon of his new post. tit Council has aret on08 again to maa$&f the situation On the occupied tetritortes following blcxnly eleehea. I&t this meting ie exmptional beaauoe it io being held in lneva with the participation of the leader of the PI& which thucr underecor~, beyond the ourreut eventr of mpreoedmted 8erfOUgRt.sBr that we have alI realized that the situation ha8 remhe a cieqtee of tension dfmianding UK~WJ~ aotiar, without ubi& au uncmtrollable spiral of violence could be unleashed. At the m&gin of the tragedy is the act of ma&ese of a hung Il-yeat-old Israeli who killed in cold i .ood a group of pal-tin iana in the avburbe of Yel &vi--. Pit14 L.??P~:: has &eply moved the entire Palestinian uommmi~ working in Xtscael, who award into the occupied teccitocies seething with grief ahd rage. Hence the violent denonstcation8 that immediately broke out, against whioh the Israeli army ceected harshly, thereby making further aud very numcoue victims. Put these are only the immediate oausea of the tragedy, and we see behind them, in the clirarte of extreme teusiar pcevailiug in the occupied territories, the frustrations and deep diemy of the Palestinian population, pasticularly the young generations, when nothing enables them to discern au improvement of their lot. How oould one fail to 8~ that this feeling of having nothing xoce to 1-e is all the mre acute as efforts aimed at starting a settlement process have been paralysed for months, given the crieis in the Israeli govermnent. The political stalemate in which we find ourselves - one which foments extmne behaviour heightens despair and fuels hatred among peoples that ace called upon to 1 ive together - is all the ame reaeql for concern. St is high time tp put an end to a eituation in which violence breeda violenoer the evento of Siohon le Zion ahou that the uprising io not ruming out of stem, as aom would have liked to believe. Quite the oonttaty, it ie threatening to lead to unoontcollablo violence if km political opening appeace in yeaponse. Already contagion is spreading, as Can be men in the cepercuss5ontP to whih the latest event6 have given rise beyond the territories. At all times, alane or together r~ith its European partners, Prance has been ceaaele8sly calling cn the Xsraeli Government to abide by its obligations under international lw and to rmve ceaolutely toward8 a settlement. m -..^--.- - LL- . ._ 1 =uumvmy we 6nqgeay cx - Eiahon i,e Zion, Pcahoe ~CIQ expressed its ind.igxa~iox at and oondemnation of this criminal sot, a6 it ha8 of the repression, sympathising with the grief of the families and of the Palestinian nation as a whole. Xt hao decided to emd a miesion, hea&d by the Secretary of State, Prime MinLter’e Offioe in charge of Hummitacian Aotim I to expcees it0 aynwthy and to ame= the (Mr. Blanc, Prance) situation as well &S the requirements. Rxtcw Kouchner is nar carrying cfut this miseion. With its partners in the Eurqan Cornaunity, France has ma& its views know with regard to the latest developments and called for active commitment in a peace proceae which alone can respnd to the legitimate aspiration5 of the Pales tin ian people. ft has also invited the Comnnnity and the nJelve to mobilise the necessary assLBtance for the emergency action the situation requires8 5CO,C%Xl ECU5 have already been earmarked in connection with this action, The responeibility of our Council is first of all to prevent a further deterioration of the carfrontitian, with the added victirm that that would necessarily entail. To this end, it must therefore again call upon Israel, in the strongest possible term, fully to respect the obligations the Fourth Geneva Convention cn the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War impose on the occupying Power. But it must do arxe 8 in view of the kwrsistent threat posed by the situation, and some of the proposals made in this regard by Mr. &sser Arafat deserve to ba considered. Obviously, the international oxmaunity must urgently look into methods to ensure greater protectiar for the civilians, whose lives are seriously threatened today. In this ca3nnection, the sending as coon ae possible to the occupied territories of a United rgtions fact-finding mission shoula be snvieaged in order to pursue and develop the thinking initiated by the SecretaryGeneral in January 1989 and cola up with epeci fit decie ions, such ssr in particularr tie emplacement of United Nations obserwrs in the occupied territories. We call upon Israel to acaept the principle of such a mission end to allow United Nations envoys to accomplish their mandate in the proger centitions. But t&o only patb twards a lwting wlming of the sltu8tiail in that Qf iwotiiation which wuld lud $0 the opening up of! a pbnuina maw pf0ceso. When thrrak am mxmtlng in a already so disturbed rogim, it lo lndwd noueoruy firrt and foram& - and this is essential - to prwide the p~litlaal amtaxt that urrtneceasar5lylead toa dialogue inordor for theonaouragingo~ing~noted w&b matiHact5on by the antire intematicmal crorunity at the emI of 1988 will not tenin without Pruit. IL is a matter of undertaking, through thisl dialogre, the quest for a Peace aattlaaent, &iah for France must lead to the holdiug af an international conference in which all of the patties concerned would participate, including, of courtze, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the pfrmnent mmbere of the Seauri ty C&mail. It is only in t&is way that we wculd live up to the expectations of the population, that have really been frustrated by years of diff iaulty arising out of the occupation, and which wants to see the realization of its legitimte rights. Brance will not spare any efforts to contribute to that end by bafdng itself in particular an tha principles that it h&s defined together with all its Euroman partners and which have been set forth in the Deolarations of the Twelve of Madrid of June last aud of Straebourg of lWember last. Tboee are principles based m the requiremnts of security and justice, security for the State8 of the region, including farael, whidr mst be able to live in aplete security end within safe and tecoguized tmundarie8r juettce for the Palecrtinian people, whiah, like any other pmple, must be in a goattim to exe&a3 freely ite right to solf-$eternination, with all that that involves. The Qaleotiaian people hae the riqht to have a h-eland, a land, and it hes the riqht to beomo orqanized within the etructures of ite choice. Thotxe principlee, need I recall, are absolutely infxegarable in our view. The rights of the once should not be e%eraieed to the detrbtnt of the rights of other& It ie in the light of those objectives that ~pe~rm will datermine its position QI the text that might uerhage come betfore ue coimail . The SWSIDEZJTI I thank the repreaontative of Frame for the kind words he addreeaed to a. Canada will have addressed the Security Council durinq the month of May, 50 allow OPB to bake thio opportunity, Hr. President, to congratulstx pu on having aseumad the presidency of this body during what has proved to be, 80 far, m eventful aud very busy munth. We are very pleased indeed to note that under your presidency the 5ecurity Council has damnstrated its ability to react with imagination aud flexibility to deal speedily with the mt urgent situation. I should like also to pay a tribute to your predecessor, A&aasador Tadease, the Perument Representative of ELhiopia, for the dignified and dedicated manner in which he overspw our work during the month of April. I also we&me our new colleague, the Permanent Re@resentative of the Soviet Union, who has hecosne a mmher of our club this week. Pinally, I wish to congratulate tbs two Ywns co their unification. We wish the unified country prc@perity aud its people peaceful happiness in what has, unfortunately, often been a troubled region. We are gathered here in Gmeva to consider once again the smningly endless cycle of violence and death hich continues to plague the ccaupied territories. The recent event8 in this area illutrtrate yet again that a tragedy triggered by the ati of one man can qubkly ignite the pn&er-keg of violence and retribution. Canada haa already expreetml its shack at the brutal murder of seven Palestiniaus by an allegedly derange& Israeli, neae Td Aviv, on 20 May and the deaths and injuries which occurred kr its wake in the occupied territories. Tho large number of civilians injured by live ammunition frm Israeli foraeee is of particulai: concern. The number of ocoasions ~1 rPIich we have called on all p5rtieo to exercise reettaint am3 to beqin urgently a fruitful and peaceful dialogue with one another is a painful reminder of our lack of success to date in reaching a la5tiuq settlement ta the Arab-Ieraeli conflict. (Mt. Fortier, Canada) The ooet recent eventa serve only to increase the frustation of all those desirous of peace uith a eituation in aifch the lives Of innocent bystan&rs continua to !M lcet and in which civilians, adulta and children alike, are prevented fran building a productive future for themelves in conditions of peace and aecuri ty. As the Canadian Secretary of Stats for External Affairs said in the Canadian Parliament yesterday, Canada is convinced that the preaent stalemate is creating increasingly dangerous circumstances and is putting under strain the CaPacity of moderate leadership on both sides to exercise restraint. An early start to an Israeli-Palestinian aialogue, as outlined by United State8 8ecretary of State Baker, is essential0 as it is the most viable option by which a just, comprehensive and lasting peace settlement can be achieved. Canada has had a long and positive experience in United Nations peace-keeping and observer missions. Menhers of the Canadian forces cm today bA fOldi performing duties in the Garan, in Lebanon, in the Sinai and in Iraq. Indeed, Canada has participated in every United Nations peace-keeping force in the Middle East. We have also supported the exercise of the good offices of the Secretory-General of the United Nations. This experience has clearly shown that, in the tight circunmtances, the international amunity can play a helpful role in the pacification and settlement of conflicts. &J e ConsBquenm, Canada will be prepard to discuss with other matbere of the aunoil, duping the amuse of this debate, Options by which the Unite8 Nations could help alleviate the eituatio, in the osupied ba TI itor Poe. While at this mment we are not advocating any sperJific fomula, I would hope that as a result of proposals which have been made to the Council and proposals which may etill be made during the cmtinuation of this debate and following our deliberations , tie wiu collectively ma umniajtpualy (Ht. rZortier, Canada) fdmkify feasible, ami co8Mxuctive options. Were ouch a conmna~ls to t# identified by the Ckwncil, we trust and hope it would Pweive tie full ao-crperation of all the parties to the conflict in this long-troubled region. The present eituation cannctr and must not, endure. The PRggIDE;NTn I thank tha representative of Canada for his kind words rddrersad to me. TbO i’Mk%k speakor is the representative of Saudi Arabia@ who wishes ti make a atabsent in his capacity aa CMirnan of the Islamic group in New York. I invite him to hke a mat at the Counafl table and TV make his statesant. Mr. SUIBABE (Saudi Arabia) (intetpretaticn from Arabic) t I m pleased, Sir, to have thi8 ogqortunity to extmd my congratulations to you an your mmurfng the presidemy of tha Sacupity Council and to ewpre8s our apprec5aticu of the way in whiah YOU haw Wded then work OJ! the Council. I wish also ti axxmn9 your predecessor QI tba 8anner iu which he led tha Council”s work in the previous mnth. I an speaking on behalf of ay own country and also cm behalf of the Islamic cOunoil ad r the seprormntative of the Arsb Group in New York. We are very happy to see hem today Hr. Yesser Arafat, President of Palestine md Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, speaklug on behalf of the suffering Baleatinian people au6 telling us dx.?ut the situation in the land of Palertiue aud the cmstaut struggle aud constant heroism, day after dayr which will canting until suah tir as khae to &cm the land truly helongs can uake their rights provail. f think it i8 in &a inhrreats of the czsdfbility of the United Nations MB its Mmhor State8 to reopub9 pcsitively to thir, and it is aleo in the interests Of the future of peace. I am happy to ako thi8 sggortunity to extend our cimgratulations tp the representative of Uaen fsllariug the unification af his country and to wish y9mn and its people prcmperity and happiness in the international cmmunity. Since it was not gmosibla for the President of Palestine to enter the United State@ in order to have acxm8@ tD the United Natiara, we m.mt say that if the (Hr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia) representative of zionism prevents a person from entering a particular country, that concerns only the oountry concerned, but when soamone is prevented from attending the United Nations , that is an action against the international communitY as a whole. The Seadquarters Agreement between the United Nations and the host country has been violated for a second time now, by preventing President Atafat once again from going to New York. This is a flagrant example of terrorism, defying the international community and continuing to flout its will with impunity. The international mmunity muat take a firm stand with respect to such practices. As to Palestine and what is being done in Palestine currently - which is the object of this mmting and which led to its being called urgently - it is that the war machine of Israel, the Israeli military bands of settlers and arrmd murderers attacking towns md villages, ha8 been unleashed in Iarael ucw and in the territories ofxupied in 1969 to sow a harvest of death end deetructicn against a people living in the labd of its ancestors. We ask whether any kind of colonial settlement could be more horeen&ms than this, where we see Jewish immigrants pushed from Eastern European countries, cn the pretee th2t there 3e\rJ are being mistreated, and leading them to emigrate to Israel, to Paiestine, where there is no longer sufficient trap Sor the people already living there, quite apart from any new immigrants. Thcce who are assisting such immigration in any way whatsoever have a very grave responsibility. This applies to those Btates which are eupporting Israel’s terrorist capacity, representing a flagrant violatiotr of the rights of the Palestinian people. We have spoken inter al&a in the Secutf tY Council on other sccaaions about a pormn’s rights and where the righta of other peraorw begin8 in other word0 , what WG see hem is a serious aggressicn which must be punish&. (Hr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia) We ham l~tt urgently today to try to see what ie going cm in the land of Palestine and to urge the Security Council to take a firm stand with regard to what is going on there. What is going OPI is a Palestinian revolution against the Israel.18 who have plundered the air, the water and the land. Given this situation, the crux of the issue is why dc we have this revolt of the Falestfnian people@ end hew is Israel able to continue with its criroes against -kind? Ae to why the Palestinian people are up in am and why they revolt? it is because they are a people whose land has been plundered, who have been &prived of their righti in the land of their ancestors, deprived of the right to live a life of dignity. Being replaced by imigrants fran abroad, the Arab citiasns are left to glean the remnants, where= the migranta hate plundered and taken over the wealth of the land. Property has been confiscatedr and the Arab citizens’ lands hava been taken. In all areas, in the fields of health, social security and education - in schmls and universities, both the teaching staff and the students - the Arabs are the unde tpr ivileged . Military Law 854 of 8 July 1980 prc *ldas #at all institutions of higher educatia must obtain authorizaticn front the Military Governor in or&r to function and all bsechers have to have to the agreeraant of the Military Gwemor’s office in order to take up poets in the universities or continue in posts which they already occupy. (Hr. Shihabi, Saudi Arabia) Furtheciaore, all foreign studenta, including thorn from the Caza Strip - and here we should say that studenta frcm Gem have virtually bacolilrt alien8 - have to have authotiaatfm to study in the universfties. The Israali authorities are using all their industrial and commercial capacity to make the population dependent and oppress&% to make them work for the benefit of the Israeli economy. The water, including drinking water, has been plundered and Arab citizens have lost their secur-ty and safety in their own homes. The schools have been transform3 into prison camps and laws have been prcmrlgated in arder to maintain the Israeli butchers, which have transformad the land of Palestine into a jungle where all true human values have been last and all rights have baen trampled upon and violated. Everything that is eacfed has been violated, including Christian shrine% and the Icraelia have every intention of continuing with this profanation. Thase ace the reasons why the Palestinians have revolted, young Palestinians, children and women included, and they will win through. As to the other question I raised, quite obviourrly Israel wants to maintain it6 occupatico and to a&orb the entire Palestinian homeland under the false gceteti Of invdsing, intst alia, the Unitid Uatio$tn Charter. Israel has fo try to distort the realities of the situatfm in every wry it can; ad what makes the situation even OPDre odious &S the fact that the Israeli authorities are able to continue to flout our international body and its Charter with impunity. The CCZQSW~~ ier aware that Israel has always &mtruoted, and continues tr, obstfuct, all peace initiatives undertaken by the AE& countries, includiw the latest one by the Paleetinians. Poe WWIY peace effsrte, haw many attempts to find e settlementr and huu many Arab concessiona have been rejected out of hand? Doee Israel seriously believe that: it can impose a "pax Israeli" - an Israeli peace - which runa counter to the logic of history? (Hr. Shihabf, Saudi Arabia) We urge that action be taken to restore the rights of the Palestinians and remdy the situation as soon as possible. I am convinced that the Council, in its wlsdum, will adopt a wise solution. Saudi Arabia is respectful of the Holy Places and King Pahd will continue @rote& the Holy Places and their integrity. We call on the international n...,,mfty to fulfil it8 obligations to ensure that peace and justice prevail in Palestine, to restore peace in Palestine. The fighting people of Palestim contfnm to provide outstanding examples of self-sacrifice and strength and there is no doubt that they will ultimtely be successful in theft struggle. The PftESIDENTz I thank the representative of Saudi Arabia for his kind words addressed to ma. Mr. ALARWN de QUESADA (Cuba) (interpretation frm Spanish) : Although I have already had an opportunity at an earlier nreeting this month to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the vay in which YOU are conducting the work of our Cmcfl, aud also, on behalf of my delegation, to pay a well-deserved tribute and express very special appreciation to Akabassador Tadease Of Ethiopia for the way in uhich he guided the work of our Council in April, I thirk it fitting at this tiara for me to congratulata your Sir, on the way in which you have grappled with a very difficult eituation and especielly with that pertaining to the holding of this important imeting in Geneva. In addition, I should like to say that, as we all know, the special circumatancee surrounding the p~mess of being able to convene and hold this Council meting have nsaant for many of us quite a lot of tension and a great deal Of diffiCUltye at lea& pereetnally, but it fa clear that aa thie ha5 been even more difficult for you, Sir, and you have been ebfe tr, CX@~ with the5e &fftcultf,es 4th the distinction and skill that have earned yau the reepeW and esteem of all mmbers of the Council. (Mr. Alarcon de Quesada, Cuba) I should like to take this opportunity to welcome the representative of the Republic of Yenran and to express my delegation’s satisfaction at the historic event which took place a few days ago, the unification of the former two parts of that Arab nation. We wish that a country, a very happy, bright and encouraging future and we are sure that with this renewed force &men will continue to contribute in the outstanding fashion it has always done to the work of the Council and of our Organisation. ft is also a pleasant task for m? to welcom Ambassador Yuri Vorontsov, who has joined our Council as a new representative of the Soviet Union. Although we did not have the pleasure of knowing him personally before, we know that his broad experience and his brilliant career as a diplomat will certainly enrich the work of our Council. The Vice-Minister of External Affairs of Israel, after having expressed interest in being invited by this Council to participate in our work, gave a lengthy account of the reasons why he thought that the meting to which he wanted to be invited should not be taking Place. Ky delegation differs greatly from that interpretation and believes that not only was it the Council’s &ty to meet, but also it was and is its duty to take action. I would say also that it has had this duty for quite a long time now. It is the duty of this body to act in order to put an end to the criminal violence that is used indiscriminately against the Palestinian people. This Council has had and has the obligation to act in or&et to secure peace and security in the Middle East. It has had and has the duty to act 4.. A”.&.- e, ---....- &L-L LL- I--*l---L1. -I-CL - _c .*. a . ..&. 4~. -.a -4LUcirc -v snI-“l.F CLlOC C‘vs LIIPllrllfl”*e ‘ ryrrL.ti “L L.llt: .ca*esL~rlla” gacipie aie finally respected. In addition, it has had and has the very special duty to act if we are to have any respect for international law. (Mr. Alarcon & Quesada, Cuba) While travelling overnight yesterday from New York to Geneva, I: wondered what people would think in the future when they tried to disentangle certain circumstances that surround this long journey that we have all made in the Past few days. Future historians may have considerable difficulty in reconciling how the council - which, under the Charter, was established “in order to ensure prompt and effective action. - tcok 80 long to convene after receiving the letter dated 21 May 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Bahrain to the United Nations, in which he requested “an Mediate meeting of the Security Council”. How does the Council interpret its obligations and the word “immadiately”? Future historians will probably record that the reason this whole process of convening a meting itamadiately was rendered so complicated and arduous relates to the decision taken earlier this afternoon, when finally the Council net - the decision, adopted by a vi& margin of 11 votes to one , to accede to the request of the Permanent Observer of Palestine that His Excellency President Yasser Arafat be in*rited to participate in the Council’s current. debate. It was &cause of the country that voted against that request, the country which is the host of the Headquarters of the United Nations and, thus, of the Security Council, that Council Embers had to go through the intricate manoeuvre of meeting here in Geneva in order bo comply with the Council’s mandate under the Charter. As previous speaker8 have correctly pointed out we are now witnessing yet another example of arbitrary acts and abuses carried out by the host country of the Beadsuattertx of the United Nationet after hmtily craeafng the Aklankic in order to hold thie meeting, we shall, because of cfrcumetancee with which we are all familiar, have to rush back to New York - all in an attempt to carey out our mandated obligation. However, we are here and we are aware of the fact that in holdisrg this meeting the Council. has &vised a formula which has at least given us the historic opportunity of receiving President Arafat and listeniq to his detailed description of a Prcblem that is of the greatest interest to this Council. tie has also submitted important proposals which my delegation supports. By virtue of providing such m qxxxtunity, and of circumventing the arbitrary obstaclee put in the Council’s way* this meeting is, indeed, a historic event. Par that reaaon, at issue is not only the crucial situation in the occupied Arab territories, including the crimes conanitted daily against the Palestinian People, and the obligation of the Council to find or at least assist in finding a solution, but the very credibility and authority of the Council itself. President Arafat has put forward several proposals. fIe has requested that the Secretary-General, or a epecial envoy of his, ~EWREI Permanent duties and establish the neceesary contacts in order to bring peace to the region and settle thie problem. he has asked the Council to adopt measures for the international protection of the Palestinian peogle, a rcsponeibflity which the United Nations has had for &Wet& decades, ever since the very inception of the problem. President Arafat has requested the Council to adoPt a resolution to stem the ma00 influ% of settlers inb the occupied territories. Here tao, future hietotiam will be hard preeeed to explain the handling of this problem - a problem on which this body, charged with acting promptly and effectively, has been working for four months. Under the CircumBtancee, to request thie body to adopt a resolution cm the item ie nOtr in my view. an unreaaanenble t+unstt. (Mr. Alarcon de Quesada, Cuba) President Arafat has requested consultations and negotiations leading to the early holding of an international conference. He has urged that steps should be taken to consider the applicatich of the sanction envisaged under Chapter VII of the Charter . He has suggested establishing a fact-finding coramiasion tp look into the crimes committed against the Palestinian people. EFI& of these proposals falls entirely within the sphere of responsibility of this Council. Therefore my delegation believes that they can and should be adopted by this body. We should like also to express our agreement with a basic principle that was stated by President Arafat when he said that the Palestinian people had a sacred right to continue their resietanoe and that that right to self-defence would be maintained in their heroic struggle as it has been until now through the intifidah, a8 the world has clearly seen. We express (wr solidarity with the Palestinian people and Its heroic freedom fighter%, who are bravely facing and resisting tha crimes and brutalities of the Zionist occupiers. We repeat that our delegation will oontinue to dD everything within its pawer to 8ee that this Council oomplies with its obligations under the Charter to bake prompt and effective action. We shall aso en&avarr to have the Council act in accordance with what is, under the Charter, the source of its authority, the special responaibllity conferred upon it by the overwhelming majority of the other Members of the United WatlonB in the clearest and most direr-;t way Year after year in the General Assembly and through other organs. They have declared that the national rights of the Palestinian people must be respected, have conflict . Those &tiers of the Organisation have the right to demand that the Security Council should carry out thoee obligations and prevent any nwzmber, however (Mr. Maroon & Quesada, Cuba) pwerful, from trying to act as if it owned the Council, a5 iE it were its master OC as if it had greater Powers than the Charter gives to all of us. The FfUBIDENTt I tharJc the representative of Cuba for his kind words addressed to me. Mr. AXAwI (Republic of Yemen) (interpretation fran Arabic): Sir, it gives m great pleasure to convey to you our congratulations cn your assumpticn of the presidency of the Security Council for this rronth. You poesess the necessary broad knowledge and diplomatic skill that will enable ycu to guide the deliberations of the Security Council effectively and to lead our proceedings tc a successful conclusion. We are particularly pleased to see you as President because you are the representative of a State that has always worked for international peace Ma security. I should like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation ti your predeces5or, -assador Tesfaye Ihdesse of Ethiopia, for the excellent manner in which he led the deliberations of the Council last month, which indeed reflected hi5 ou&tanding qualities. His efforts resulted in achieving success in all the matters with tiich the Council dealt. It is a great pleasure for me to welcroraa again Ambassador Yuri Vorcntsov, the new Permanent Bpresentative of the Soviet Union. I wish to assure him of our full co-operation, particularly in view of the strarg and friendly relations between cur countries. I take thie opportunity to say that I would have liked to exprese try thanks to all those who shared their happiness vith the people of &men. by expressing their cmwratulations and goodwP11 on Ule occasion of its greatest celebration, the historic declaretfcm of the Republic of Samen. We have achieved our unity, which has always been Our strategic objective, with the two revolutions of 26 Septeeer and 14 October. The Republic of Yemen represents a new qualitative development in Mt. Al-Alfi, YerPan) tha mdern history of amen. my that unity, ue enter a new epoch of our history@ one that will lead to stability in our country. Purtherm>re, as the Republic of *men, we are fully mmmitted to the Charter of the United Nations and to strengthening our relations with the other m&era of the international aomrnunity QI the basis of qual sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affair5 of States, for the benefit of our People and other peoples. We lock forward to the flourishing of our society in the year5 to OomS. This is not the first time that the Security Council is discussing the , situatim jn the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories. The Security Council ha5 had to deal with this subject on aDre than me occasion. H&tever, what fs very spatial in this case, in view of the extremely dangerous situation in the occupied tstritories, is the presence of President Arafat to submit to the Council intotmaticn a~ the lateat developments in the at-, on the escalatian of violence, which thtaatans the existenoe of the Palestinian people, and on all the other dangers that exist in the region. (Mr. Al-Alfi, Yemen) AU these developments have led to the request to hold a meeting of the Security Council to deal with the genocide carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people. The statement of President Arafat contained a number Of practical steps and proposals related to the extrmly bangerous and volatile situation in the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories, and us fully Support those practical and necessary steps. At the same tiw3, we wish to affirm a certain number of points, which I shall summarize as follows. First, the indiscriminate killing and the crimes carried out by Israel are part a& parcel of a well-thought-out plan to escalate the violence in order to implement a strategy aimed at suppressing the intifadah and preparing the way for more Jewish immigration and settlements in the occupied Arab and Paleetinian territories. The claim that what took place was an isolated incident is a total falsehood. The facts shcki that what took place was indeed a practical implementation of policies and practices of the Israeli authorities. Those practices an4 policies are aimed at expansion and emptying the occupisd territories of their original inhabitants. Secondly, the number of dead among the unarmad Palestinian people, which includes children, women an4 the elderly, show that those crimes, witnessed by the international community, are ainmd at the elimination of the Palestinian people. Thirdly, the extremely dangerous and disturbing events taking place in the occupied territories reflect the total callousness and arrogance of Israel, its refusal to respect ite international commitments under the Fourth Geneva Convention nf lalo rr?-4.1 -- -_.+ LFiAUb.ve ‘G the PCt&+Lion of Civiiian Persons In Time of War. In eddieion to all ths practices of Israel, it is obvious that Israel intends to continue to violate al.1 ite inte cnational mimnitments. (Mr. Al-Alfi, Yearn) Fourthly, in the course of the last ft% years the world has witnessed e%tremtly important and fundamental changes8 the establishnent of ditente between the two super-Powers, the end of the cold war, the opening of a new era of entente, concord and understanding, and the solving of many volatile problems. Uwever, the Middle East remains a flash point of tension. Furthermore, many developments have taken plaoe in the Arab region. The Arabs have submitted a oomprehensive peace plan based on co-existence among the States of the region. ibwever, Israel has rejected that plan. During the past 10 years the Arab-Palestinian people has proven its ability to continua its struggle by all mansr including the heroic intifidah. The Palestinian people has proven its WillingnesEi to establish peace through negotiations. The Palestinian people has recognized Security Council resolution 242 (1967) as a basis for the settlement of the conflict. However, Israel has otood fast and remained intransigent, re jetting peace and refusing to recognize the riyht of the Paleetinian people ti self -determination. tr the course of the past feu yeare we have witneesed the eamrgence of the inde@en&mt State of Palestine , which has been recognized by the majority of the nrembers of the international community. The United States itself has embarked on talks with the State of Palestine. Uowever, Ierael oontinues to resist and reject talks with the State of Palestine. The world has changed but Israel remains intransigent. It continues to occupy the Arab end Palestinian territories and is making every effort to settle Yews from all over the world in the ezupied t;errftorfes in order to create a fait aacomDlf. -_ -._ - rejection of the occupation, which led the oooupation authorities to escalate violence and repression, which has reached a very dangerous stage. In this situation no one can be silent and remain without feeling in the face of the daily (Mr. Al-Alfi, Yemen) violence to which the Palestinfan people is being subjected by the Israeli practices against the unarmd Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. We call upon all parties concerned to double their efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace through ar international conference on the Middle East. We must not ignore Israel’s rejection of and refusal to recognise the right of the Pa. :stinfan people to self-determination and to the establishment of its awn State. That Israeli intransigents constitutes the major obstacle to a just, comprehensive and permanent solution to the problem of Palestine. In addition, Israel’s attitude creates a dangerous situatim in the Middle East, one that might lead to an explosion in the area. It would be extremely difficult to contain such an explosion if it should occur, in view of the fanaticism aa intransigence of Israel, which aims at emptying the occupied territories of its original inhabitants in order to settle thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Jews in a well-planned and systematic immigration psocess , with total disregard for law and legitimacy. (Mr. Al-Alf i , Yema a) Wa must note that Israeli legislation allows the settlement of Jewish imnigrmts in the occupied territories. Furthermore, the Israeli authorities provide all sorts of financial and administrative facilities for the settlement of new Jewish immigrants in Arab towns and villages. The latest incident is the expropriation of a property belonging to the Christian communiw in the occupied territories. The subject under discussion is extremely complex and dangerous. It is linked to thre major aspects - Jewish immigration, settlement and peace. In view of the policies and practices of the Israeli authoritiee, we cannot separaba those three aspects, nor deal with one in isolation from the others. Jewish immigration must certainly lead to the expansion of settlements and increase the tension between Palestinians and Jews. That would lead to an escalation of tension, which might in turn lead to an explosion which could lead to war. Here r~13 must emphasise that it is crucial to maintain total respect for human rights in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The international community should lock into that matter in a very equitable and just nranner, because one cannot justify a legal theory that allows Jews to immigrate into Israel and at the same time disregard the right of Palestinian to return to their homeland, boxes, villages and families. The sanm should apply to the Arabs of the Golan Baights and southern Lebanon. Therefore, human rights end freedom cannot be respected when they inf tinge on the human rights and freedoms of others. That applies to the Palestinian people. The Israeli settlements constitute a flagrant violation of the Palestinians’ civilian rights and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The Security Council, which is the main organ respcnsfble for peace and security in the world, is called upon to assume its responsibility to deal with the extremely dangerous situation in the occupied Arab end Palestinian territories. (Mr. Al-Alfi, Yemn) That situation requires the Security Council to take urgent opeasures and step5 to Provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people suffering under the yoke of occupation. St also requires all States Partib the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Tima of War to take all the necessary measures to ensure teepaCt for ths provieions of the Convention. Here we must emphasiae that the Palestinians cannot be truly safe unless they are allwed to enjoy self-determination and to create their own State. . We call upon all States not to provide facilities for the systemstie emigration of Jew5 to Israel &s long as Israel pursues its settlement policy. We call on all States to halt any assistance to Israel that would enable it to continua its occupation of Arab and Palestinian lands. Indeed, we call ar the international ccmmunity to take the necessary urgent staps to put an end to the Israeli settlement5 in the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories, particularly in view of the fact that the Security Council has declared that such settleiaants see totally illegal. Lastly, we call upon the Security Council to assum its responsibility and to use its prerogatives to compel Israel to respect Council resolutions, for it is indeed high time to convene an internationel conference on peace in the Middle East under the auspices of the Security Council as a first step toward5 achieving real peace with the participation of all parties concerned. The PRES DENT8 I thank the representative of &men for his kin8 words addressed to me. Mr. B~~~~ ADElTO CWWCeYA (Zaire) (interpretation frm Prench) 8 Throughout the month of May, now nearing its end, your Sir, have served as an outetanding President of the Security Council, thus tlamonstrating your inherent skill as a diplomat an3 your dedication to the cause of world peace. Your country, Finland, has long contributed to peace-keeping forces throughout the world, thereby proving its devotion to the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations and to the maintenance of international peace and security. Wy delegation mid like to congratulate you and pledge its ful: co-operation and assistance. w delegation would also like to congratulate your predecessor , our eminent colleague from Ethiopia, Mr. Tesfaye Tadesse , whose country symbolizee African unity, for the skill and dedication with tiich he perfora& his duties as President of the Security Council during the month of April 1990. w delegation also welcomes the new AmbaSSadOr of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the Security Council. ‘lbo days agor the two Yemens - which had been divided as a result of the destructive consequences of the Second World War and the appearance of the phenomenon of bi-polarization in the world - united &:d restored in symbiosis the Yemen of the pre-war period. The delegation of Zaire would like to take this opportunity to extend, through the delegation of Yemen in the Security Councflr its very best wishes for success in the work now being undertaken by the new Government of united Omen to reconstruct national unity and the territorial integrity of the new Republic of Yemen. We hope that the people of Yemen will see this as an expression of Zaire’s encouragament for them in their task, because Zaire, which was divided fmnmdiately after its independence, is fully aware of the price of the division of peoples and countries. We see a new era in history emerging in which the evils and vestiges of the Second World War are gradually giving way to a new climate of trust and peace in the world. This new wave has been spread in Asia by the unification of the two Ykima6~ P%? C(rr a(-l-*~. emerg!lng ground Kampuchea? Afshanistan, and the two KOreaBI U.b --“o-q - and is sweeping through Europe, where the two Germany8 are stepping up th? unification process, as well as Africa, where the Bantuatans are falling beck before the current created by the rapprochermnt of blacks and whites - not to (Mr. Bagbeni Adeito Nzenqeva, Zaire) mentfan the independence of Namibia. Does the new wave end on the threshold of the Middle East, at the heart of which is the Palestinian question? Should we regard the question of the Middle East as one to which the international community Pays no attention and which arouses little interest on the part of the two super-Parers and tba permamemt members cl” the Security Counc~ l? Since the signing on 7 December 1987 in Washington, D.C. of a treaty on the elimination of one category of nuclear weapons by the super-powers, the latter provided a new impetus to negotiations on -jOI: international issues that have, for the most part, 1~4 to satisfactory peaceful sattlemank. Thus, the question of the Middle East, having evolved as a direct consaquence of the Second World Wax and thus to be given highest priority in international affairs, requires that the members of the Security Council shaJ a cmrtsfn sustained attention. (Mr. Bagbenf AdeSto Nzengeya, Zaire) The General Assembly’s move to Geneva at its forty-third session from 13 to 15 Usember 1988 and the meeting of the Security Council cronvened today at the request of Bahrain are ample proof of the interest that Member States take in that question, although they have yet to find B lasting solution. The frustratiar of the Palestinian people at the massacres occurring in the occupied Arab territories climaxed in the events of last weekend. The violations of human rights in those territories have not helped to prorote dialogue or peace between Arabs and Jews. *n the antrary, they have tended to fan hatred and provoke confrontation between the tsm communities. Listing the number of Palestinian victims that have fallen in the confrontation since the beginning of the intifadah in December 1987, one realises the gravity of the situation prevailing in the occupied Arab territories. Accordingly, my delegation continues to believe that resolution 181 (II) adopted by the general Assembly on 29 November 1947 - immediately after the S,~sond World War - relative to the Plan of Partition with Economic Union between the Jwwfah State and the Palestinian Arab State is the only valid basis for ending the conflict, which has been going on for more than 43 years now. It is necessary to take the steps envisaged in the Plan of Partition and to establish a Palestinian State, as was done in the ease of the Jewish State. Resolution 181 (II) indeed required to the United Kingdom as the mandatory Power for Palestine, and to all other Members of the United Nations, the adoption of the Plan of Partition with Economic Union between a Jewish State on the one hand and a Palestinian Arab State dl the other, and its impbementation, with reyaki CG the future Governnmnt of Patestine. According to the Plan of Partition with Economic OnFar in reaolutim 181 (II), the arm?d forces of the mandatory Power for Palestine were to complete their withdrawal as soon as possible, but in any case (Mr. Bagbeni Adeito Nzengeya, Zaire) not later than 1 August 1948, in order to ensure the evacuation of an area situated in the territory of the Jewish State, including a seaport and hinterland adequate to provide Eacilities for a substantial immigration. It was ossuned that the inapendent Arab and Jewish States would CCBUEZ into existence in Palestine two months after the evacuation of the armed forces of the mandatory Power had been completed, but in any case not later than 1 Dctober 1948. Resolutim 181 (If) was very precise in invi tfng the United Nations Commission for Palestine - composed of Bolivia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Panama and the Philippines - upon its arrival in Palestine to proceed to carry out measures for the establishment of the frontiers of the Arab and Jewish States in accordance with the general lines of the reconanendations of the General AssaiiLbly on the partition of Palestine. As we see, the Security Council possesses legal instrulPents capable of revitalizing the prQCQSS of creating a Palestinian Arab State in accordance with the provisions of that resolution. Forty-one mars will socyl have elapsed without the Unilsd Nations having overcome the rivalries and the intransigence th&t have been encountered in the implementation of resolution 181 (LX). Paragraph 5 of Security Council tesolution 605 (19671 stresses the urgent need to teach a just, durable and peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli amflict. It ie important to recall that in accordance with resolution 181 (Xl), it was tecommended that no Jew should establish residence in the area of the proposed Arab Stata and that no Arab db the S&W@ in the proposed Jewish State, so as to mark the separation of the two States. ‘It if3 in that cantmet el33e +9 A~lrnrt4-8 h-l--- the --L-C*l-L---L .-, -“-“>----.. -ra.v..sio ~~~“~.PtIussI,* sii; resettlement of Jewish immigrants in the occupied Arab territories. hIdead, ~9 should g0 Bo far as tf~ stress that, according to the resolution in question, each State created by th? partition should furthermore accept the obligation to refcain in its international relations from the use or threat of use of force either against the territorial integrity or against the political independence of the other State. Chapter 4 P of the resolution granted each State mncerned the right to be admitted as a &ember of the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations. Thus far, we must all admit, the United Nations has not yet been able to implement its wn resolution adopted at the second regular session of the General Assembly held frua 26 to 29 November 1947. This has given rise to the Palestinian popular uprising, the main objective of which is to otruggle against the annexation of Palestinian territory occupied by the State of Israel and to demand that a Palestinian nation should te created alongside Israel. Zn other words, the intifadah is primarily aimed at gaining acceptance for the Plan of Partition of Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish State. The international status of Jerusalem, placed under United Natima adrninistratian, was envisaged under the plan of partition for Palestine. Follw ing the occupation fn 1967 of the eastern sector of Yerusalesa by Israel, the General Assembly and the Security Council reaffirmed their positian on Jerusalem, declaring null and void the fundamental law adopted by the Israeli Parliamnt on 13 July 1980 declaring Jerusalem to be the capital of the State of Israel. States were furthernmre called upon not to accept that fundamental law md to refrain frau sending their diplomatic miesions there. its land, expulsion of residents, exactions , massacre8 and the inhuman treatment of the Palestinian people, as well as the oontinuod occupation of its territory, constitute legitimate grounds for the Palestinian people to live in ita land as a community and national entity with its own social and economic structure. The collective will of Palestinians, whether or not they live in Palestine, is to consider the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as their sole legitimate representative. Zaire believes that the fundamental conditions for M end to the Arab-Israeli conflict are as follows. First, the State of Israel should be called UPcn to recognize the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to have its cxn State, Government and nation in accordance with the plan of partition contained in General Assembly resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947. Secondly, the Arabs should be led to accept the State of Israel within internationally recognized borders- Thirdly, the United Nations should play a leading role, through the Security Council and the Secretary-General, in persuading all Member States, including the State of Israel, to accept the a>nvening of an International peace cmference on the Middle East, to be attended by the five permanent members of the Security Gnlncil, representatives of Israel, the Pi& representing the Palestinian people, and all other parties directly concerned in the conflict, such as Lebanon and Syria in particular. The conference should have as its role the full implemntation of resolution 181 (111 and tk provision of safeguards of peaa for all States of the region, with guarantees from the United Otates of Amrica and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. My delegation would like once again urgently to appeal b the State of Israel and its Government, the occupying Rower of the Palestinian territories, to comply irrlrrradiately and strictly with the Fourth Geneva Convention relative tc the Protection of c!iqilin: ++--- (- T?c of lar, ----.V h.. of 12 &igiiee i9-49, and ta put an end to its policies and practices oontravoning the provisions of that Ccnvention. Zaire will continue to lend its full support to the Palestinian people struggling for ite independence, its unity nrrd its rvrn identity. The PRES XDBJT: I thank the representative QE Zaire for his kind words addressed to IIB= The next speaker on my list is the representative of the Syrian Arab &public. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. AL-MA!%1 (Syrian Arab Republic) (interpretation from Arabic) I I should like at the outset, Sir, to express on behalf of my delegation and UI my own behalf our omgratulations upon your election to the presidency of the Security Council for the month of Mry. We are fully confident that your diPlo@~tic eXperiehCB and political wis&m will guarantee the suuzess of the Council's work, particularly during tbi~ difficult time when the represeive practices of Israel are escalating against our Arab sons in the occupied Arab territories, seriously threatening fnternatimal peace and security. One source of satisfaction at your preefdency is your representation of a aouatry that has played an effective role within the United Natiorrs in the raaintenance of peace. I should like to take this opportunity to express to your predecessor, the representative of Ethiopia, Mr. Tadesse , our deep appreciation of his wise and SUaceSSful presidency of the Council last month. I should Like to place on reaxd fa all the Council mmbera our particular appreciation of the wise decision they took to convene the Council here in Geneva to enable the President of Palestine, Mr. Yaeser Arafat, to address the Council, the highest world body responsible for justice and the mafntenancae of international peace and security. Over the past weekend, the world saw a barbarous massacre perpetrated by an Israeli soldier against peaceful Palestinians , seven of whom were k iii& anri GGie~t) wounded. That was followed by a rabid and barbarous campaign by the occupying Israeli forcea against the son8 of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories. As a result, many were wounded or killed. (Mr. Al-Maar f , Sy r ian Arab Iiepubl.fc) Those acts touched the conscience of humanity and revealed to the world the nature of Israel’s expansionism and repressive practices. No one can separab those barbarous practices from thy comprehensive scheme which the Government in Tel Aviv is trying to implenmnt in or&r to establish a climate of terror in the occupied Arab territories and to foroa the inhabitants to leave and enable Jewish settlers to take their place. All the peace-loving peoples of the world are today hoping that the Security Council will realize their wish that, in the end, it will afx3une its responsibilities and take efficient and speedy mea&urea to put an end to the collective massacres perpetrated by Israel against the inhabitants and population of the occupied Arab territorfea, which have becorns a larqe concentration camp and battlefield where the occupying Israeli Power unleashes bloody mamacres against the unarmed Arab population, violates their every h-n right, destroys their houses, and kills their children and women in a prelasditated manner. The Security Council rmat see matters clearly and should not be waylaid by confusion concerning the deeire of the Tel Aviv government for peace. Israel’s policy was and is based on a rejection of Water because peace hinders its expansionist objectives and because Ierael would prefer to have the land without fta population and to realize the dream of a @Grater Jewieh State” - Eretz Israel - fraa the Nile to the Euphrates. We recall in particular Israel’s rejection of the role of the United Nations ma 1 ts resolutiono. The General Aoae&ly and the Security Council have adopted *,mPCN*m rnarrl ,.C4AII -A.m..-.2 -- Eera& ..-----e --u--“---a*‘” &s.j”“oL+,,y k mmpiy fuiiy wiicir the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protecticm of Civilian Pereorre in Tima of War, of 12 August 1949. We should like to recall General Assembly resolution 2252 (B-V) of $ July 1967 and Security Council reaolutione 237 (1967) of 14 June 1967 and (Hr. AL-Hasri, Syrian _Arab Remblic) 465 (1980) of 1 Mar& 1980, which were a&ptea manimouay. We should al60 l&e to W&l Security Council resolutions 605 (1987), 607 (1966) and 606 (19861, adopted as a result of the heroic Palest’nian intifadah against the Israeli occupation, in which the Council reaffirmed that the Fourth Geneva Convention ia applicable to Palestinian and other Arab territories and strongly requested Israel, the O-Wing Rcwer, to abide by its cbliqations arising from the C,avention. The Council also to& into account the need to consider measures for the impartial protection of the Palestinian civilians under occupation and considered that the current policies and practices of Israel were bound to have grave consequences for the endeavours to achieve a wmprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Midd1.e East. It strongly ’ deplored those policies and practices of Israel which violate the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories , and in particular the opening of fire by the Israeli army, resulting in the killing and wounding of defenceless Palestinian civilians. -ever, the dramatic situet.ion of those suffering under the Israeli occupation hae persisted day after day for the past two and a half years. (Hr. Al-Masri, Syrian Arab Iheublic) The intifadah craged for more thar two and a half years by the sons of our Arab people in the occupied Arab territories has provided proof of a number of facts that the Security Council must take into account. Among these are8 first, that the Palestinian intifadah is a national revolution against Israeli omupation and against expansicm ist policies and c& jectives. Secondly, the intifadah - along with tie heroic resistance in the Syrian Arab Golan Heights and southern Lebanon, both under occupation - will continua despite all Israel’s repressive measures. Thirdly, the struggle against Israeli occupation and it5 barbarism will not cease under any circunm tances until all occupied Arab lands are liberated and until the Arab Palestinian people recovers its national rights and establishes a sovereign national State otl its awn land. Fourthly, all attempts to coerce those who Wage the intifadah, no matter hat the pretext and no matter hat hopes or promises ace held out, are doomed to failure. Fifthly, there can be no peace in the region unless it be comprehensive and free from schemes and individual, partial solutions. And sixthly, there must be an end to repressive Israeli practices - which oonstitute genocide, a crime under international law - aiming at expelling the Arab population from its land in order to achieve further Israeli expansicn in the region. Israel is attempting to carry out its programme of expaneion and settlelaent on Arab lands, ignoring the will of the international community, the Charter of the United Nations and the rule of international law. Under this expansionist, hostile and aggressive programme it has striven to annex Arab Jerusalem and the Arab Golan Ueights, and to escalate its policy of establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories. Having stolen its waters and diverted them into oozupied Palestine, it included southern Lebanon in that hostile expansionist programnr . (Mr. Al+4asri, Syrian Arab RspubLic) Pmmd security in m extremely sensitive region like the Hiddle $ast cannot be achieved except through m international conference under United Nation8 auspices with the participation of the super-Powers or the permanent =*ars of the Gecurfty Council and all the parties concerned. The objective of the conference r8ust be Israel’s complete withdrawal from, all occupied tertitoties and the restoration to the Palestinian people of its inalienable rights. Israel continues its expansionist schemes, 85 it has admitted m OarpY occasions and it stubbornly rejects any withdrawal Pram the ouzupied Arab territories. It refuses to halt settlements on Arab lmd. It rejects a Palestinian State. And it rejects an international conference on peace in the Middle East. In 1948, Ben-Gurion stated that Israel’s final victory wauPd be achieved thrau* intensive Jewish emigration. Forty years later, in a etatemnt to ths Likud Party reported by Agence France Press@ on 15 January, Yitahak Shamir avced the sam objective &en he said that intensive Jewish emigration rewirea the establishPx3nt of Eretz Israel - “Greater Israel”. Thus, nothing has changed in the asntality of the Tel Aviv leaders from Ben-Guricn to Shamir, including everyone in between. They have all had the same objectives the annexation of land through forae and the establishment of Eretz Xerael. For Israel, peace is synonymous with expansion and hegembnyt the iteposition of a fait acconpli and of a solution that will guarantee it. Thus, Israeli logic deaurnda as its first rule the total rejection of the authority of the United Nations in any peaas process. That aleo implies the rejection of international law, since the United Nations is the principal organization concerned with the irpplemmtation of international law and the safeguarding of its rule% (Mr. Al-Maeri., Syrian Arab I&~ublic) Ammg the Security Council’s -in responeibilities is the adoption of urgent measures to put an end to those violations and practices, including through the applicatim to Iacael of Chapter VII of the United Rations Charter in order to compel it to comply with United Nations resolutions and international law and to bring about its complete, uncmditional withdrawal fran all Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories. Unless that is achieved, the grave explosive situation resulting from the continued ocarpaticm of the Arab lands under settlemettt and from the fact that the Palestinian people’s rights are ignored will pose additional threats to international peace and security. The PRRSIDPNTr I thank the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic for the kind words he addressed to me. The next speaker is Rer Excellency Rrs. Abea Claude Diallo, Chairman of the Cmmittee m the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. f invite her to take a place at the Ccuncil table and to make her atateuent. Mrs. DIALID (Senegal), Chairmar of the ConuPittee cm the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (interpretation f&m French): On behalf of the Comnfttee a, the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palostinian People, over which it is my honout and privilege to preside in the naim of my country, Senegal, I weloom ths personal particfpaticm of Ris Excellency Presi&nt Yaeset Arafat in this meeting of the Security Carncil, devoted - yet again - to recent tragic events in the occupied Palestinim territoriee. RI8 iWcwtant statement eloquently illustrated the gravity of the situation in that arear where the occupying Power, Israel, oonaistent with its attitude of defiance and provocation, ie nainfaining a climate of terror and violence that io conducive to the outbreak of such tragedies. This demnstrates Ierael’s total disregards for int&rnational public opinion, for the nurnstoue relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Cmncil and for the provisions of the Fourth Gmeva %nvention of 12 August 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Tima of War. (Mrs. Diallo, Chaimmn, Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People) The convening of this maeting cam4 in immediate response to the Arab request, and I consider that the considerable participation by Ministers and other eminent individuals is further proof of the interest in finding a speedy, positive solution to this problem. It ie therefore to be hoped that the Ccuncil’s deliberations will lead to immediate, vigorous and concrete measures to assure the necessary protection of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories to enable them quickly to recover the exercise of the inalienable national rights, including the right to self-determination and independence. I feel all the mope justified in my hopes, Mr. President, because of your human, moral and intellectual qualities and your special skill. The esteem enjoyed by your country, Finland, will certainly help you guide the Security Council’s delicate work twatds the achieveraent of its objectives. As I ctiiterate my commitment to full co-operation, I wish also to take this opportunity warmly to congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Tesfaye Tadesse, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, for the very effective and efficient ~Siy in which he carried out his tasks last month. I al80 congratulate the delegation of Yemen on the unification of the Republic of Yemen. I thank all the maxbers of the Council for enabling me* as Chairman of the Committee cn the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palefltinfan People, to join them in expressing our indignation at the tragic events that have taken place since 20 May. World public opinion continues to oondem Israel’s policies and practices aiming at nodification of the bxographic compoeition of the occupied Palestinian territories, yet Israel’s leader5 have unleashed even harsher and more brutal (Mrs. Diallo, Chairsum, Committee on the Exercise of th8 Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People) repressian than beforea with the blind action by the Israeli armdl forces, many Palestinian civilians wei’e killed in cold blood, and more than 800 were seriously Injured. What crime had they cosmitted, other than that of demnstratiug to protest the massacre of seven PalesLiniana cm th8 morning Of 20 Way by a for-r Israeli soldier? That massacre was presented ~9 the act of a madman. I believe that the reaction of the Israeli Governmnt - harsh snd brutal repression and the imposition of a curfw in Saza and the West Rank - was a further act of harshness. It constituted an act of defiance to the inlxrnational Q)munity, the General Asserably and the Security Council, and proves yet again that Israel deliberately refuses to be associated with United Nations efEorts to prcmote a neqotlatad solution to th8 problem thrcuqh the convening of the International Peace Conference on the Riddle East. Moreover, this situation poses a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East, where a new war could break out if we are not careful. In the letter dated 21 Ray 1930 that I addressed, on behalf of the l%mittee cm the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, to the Secretary-General Concerning this tragedy, I believe I laid sufficient stress on all these considerations in order to draw the attention of the Security Council to them. I would add only that at a time when the Palestinian people, throuqh Yaseir Arafat, its President and Chairmgn of the Palestine Liberation Orqanizationc its sole, authentic representative, has opened the way to a prccess af dialogue, Israel 884~1 to have opted for violence and confrontation. Israel is sayinq once again that it does not wish to wmply with the relevant provisions of the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949 or to participate in Middle East peace initiotivoa. (Mrs. Diallo, Chairman, Committee co the Rnercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People) The view of the Committee ia that the United Rations, and in particular the Security Council, must accept this challenge by making Israel, pursuant to the Geneva Convention, guarantee the safety of the Palestinian civilian population and join in the international consensus established by the adoption of General Aasenbly resolution M/P2 of 6 December 1989 ~1 the prompt convening of the International Peace Conference on the Middle East. Moreover, the High Contracting Parties to the aneva Conventions must make further contributions to the efforts to secure Israel’s sorupulous respect for those instrumsnts. The bmmittea ~1 the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian PWBle is confident that the Security Council will adopt decisions in line with general opinion, and we hope that obeervers will be sent pranptly to the occupied Palestinian territories to restore peace and necurity, without which there can be no realistic hope of a peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict. That is the only position we could take, for the Orgdnization’e credibility is at ehke - quite apart from the general disappointment that would prevail were a different decision to be taken. By taking firm decisions the Council lrUst make Israel understand that it cannot - either by force of arm5, by brutal and blaody repressicn or by arbitrary mea5ures - suppress a people that is determined to reconquer its bztrttitory undar occupation and exercise fully all it9 inalienable national rights in +.+ wh01ly sovereign, free and in&pendent State. Israel nuet understand also that, eince the unleashing of the intifadah on 9 Uecerber 1967, the Palestinian people is more -- determined than ever before to achieve a satisfactory conelusion to its noble and legi timate struggle, without prejudoe ti the achievement througn dialogue and negotiation c~f an ameptable just and lasting solution for the Palestinian people. (Mrs. Diallo, Chairman, Committee on the Exercise of the Xnalienable Rights of the Palestinian People) I wish in conclusf~ to reiterate our full confidence in the membera of the Security Council; we are certain that they will manifest the necessary wisdxu and firmness. The aecisiorm taken by the Council will be of prime importance, for they UW3t serve ta consolidate the positive prOgrass we are witnessing tadayr in the field of disarrpament, with the encouragirrg change3 in the East, with the recent indepen&nce of Namibia, with the changes in South Africa, with the reunification of the two Yemens and with the imminent unification of the two GermaWS. Them are tangible results of the tireless efforts of the United Nations to bring about a better international climate, the settlement of regional conflicts aa a world of peace, security and co-operation. It would thus be most unfortunate were one of the oldest questions an the agenda of the general Assembly - the questian of the Middle East and Palestine - were not to be included in that dynamic movement but were rather to become dangerously tangled because of a single State’s stubbornness and determinatia to violate with impunity the rules and regulations of the international ooPrarunity and because that State, forgetful of history, persiste in inflicting cm a defenceless population all manner of atrocities recalling those of which the Jewish people itself was victim. In the face of such a situation and at a tim when thie CcmciL is meting and we are witnessing a constant deterloratfar of the situ&ion, is3 q wt do everything possible to ensure that future generation6 in the Middle East, the cradle of the three revealed religions, can coexist peacefully in freedom and mutual resaect and can participate in building and oonsolidating the peace, justice and ao-oPeration that we wtll have bequeathed to them. The PRESIDENTS I thank the Chairrurn of the Committee on the Rearciee of the Inelimrblr Righte of the Palestinian People for the kind words she addressed to n. The nO%t rpeaket ie Hie Rxcellency Mr. Nabil Maarcufs Aeaiatant 98crekry-General for Palestine and Al-Quds of the Organization of the Islamic CQCLPerence, to whcm the C&nmcil has extended an invitation w&r rule 39 of its prwiricnal rules of prccedure. I invite Mr. Maarouf to take a place at the -Oil trsble and to sake his etatemnt. Mr. MANXNIP (interpretation fran Arabic) a 1 thank the members of the Security Council for permitting am to addreay the Council. I wish to convey the greetings of His &celLency Mr. Hamfd Algabid, Secretary-C&era]. of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , who requested that I represent him at this meeting convened to mnsider a matter tiich the Islamic nation views as its most central causet the Palestinian cause. The Council is meeting because of the violation of the rights of the Palestinians in their cun land, the criraes perpetrated by the Psraeli entity against the Palestinian people in response to the just struggle they are waging to establish an in&pen&nt Palestinian State in the land of Palestine, with Jerusalem m its capital. r congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security COuncil. With yau guiding the Councfl’o work, we believe there will be increased un&rstanding of the Palestinian cause and of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. We are certain that the Security Council will take the urgent steps necessary to enable the Palestinian people to live in dignity and peace and to enf8Ure international peace ant1 security - one of whose essential pillars i5 peace in the Middle East. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Republic of Yemn cm its ulfication. At this historic moment, we are convinced that this will PrOrPDte develomnt in the region. The horrendous mdssaere of Palestinian workers tq an Israeli soldier just a fw days ago and the subsequent massacre of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army are but one part of a criminal plot being hatched by the PsraeEl Zioniot -64 h t’5 *limiEa+ the Palnstinian people. w.. .I -1 It is a vkolatia3 of all lnteenotionol resolutions guaranteeing every people the right of self-determination and the right to struggle for freedom and independence. The latest massacre at Rishan le Zion is (Hr. Maarouf) no different from other xasaacres ordered by the leader of the feraeli nation and carried out through Ariel Sharon, they are dll crimes deliberately perpetrated by Israeli forces in the Palestiuia, territories against the Palestinian people. It does not matter to Israel whether these crtis are amuitted against the elderly, against women ar against children. They are all comitted in cold blood. Water is Cut off; hospitals are attacked; doctors are preventid fran treating the sick and woundedt ppiaons are bulging with detainees; Palestinian civilians are expelledt houses are systematically destroyed; and Arab culture and Civilisation are being raped by the Israeli authorities. Those policies reveal the true nature of the rigime, which resorts oonstantly to rape, violence and terrorism, which fights off any hint of peace, that might appear aud which is afraid of peace reigning in the region. It is plain fran the policies they are pursuing that the Israeli authorities do not want peace at all8 they do not want security for the Arab people. It ie clear too that Israel Qes not want pea03 for its own people. It wants always ti creaate conditto that impose on the entire region - including the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples - a situation of constant ten&m to prevent them fraa promting development. Ultimately, the oppressor will loee and the oppreseed will triumph. That is a certainty. Rut in the maantiaka, thousauds of Yewish refugees are being urgd to become Israeli citizens. Shamir has said that thie influx increaeee the need for a “Greater 18raelm. In other words, what we are going to see is further exPansion, to the detriment of the peoples of the region. The peoples of the region, including the Israeli people, are constantly being urged to fight 00 that they MY never live in peaoe. Jew8 ace leaving their hanelands in order to improve their economic lot. They w5nt to 1 ive in peace ma dignity. 15 it not strange that those Jews find the ic (Mr. Maarouf) ambitiotu, dashed in an occupied Palestine, where they are forced to take UP arm and fight their mn brethren without any rhyme or reason? That is the policy of the Israeli Governmentr constant uarr constant conflagration. Yet, the Israelis cannot win, for despite their sophisticated military strength, and even if their allies constantly come to their aesistancer they must none the less recalX that the Palestinian people, with the entire Islamic nation behind it, ie stronger, because its cause is just. The Palestinians have been fighting for that cause throughout the twentieth century, making enormoue sacrifices, and they will triumph. The intifadah in the occupied Palestinian territories, which has been under way for two and a half yeareb proves that the Palestinians reject occupation and that they are determined, irrespective of the amt and the sacrifices, to continue the struggle to gain their inalienable national rights, rights which the internation cwrmunity has recognizttd as belonging to that people. The entire world now knows of the suffering and the tragedy of the PalestinPan People in the occupied Palestinian tetrritories, caumd by the organised terrotia~r perpetrated by the Israeli authorities. The ten&m e&maim from the eituaticn in the occupied Palestinian territories forebcdes d,i re repercussions for all nations throughout the Middle East. Hence it pcses a threat to international PaaCe and Becur ity . (Mr. Maarouf) I thirk it is high tilae that the international community assumed it6 obligations and responsibilities. It is time for the international amunity to work seriously to achieve a amprehensive peace in the Middle East by c+ompellAl~g Israel to comply with the many resolutions that have been adopted in all international bodies ad cease its violatiar of the rights of the Palestinian people and allow that people to exercise its inalienable rights. The international community has recently witnessed the easing of tension in a number of focal points. It has seen peoples again exercising their right to self-determinatian in Eastern Europe end Latin America, but it is a great shanre that such changes have not yet reached the Middle East because of Israeli intransigence, which has hitherto prevented the establishment Of peace in the region. Political initiatives put forward by the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, which were adopted by the Pslemic bnference , all members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and most peoples in the world clearly indicate the peaceful objectives of the Palestinian people, which wish to achieve a just peatxt and live in peace with all countries in the region. Kowever, the United States, which has strategic ties with Israel, has blocked the achievement of these goals. Meanwhile the Israeli Government continues to reject 011 initiatives towards peace and to pueh the regiarr to the brink of disaster. Jews are immigrating to the oocupied territories, a developlpent that is lending to further harassment of the Palestinian people and threatening the Remblic of Iraq, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and other countries. This la going to lead to bl explosion and push the region over the precipice. It is the prime responsibility of the Security Council to guarantee international peace and security, and today we call upon it ti take the necessary stem to make Israel comply with its obligations as the oc%uWing Pcwer. (Mr. Maaaroufl The Orgsnizaticn of the Islamic Conference , representing 45 Islamic countries. considers that the question of Palestine is an issue of fundamental priority . It is fully committed to stand beside the people of Palestine in its just struggle and provide it with all necessary support and assistance to enable it to exercise its inalienable rights, including the right to return to its homelgld, to self-determination and to set up an independent nation, the capital of which will be Jerusalem in the land of Palestine under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We are also committed to safeguarding Jerusalem, which is an extremely important place sintae it is a holy city for millions. It is a city under occupation that today has seen Christian and Islamic holy places attacked by Jews. i% Mud.itm and Christians should not allw attacks to be made ar these holy places or settlements set up there , nor allow Muslima 4~ be prevented frcm living in the land of their ancestors, for in this way Israel is flouting all the resolutions which regard Jerusalem as an integral part of Palestine and the occupied territories. In the light of this comrnihaent we wnsider that the achieves&3nt of peace in the Middle East requires en immdiate and objective nolutiar of all the different CaUQea of the situation, and for this reason the international amunity should create the necessary condition to bring about peace in the Middle East which. in our view, would first of all call upon Israel tr, cease its attacks cn the Palestinian people in compliance with the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 19499 seoondly, prevent settlers from settling in the occupied Arab territories, prohibit the estsblishment of new settlements and &clare all such szttlerrtints in occupied Palestinian brritories, (Mr. Maatauf) thirdly, bring about the complete withdrawal of Ieraeli forces from all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, in conformity with international agreemnt in resolutions an tie question; fourthly, prwiQ the Palestinian people with the necessary protection by sending international forces into occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and placing those territories under the imlllediate authority of the Unitad Nations so as to enable the people of Palestine to exercise sovereignty over its territory; fifthly, as a matter of urgency convene the International Peace Carference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations with the participation of the permanent numbers of the Security Council as well m the Palestine Liberation Organisation QI an equal footing so as to enable the Palestinian people to exercise it.3 inalienable national rights. Although we are pleased to be here in this rnst welooming country, we would none the less have liked the United States of America to have mada it possible for the Security Council to meet in New York with the Palestinkn leader, Yaseer Arafat, in attendance. In spite of this, we take this opportunity to appeal in thie body to the bvernnmnt of the United States, recognising the importance of the strong ties between the United States and other countrtee of the Islamic world, to make every effort to bring about Pease* because everybody k-s that the United States has all the means neceesary to eliminate all obstacles ti peace. Encouraging a dialogue between the United State@ and the Palestine Liberation Organiaatiar and calling for respect for the rights of the Palestinian pple is recognition of the faot that the Palestine Liberation Organisation is their sole legitimate representative and can advance the cauee of peace. (Mr. Maarou9 I wish to express our gratitude to all countries that are committed to Pace in Europe and in all reqions of the vorld and that are fully aware of the tragedy facing the Palestinian people and would like to see justice done. At the start of this Councilas meting, we listened very carefully to the words of the Palestinian Presidentr Mr. Yasser Arafat, vho described quite Clearly and sincerely what the Palestinian people have suffered and what its aspirations wece towards a just, honourable and lastillq peace. (Hr. Maarouf) The Palestinian leader has axne here to defend their rights. Xe has coucageously called for peace. The international ooranunity must appreciate this positian and take genuine immediate stepe to help the Palestinian people in its just struggle 80 that peaoe and security may prevail in the Middle East. Allcw ma further to express my appceciatiar to all the fntffadah fighters in the oocupied Palestinian ticcitocies who have rejected oppression and oaxpation and ace new laying the bases for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. The FSESIDDJT: With the concurrence of metiers of the Council I propose to suspend the meeting now. The meeting was suspen6d at 9.40 p.m., 25 May 1990, and realaed at 9.25 a.m., 26 May 1990.

The next speaker is the representative of the United Arab l%airates. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. ABDUDLAH (United Arab i3niratee) (interpretation fran Arabic) t At the outset, Mr. President, I should like to commend your wise efforts &nd leadership, which have enabled the Security Council to meet here in Geneva in order to listen to President Atafat ‘8 statement 8na discuss the wave of terrorism, murder and genocide practised by the Israeli occupiers against the Palestinian people in and outside occupied Palestine and to a&pt measures ti put an end to this continuous slaughter, which has been going on for more than 40 years. The latest massacre, which claimed 14 victiza among Palestinia, workers, and the ensuing systemtic violence organized by the omuwing authorities, which led to the killing or wounding of hundreds of victim3 in just a few days cannot be attributed to a single act committed by a nmaman. Was the bit Yassin massacre the work of a madman? Was the Kafr Qasim massacre? Were the collective murders, the savage repressions, bombings, the arrests of thousands of people, including children, women and elderly people? Were the attacks against holy places, both Ghrisdan and Muslim? Were all these events the work of a madman? There have been ilemonstrations in Jerusalem against all the meaeures taken by the Zionist occupying poiier with the intent of replacing the indigenous population with settlers. Were all these acb the work of a madman? What has just happened in the occupied territories is cmly one more link in the chain of crimes committed by the Israeli occupying authorities in Palestinian occupied territories. Their rumbers have increased and their methcda have been diversified, as a result of which a host of victims have faLlen since the beginning (Mr. Mullah, United Arab iWrates) of the intifadah some 30 ammths ago. What is happening in occupied Palestine is a series of war crimes, criePss against humanity, since they include genocide as defined in article 2 of the Conventian a~ the Prevention and Rmiahment of the Crime of Genocide. Fhe continuing of raciet, military Zionism ia the basis for the Israeli authorities continued rejection of all peace initiatives, and this has led to the present situation. The Israeli Prime Minister has announced that he &es not wish to discurn the matter of the occupied territories since, according to him they are Israeli territory and thus rick open for dj,ewasion. (MC. Abdullah, United Acab Ehicates) Nhat paam initiative is Israel proposing cx accepting? To which ceaolution has Israel responded? To which appeal launched by an international organisation has Israel actually responded in a positive way3 Eia~ cm we solve this problem? Israel’s only response here is mxe violenoe, more settleaents, and thousands of iuunigcarts entering the occupied territory. The international axcmunity has become aare of the danger inherent in this polioy, which may lead to a global and destructive war, the consequences of which we can all predict. Israel is responsible for the fact: that we have not yet found a soluticm to this conflict, whi& muvt allov the Palestinian people to eaecoise all of i t8 legitimate national c ights, including the right to return hare. Ths peace initiatives adopted by the Palestine National Council, by which the State of Palestine was proclaimad, were pit forward in response to initiatives launohed by the international community. The intifadah is a legitimate expression of the dssice of the Palestinian people to live in freedom and with dignity and to maintain its national identity, The woe Id has recently w itneased many changes taking plam in various pacts of the world as a result of changes in policy betwem the eupec-Powers. Politioal eettlanrents have been found to several regional cmnflicta and serious attempts have baen mada to find solutions to other similar conflicts. Just when the wocld is aWing in the direction of removing the wke of oppceseion and &ing away with violations of humen rights - even in South Africa, Israel% ally - Israel is moving in the opposite direction to thie positive trend, this at a tiape when the palestinian aide has ehown its detecminaticm (;o find a comprehensive and just settlement to the conflict with Israel. The Charter of the United Nations has entcuated to the Security Council the cespomibility of maintaining international peace &~d aeCUcit~e Morewet, th0 Chartic entrusts the permanent members of the !hcutity Council with pacticular (MC. Abdullah, United Arab EMrates) responsibility in this cespeOt. Hence, they ace responsible with regard to what is happening in the occupied tecritoc ies , consi&cfng Israel’s intransigence and cejectiar of any peace initiative, whatever its source. It is our right to call won the United States to join with the internatiunal mmmunity to bring pceesure to bear on Israel in order to lead it towards a peace settle--ent, the general nature of which has been indicated by the General Assent,ly. Until a proper settlement is ceaOhed, the Security Council must guarantee the security and pcotection of the Palestinian psople in the occupied territories, ensure the full applicatiar of the: fourth Geneva Convention, and try to put ar end to the policy of establishing Jewish settlerents in Palestine. In COnClusion, I wish t0 express my country ‘8 full support for the content of the statement mada by President Yassec Arafat, in which he told of the sufferings of the Palestinian people and put forward daman& for their full enjoyment of their rights, in aa-ordanoa with international law and order, and relevant United Nations and other international instruments, and we express out support for the positive steps that have been taken to achieve a just and lasting peaae in the Middle East. The R~ESIDINTI I thank the representative of the United Arab Miratetl for his kind words addressed to ma. The next speaker is the representitive of Eangladash. I invite him ti take a place at the Council table ard to make his statement. MC. IQIPUN~R-IiASHI.U (Bangladesh): The persistent pain of Palestine is one of the greatest tragedies of our times. Again and again the Council has foaieed its attention 0~ the issue currently on the age&t. It5 tireless endeavours have to date been rendered futile owing to the obduracy of a single State, Israel, whhose behaviour threatens to shred the fabric of the fragile stability in that volatile region. (WK. Harun-ur-Rashid, Bangladesh) But prior to making any further substantive comments, may I aayI Hr. President, how very pleased my delegation is to see mu in the Chair. Your reputation has preceded ycu to Geneva. My delegation haJ the fullest confidence in your ability to guide our deliberations to suozeas. Praise is also &e to the Ambassador of Ethiopia for the commendable guidance he provided to the Council last month. We need but to open a newspaper or tune in the radio or television anywhere in the world today, and we shall read, listen to, or viat the ordeal of the Palestinian people. The massacre last Sunday was cme of the blackest acts conceivable . It ~89 yet another addition to the list of crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people that grws longer every day. Hw do we explain t33 the younger generatim that the fascism we claim to have eradicated at the cost of millionfl of lives &ring the Second World War still exiets, and that those sacrifices have been in vain? Hew do we explain to the children of Palestine OUI: helplessness in the face of their unbearable tribulation? b can we assert that we have achieved post tive progrem towarda global peace when we are unable to stem the flw of blood in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv? In total disregard of global public opinion and all norms of civilized values, the Israeli authorities have expelled innocent Palestinian civilians from their hearths and homes. Israel has exacerbated the crisis by settling thousands of Jewish immigrants in the illegally occupied territories. Tel Aviv has paid scant attentiar to the urgings of restraint when it bra tried inhumanly and brutally to -.-----a b upp& cam &L-A. .--a-..- -..-a.-- -^..,-&-..a I.-- Lila.%. ur,*bjjrsz p”a&.c *~.a.oa.sa,.- ..INR.. -a!? C&a 4..bt @mAat. I,” a.. -A ..YIY... !zvety tie fptp& eliminates a Palestinian village from the map, it imprints another indelibly on our minds. Every time Israel snuffs aut a Palestinian life, it may be a flicker gcme, but in its place a thousand torches of liberty are lit. (Mr. Harun-Ur-Raehid, Bancjladesh) Rwever, the very fact that m meek tu focus m the problem meam that we atO not ready to lome heart. Thraa things encourage ust first, the unabated vigour of the intifadah that has entered yet a higher phase - higher still by reasQI of the r55dlUtO will of the Palestinians to shake off the yoke of tyrannyl secondly, the burgeonirq feeling among peaceable Israeli citizen that a way m\tst be EOLW out of this impasse - and soon} and, thirdly, the elemnte in the statement of President Yasser Araf at that conks the seeds of peace. There can be no true peace in the world until calm is restored in the Middle East. Calm cannot be restored in the Middle East until the core iesueI Palestiner is resolved in a just, comprehensive and lasting manner. This io not really ae intractable as it appears. The cgorld body has pointed to the way it can be achieved. The first step would be the convening of the international oonfetence in accordance with the relevant General Assembly resolutions. There is little euch meeting could achieve unleos Palestine is represented therein by their B)le, legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization. Bangladesh believes that thie ptoposed conference is the best m&had to cut this Gordian knot. Thfi Security Council h= a crucial role e0 play in this regard. Wa UC* putRber5 to take aazount of the fact that time is absolutely of the emence. The world ie changing. Ierael cannot resist thie current of change forever. Surely, saner minds among tts citizens tecognize this. Tel Aviv must come to grips with reality. ck\ the iesua of the middle East, we all sit on a volcano. UnleW we take care, a mighty eruption might engulf us all in a horren&uo wnflagration. Jerusalem haa al-ye meant love and peace. Tel Aviv must not, cannot, change this to maan hate and &struction. The PRBSIDZDENTt I thank the representative of Bangladesh for hie kind words addteseed to m3. The next speaker is the r@preoentative of Iraq. I invite him to take a Place at tha Council table and to make his etatemnt. Hr. AWTIKRRI (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic): First, X should like to congratulate your Sir, cn your assumpticn of the presidency of the Council for this mnth. I am convinced that thanks to your diplonratic skill and qualities the work of this mating of the Council. will be crowned with success. I should also like to aongratulato the representative of Yemen (1111 the unificaticsr of the two Yemena, and I hope that there will be more progress and proeperity for the brotherly Yemeni people. Yet again Israel has shaJn its criminal and tirrorist colours, its obstinacy in defying international law and flouting of all norms r*rd customs as well a5 humanitarian conventions, by adding a new heinous trims to its criminal record. On 20 May 1990 the Israeli occupation forces perpetrated a bloody massacre8 claiming the lives of 20 martyrs and leaving hundreds wounded among the children of the Palestinian Arab people. This -8acre perpetrated by Israel cannot be considered as an individual act but as part of the general climate of aggression and intolerance implemented by the Zionist entity itself, within the context of organised State terrorism against the Palestinian people throughout the territory of Palestine that is designed to achieve the expulsion of the Palestinian people and to drive them out of the Arab territories for the purpose of settling foreign 8ett,lers. This policy of terrorism is a flagrant violation of the human rights of the Pale tinian people and a serious v:oktion of 4n4~~*4~~~1 la? and the Faurth Cenwa Convention. -.--D..----.q- Moreover, it is a Wave threat to the security and peace of the region and the world. The practice of genocide pursued by Israel will not stop the Palestinian etruggle - a struggle which ~4s not halted by Israel’s use of banned weapons, namely, toxic and chemical gases, against this people. On the contrary, it has (Mr. Al-Tikr iti, Sraq) fanned the flames of the popliar and total fntifadah, which expresses the will of the Palestinian people to reject Israeli occupation and to assert its &termination to tecwer its rights which remain m essential condition for the establishment of a b&UbJ for a just and comprehensive peace in ths region, in conformity with the principles of international law and United Nations resolutions. That is why the intifadnh has won world approval and the support of the forces of freedom, justice and peace. The Council is aware that Haganah metier& such as Shamir and Sharon, and members of other organizations have adopted measures to perpetrate massacres throughout the world. But Israel has not admitted what it did in Namibia and in South Africa before Namibia achieved independence. I mention the example of South Africa, as in South Africa there are also occupying forces killing blacks, as indeed Israel is killing Palestinians. (Mr. Al-Tikrlti, Irag The repreerentative of the Zionist entity criticizes Iraq’s warning to Iaraelr but he is hiding half the truth. He fails CT) state that the warning was given to prwent Israel from again attacking Iraq, as it did in 1981. l’hw the representative of that entity shcma little rezpeot for the Security Council and the international annmuni ty . Despite all tbs crimes and illegal acts committed by Ierael and all the lies it has been spreading, that representative persists in Qisting facts and depicting himself ss the defenceless victim. The Ieca&.is blame their victims, the intifadah children, and they blame the Arab oountries, part of whose land Israel still ocoupies and which Israel wantonly attacks. The Council will have noticed the manner &opted by the representative of Ierael. Be has not even expressed gratitude1 he has not greeted the Pcesident t in fact, he spoke to him as an officer would to a soldier. He distorts arc meetings here and believes that he alone understands everything and that nobody else mdacstanils anything. Today Mr. Bbamit, the Prime wnis&r, has said that it would be better for the fecucity Council to adopt nothing tha to impost sorPething on Israel, because if the Peoucity Council &es adopt a resolution, fsraet will not recognize it. r(e said that the other resolutions adopted by the Council have not bean implemented by Israel and that Israel has not ceoognized them. This, then, is the manner adopted by Israel. The representative of the Zionist entity has referred to bmcraoy and civilizatione S&U% in fact hie superiors hwe a split personality wtrich cepcesents a threat to international maos and security. I do not believe that the Unit4 Statoe is really a faithful friend of 18Eat31, for the United States has not made a single comment that oolrld enlighten Israel as to its future. Xt has not explained to Xzrael hw tc conduct relations with neighbouring countries, or how Israel is to renounce vialence as its method, because it will lead to absolutely nothing and will never destroy the Palestinian people or the Arab nation but will rather have the contrary effect. Xt will worsen the situation and increase violence, which in turn will engender further violence. People and nations have to have logical relationships. We have heard everything Israel’s Foreign Minister stated. There is certainly a danger threatening Israel, and that danger lies in Israel itself and in the United States. Even as far as individuals are concerned, when they feel a danger they try to find out what the source of the danger is , and the question is not all that easy to answer. All that President Saddam Hussein said is that if Iraq is attacked by Iera&, Iraq will retaliate. This should lead Israel ti think tan times before committing aggression, but it will not prevent Israel ftcm perpetrating aggresaion against Iraq. President Saddam Hussein hae the right and the duty to defend the sovereignty and the interests of his country, which he is prompted to do by the irresponsible attitUd@ of Israel and the United States of wricn. The Proof is that we are here, all of usI and there is not a single country supporting tsrael, except for the United States. W’y not talk about the legal causes of this problem? The Iraqi people & not like war. The Iraqi people and their Government uraerstand very well the meaning of civilizatlon. This is why the Iraqi people wish to deal with their awn affairs. There ie yet another truth which the Council ehmld know; Iraq cannot bLmpo5e upan the Palestinian the renunciation of their rights. Even if they were to decide otherwise, we Cannot impose this upon them, but if the Baleatinkns seek their rights we will not 8ay not ar the contrary, we (91x1 support them in the recovery of those tights. This is the actual truths the entire world has to see (Mr. Al-Tikr iti, Iraq) that Israel wisha;, to annex Arab territories &I is supported in this by the *ited Stat8e. The United States and all mace-loving countries should tell Israel that &X the CoWiCil is aware, the Palestinian question remaine the main Q)nc8rn of the United Nations; the Organizatian ard its vatiow ammittees md smcializeCl agencies, have adopted hundreds of rgiolutions an this issue, which threaten8 international peace md security and concerns one of the aMBt dangetolls areas of tension in the world. Instead of complying with the resolution8 adopted by the CortnCil and by ule General Assembly, which has granted it arJ&erehip ~1 condition that it respect the Charter, Israel has persisted in ite &fianBB of the internetiaral mmmmmity . It attacked and occupied the territories of three Arab States in 1969t it then attacked Iraq 5n 1981, attacked Gebanar in 1982 - it still c%%upies part of southern Lebanon - and attacked Tunisia in 1985. Israel wculd not have been able to persist in its policy of aggression in its defiance of the will of the international community , in its rejection end disregard of international eesolutions and principles of human rights end in ito policy of impeding the peace process in the region, if it did not have unlimited haerfcan suPEm% which runs aountet to the statemente of the Rmetican A&ninisGkat.ion ~1 the &fence and protection of human rights. The delegation of the Raplblic of Iraq mreservedly and unaonditionally supper?-+ the &man& nradc by Mr. Yasaer Arafat before the Council. (Mr. Al-Tikriti , Iraq) It seeke a total and absolute condemnatisl of the Zionist paliq of aggression, which encourages these terrorist operations and hinders all international efforts io find a just and honourable solutiar to the Palestinian question and achieve lasting peace in the region. There can be no practical &bate on such peace (~1 long as the arrogant Zionist occupation persists. Indeed, peace cannot be achieved without the recognition of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian Arab people, particularly their right to create a State Of their awn, with Al-Cuds as the capital. In short, peace can be achieved only if Israel is nade to respect international conventions and if the international community - in particular the Security Council - assume8 its rcsponsibflities for the maintenance of international peace and security. This it con do by imposing sanctiona against Israel in conformity with the prwisions of the United Nations Charter clnd by protecting the Palestinian people from the oppression of the Israeli occupier. That will entail asserting control in the occupied territories in order to guarantee the rights and security of the Palestinian people. Only when the Palestinian people attains self-determination can there be any hope for a just and comprehensive peace in the region. The PFESIDENT: I thank the representative of Iraq for the kind words he addressed to me. Mr. TADESSE (Ethiopia) : I ehould like at the outset, Sir, to express my delegation’s pleasure at seeing yar preside over the Security Council. That your Mr. President, an tiperienced diplomat fraa a amntry well known for its contcibutiar to the enhanced role of the United Nations in the realm of peacekeeping, will remain at the hub of our consideration of this sensitive issue augurs well for the constructive conduct of our work. (Hr. Tad:sse, Ethiopia) since this is the first formal statement my delegath i5 -kWI sinthe happy events relating to the union of the Yerens, allou ape, Mr. President, to ccngratuhte the fraternal people of that hitherto divided country an the decisive step they have taken ~1 *e path of reunion and prosperity of a great people. We salute all the statesmen involved in the delicate negotiations whicb have led to this raDst rewarding and exemplary endeavour in mankind’s yearning for unity and understanding. May I be alltmed also to take this opportunity to welcome the new Permanent hpresentative of the USSR, Ambassador Yurf Vorontsov, to OUK midst. Given his vast experience in the field of international relations , we have no doubt that he will make a significant contributfm to the work of the Security council= We wish him sucrzess in his new undertakings and assure him of our full co-operation. Pollewing the positive developments which have taken place throughout the world in recent years, many troubled regions of our planet have witnessed a marked relaxaticn of tension. Indeed, as exemplified by the happy events f have just alluded to, these are times when etany nations and peoples seem to have adopted a conciliatory attitude of live and let live, as it were. Regrettably, the situai:ion at the very mre of the Middle &et leaves larch to te desired. Indeed, the sad events which have unfolded in the occupied territories, following the massacre of seven innocent Palestiniana and the wounding of many others last Sunday, clearly indicate that the pre-ccmditions for a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict are yet to eroerge. We cannot but express our dismy at the continuation of this unhappy state of affairs. The fact that the Security Cmncfl promptly responded to the twquest for an immediate meting and that it decided to hold it here in Geneva is added testimony to the degree of urgency with &ich it views the recent tragic evenb that have occurred in the occupied territories, as well LLS the seriousness of its concern over the intractable problem in the Middle Past at large. It rearaitm the convictiar of my delegatiar that the fundamental rights of the Palestinians in the occupied territories should be respected in aazordance with the relevant norm governing civilian populations under such circumstances and that Israel ensure that no action or maasure likely to further complicate the situation is undertaken by its civilian, military or paramilitary bodies. Unlem concerted efforts are deployed with the vieu to reducing the level of tension which has beoume so characteristic of the occupied territories, hopes for a broader and just settlement of t.he Middle East question will remain elusive. Until and unleeo humane and realistic approaches ti the solution of ths problem are adopted, the eventuality of even apre ominous rBvelopm+nts cannot be disoounted. fndeed, the cessation of violence and tha maintenance of a degree of tranquility in the region is a pre-condition for any maaningful efforts towards a oomprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the quintessential question. Any action or policy which urdarmines a positive wve towards dialogue and negotiation in this volatile area will eventually undercut the prospect for peace in the Middle East. If the continued use or resort to means of coercion becomau an established Ipethod of resolving problem in the region, the efforts of the international community towards the establishmnt of a sustainable dialogue among the parties b tha Conflict will be an exerciee in futility. If the maintenance of public order in the occupied territories &es not take due account of the fundamental righte of the inhabitants of those areas* it will only serve as a negative cata.yst for the escalation of tension in the region. Th\ls tha pursuit of a soluticm to the basic question of the Middle East problem. within the franrtwork of security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 336 (1973), will remain a distant goal unless reason and legality prevail. AS lwmbeee are well aware, countries with special responsibilities pertaining to tke Rlaintenance of international peace and security aem to have dmonstrated a fairly virtible degree of commitment to the pursuit of peace in the Middle &et. Likewise, the political milieu prevailing among nations, particularly the leading Payer& provf&s ample opportunity for the use of good offices tiich could be sought in the pursuit of peace. It is UIP considered view, therefore, that the international ammwnity, and more specifically the Security Couuc il, should take advantage of this favourable international political climate to enowrage all partiee to the mnflict ti contribute their share to the peaaa proceast which has been facing enormous difficulties for too many years. We trust that the Council will be in a position to address the questicm in its entirety and adopt a coume of actian that will serve aa a baais for the enhanceslent of the peace process in a manner likely to ensure the restoration of Palestinian rights and the rights of all to exist in peace and security in a region that haa mt to breathe a sigh of relief. The WiESlDENTr I thank the representative of Ethiopia for the kind words addreeeed to me. The next speaker ie the representative of mpt, I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make hie statement. Mr. EIARABY (Qypt) (interpretation Ercm Arabic) : Hr. President, fir& of all, may I extend my congratulation3 to you cm the competent way in which you are conducting the work of the Security Council at this session. I would like b extend my sincere congratulations to the people of Yemen for the unification of that country. Today the Security Council has to adopt a firm position 01 Israeli military ocalpation. It must decide on the measures to be taken, QI dissuasive measUresr to face the enhanced continuing policy the intention of which is tp omsecrate the oppression of which the innocent citizens of Palestine, defending their right to in&pan&n=, have become victims. They are calling for the return to their homelti. The international mumunity, in the form of the Security Council, cannot terrain indifferent as values of justice, free&m, security and peace are shut down by the bullets of the Israeli occupiers and unarmed innocent civilians are killed. The occupied Palestinian territories have witnessed tragic incidents in recent tirpe8, just one of the aspects of the persistent Israeli occupation and the &nial of the Palestinian people’s right to freedom a,rd independence. The massacre which occurred on black Sun&y may well start over and ovar again as long as Israeli ocarpation hats. An end by this occupation is the only way to avoid such tragedy, and the Security Council has adopted a position an the Israeli occupation. It did so 23 years ago when it adopted resolution 242 (194?), whick is etill the appropriate basis, recognised as suds, for a global peaoaful eettlevent. Today there is an urgent need to apply the principles of that resolution, to adhere to them, and the responsibility of the Security Council tn implerrant them will brock no delay. We need to see the appropriate measur@o taker to ensure that the resolution is implemented. (Mr. Elaraby, Egypt) &solution 242 (X967) contains objective principles to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict . The resolution entrusted the Secretary-Qnetal with the task of acting in order to implement it, and indeed, in paragraph 3 there is the provi0ionr (smoke in English) I) . . . and assist efforts to achieve a peaceful and accepted settlemnt in accordance with the prwisions and principles in this resolution. * (contJnued in Arabic) It is now tim~t for this to be done, for an end to Israeli occupation. The occupied Falestinim territories are not property or lind which Israel can use as it wishes. We are talking here about Land inhabited by a people which has rights equal to those of all other peopl.es, in accordance with COnntemporarY ints f national law. This is nothing new. We shald not forget that the constituent act of the League of Nations, in article 22, recognises the rights of the Palestinian people un&r Mandate to have an ir&penQnt State. It puts that people in the same situation as other countries and peoples under Ottomen domination. Purthermore, this was aonfirmed by General Asse*ly resolution 181 (II), prwiditag for the creation of two States in Palestine, side by side, on 8n equal feting. There was no question of crating just one State. Israel, whose creaticrm ww announced in accordance with &n@ral AesemblY resolution 181 (If), contradicts itself and &strays its vaey basis for existance when it denies the right of the Palestinian people to have its OIJ~ indspendent tatat@,. What is happening today in the ooxpied tert itories cannot be taken in isolaticn from Israel.*s obstinate rejection of all peaa initL5bi:iiGS 5G;G ft.z persiebnt refusal to recognize the Palestinian people and its legitimate representative, wbi& is an essential party to the conflict and without whose active participation and approval no soLution an be found. The intifadhh in the occupied Palestinim tertitoties is nar in its third year. It is the firm expression of political will to reject Israeli occupation and to let the people determine its own destiny. The heroic Palestinian people has suffered thousands of victims and untold suffering in teaisting Israel. All thare countries in which the rights of peoples can never become a dead letter* reject this. Occupation, however lmg it lasts, can crate no title dlaed or peace. Issael haa the obligatim to put an end to its oc@upation, and in &e meantime it must respect the fundamental principles which govern its presence in the occupied territories as an occupyihg Power. Israel’s ta* is defined in the provisioue of these rules, which amfer upon Israel no right of sovereignty whatsoever nor any overall oompetenoe to govern the occupied territories. It is nrvjtely entrusted with oertain powers ~1 a provisimal and exceptional basis, uhile awaiting the end of the occupation. #bat the representative of Israel aaid yesterday - that international omtrol and monitoring of the evente in the occupied territories to ensure that Israel amplies with its obligations as an occupying PaJer mid be a violation of Israel’s sovereignty ac m interference in its internal affairs - ia untrue. It is MtrUe because under article 1 of each of the 1949 Geneva Conventions the States parties undertake to respect and to ensure reepmt for the Conventions. We must make sure that fsra& respects the prwisions of the Convention relative to the Protectich of Civilian Persons in Tiuie of War. This ie a legal obligation iucu&ent upon all parties TV the Cmvention. Iera& practicea cori8titu~ a flagrant violatim af ula Iym(p(nM Si pRZ%CtP18= *_-*----.- of inb3tnatiOnal law and are not in mnforidty with Israel’s Obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, the Geneva Comrentlon md all United Nations r~olution~ relating to the Middle East, and in particular to the Palestine guestioh. (Mr. Elaraby, Egypt) Israel is still implementing its plane 4x1 change the demgraphy 00 that land, trying to absorb Certain azcupfed territories by creating settlemnts in which immigrants are than settled. The annexatfm of land, the creatim of settlements and the policy of fait aoeompli are a flagrant violation of article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Conventian and constitute fhgrmt &fiance of the will of the in~tnational. amenity as expressed in United Nations resolutions, including the Security Council decision of 11 Nwenber 1976, which stipukitea that the CreatiOn of settlementi is inoom~tible with the principles of international law and constitutes an obstacle to the establishment of peace- There is nar a new phenomenon in the occupied territorieat nmly, immigration. The Universal Declaraticm of Human Rights, in article 13, paragraph 2, stipulatetar aEver:ypne has a right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” In the SaRM vein, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ix article 12, reafffrsm this right. In considering the right to emigrate, it must be clearly under&d that this right cannot be considered as 81 absolute right which can be used a~ a pretext to the detriment of the righ& of other persons. The right to emigrate &es not confar upapl m occupying Fewer the power to install settlers m territory it o6oupies. This is stipulated in article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Carvention, which states that the occupying Tower shall not deport or transfer parts of its own oivilian population inte the territory it occupiee. What applies b, the m,pllation of m occupying Power obviously has to apply to new innnigtata. Imigratim ma return are two sides of the sma aein. The Palestinian people is a displaoed people md wisht~ to return home and to live in peace with its neighbours. (Mr. Elaraby, Egy&1 The Palestinian people has a right to exercise its right to return. Thie was recognised by the General AesenWy in its resolution 194 (1948) of 10 Dhcember 1948, uhictr has been reaffirmed annually. The establishment of new 8ettleKa is inmraprtible with United Nations &cisions u\ the right of Pal,estinian refugees to return horn. The daily continuing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people requite rapid international nctiocr cm t& part of the Security Council to prwide international protection to the Palestinian people t.hraugh a permanent United Nations presence. I would here like to refer to Security Council resolution 605 (198‘0 of 22 December 19987, which calls for security and protection guarantees for Palestinim civiliatlg under Ioraeli occupation. 1 mid aleo like to refer to Mr. Marrack Goulding’s report of January 1988, produced after hie visit to the occupied territories, and his report QI the definition of material protection. An essential party in the Middle East problem, nmly the Palestinian side, has pmpofmd a historic settlement enshrined by the seventeenth extraordinary BesSionr held in Algiers in 1988, accepting the international framework for the settlement of the Middle East problem, e-died in all relevant ffnited Nation3 resolutions. In hia exhaustive and elwuent statemnt yesterday, the President of Palestine, President Arafat, explicitly affirmed its strategic commitment ti peace an the baeis of intarnational law and on the basis of equality, balance of -_--.-c iatereo%, r~~w~;r fir’ i%lestinian riqhie t~hrough iiberatim iind nationai indeF@endence, and the right to live in peace and security for everyone. ‘Since the General Asaeas>ly meting in Qneva 1908, variow attempts have been made to enwre that the peace procaee continues. President Hami Hubarak haa proposed a IO-point initietfve to revive the peaoe proceae. It has en joyed bread (Mr. Elaraby, Egypt) international support:. There have bean other initiatives and efforts, snd all have CoGWk up against the wall of Israeli refusal, uhioh has created frustration in the occupied territories and led to m ascalatim of tensim and violence. Egypt, which ws the first to open &ocs that had been olr~ed to peace in the Middle East, reloaim convinced that peace is indivisible and that security is a right for me and all, not something which oectain parties oan mjoy to the detciumt of others. That is why Egypt calls for the follow ing . We feel that we must see the implec&ntation of Security Council resolutiona 242 (1967) and 338 (19731, and other relevant United Nations resolutions, which call for au end to Israeli occupation of the Arab territories occupied since June 1967, including East Jerusalem , and recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to aelfdetectination and the creation of their ayh dtate. To ensure that the Middle East cm enjoy a just and lasting plaid, when the tim is c ipe there sharld be an inticnational peaoe mnfecenoe, for &ioh of course adequate prepacatione will have to be made. &WPt invites all the parties mnoerned, first and foremost Israel and Palestine, to embark arr a dialogue as coon as possible, QI the basis of rutual simultaneous recognition of the two mrties involve, Iera& and Palestine, $n order to arrive at a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict an the basis of the right of the Palestinian people to indakgeh&na and self-betecmination in its om national lmd and the right of all the .%atea of the tegicm to live in piw2e within safe, recognnized frcntlere. mpt calls fOt L'ef3EXxt for the application of the Fourth Geneva -vention, of 1949, in the ocoupied Palestinian teecitoriee , and states that theht annexation and the fnstallatfon of settlers in them f5 una&zeptable. (Mr. Elaraby, Egypt) Egypt calls upm the Security Council to rmffim that the creation of eettlemnts In the cxcupfed Arab territories, including Jewsale=, is illegal and &l obstacl8 to peace. WPt believes that the necessary stepa mast be taken to gut an end to the transfer of immigrants to the occupied territories , and calls for the application of the Geneva Convention bo ensure respect for that Cuw8ntionr and the protection of the Palestinian people kr the occupied territories. 4ypt hopes that the United Nations wilL adopt the necessary maasurea tp keep developmu& in the iituatiar under scrutiny through a permanent United Nation& presence in th8 occupied brritor~es. President Yasser Arafat, in his exhaustive etatemmt yes&m3ay, epecified the measures which aught to be taken, aud Fqypt hop88 that tim protective measurea he desCrib8d will be adopted. (Mr. Elaraby, Gqypt) rtW cmtemporary history of the search for woe in the Niddle East quita rightly ie &scribed ad a history of lost opportunities because of obstinate clinging to personal md narrow bnterests. lbday we have an historic ol?pottunitY to establish peaos and security in the region, given that inbrnational &ante has raadmd the 6tige whets the polPcy of balance of power and confrontation has been abandoned in favour of a policy of balance of Lntirests and the recognition of interdapandfmce. This must apply to the Middle East 88 veil. W believe that the United Nations has played a significant role in settling regional conflicts throughout the world. fndeed, the people of Namibia has gained indersndenae I.2 years after the adoption of Security bun&l resolution 435 (1978). Xence the United Nations must adopt a similar undertaking to arrive at a juot and lssting peaa in the Middle East. The existing favourable aDnditione to establish peace in the Middle East ntuet lead to a response cm the part of Israel and the reoognitfon of the rights of the Palestinian people. The the has mm Sot Israel to react positively to the voices that are being raised both vithin ml outside Israel to arrive at a j\l8t peace, not in the inbxest~ of only one party but, on the amtrary, based on intetuational justice and equal rfghw csrd duties. H3 must accept this challenge of peace - a challenge to the whole world. We abet avoid the risk of catastrophe if tensions and imtability in the Middle East persist. We must establish the basis fa a wmprehareive, just and lasting peaa, in the region that was the cradle of the revealed religiore md of civilieation. mta, mrmrnwm. a..- m-.--v. -. f Lb-b .Irr *ALNYIICICluP =p wp’: per tlxe II (“A +le& ho n..*CU.sa -..a - .d’cL . ..a”.. Y -a. - addressed tcs me. The next speaker is the Demty Minister for Foreign APfairs of the Islamic FBpublic of I[ran. I vel.c~me hiin and invite him to take 8 Place at the Council table and tc~ make his statement. Mr. sHEII[lDtJ%LAM (Pslarpic &public of Iran) (amke in Farsil English text provided by the delegation) 8 *Permission is given to those upon whcm was is uaged, because they are oppressed and mat surely God is able ta assist them, thase who have been expelled frQan their haipes without juslt cause except that they say ‘our Lord is CM’.* (The tioly Koran, XXII:3Q-40) At the outset, I muld like to haout the memories of the martyrs of Palestine, the martyrs of the intifadah. They have led the way in the resistance and sacrifice and they have Gus brought the just struggle of oppreseed Palestinian to the w0fda’s attention. f salute them ; I honour their aoule$ md X express the unwavering solidarity of the people and the Government of the 1slamS.c &public of Xrm with Palestinim children, women and men, those unknown Wjahedin. The Security Council Is amvened May to &liberate on the genocide of the Palestinians by Zionist security beasts in occupied Palestine. &oh cold-blooded murdara, structured and inetitutionalized killings by Zionist naked brutality have left hundreds of innocent Muslims dead or severely wounded. Suds unbridled perpetration of savagery against the inhabitants of the occupied t3c:titotieo leaves no toma for heeitatian in dealing with the occupied areas. Racim, expansionism, military aggressim and, above all, the evil &ean of .greater Xerael” BvB integral ingredient&i of what constitutes the “Zicmiet re’giitlel~. The mechauiem of the realization of these objectives are tawder, torture, the elimination of the next generatiou, datention, separation, deportation, forced dieplacement of indigenaue Paleetinian- L=, the use of toxic gases, shooting unarmad -pie, the impositim of m atmcqhere of fear and instability and the imposition of political. economic, cultural and social. restrain& in ths occupied territories. For yeare the Zionist &gim has gravely violated all the recognized rules of (MP. Sheikholeslmnr, Pslaxic Republic of Iran) territories and aqainet chanqing tlm character oE such arcas. The neu demgtaphi~ chances that the Zionist r&qixe ie imposing upon the occupied territories thtaugh the settlement of new Jewish immigrants is a clear example of sudr illegal changes. Ignoring al.1 eXpressions of outrage and amdemration from every mrner of the world, the Zionist rGgi1~3 persists with its institutiohal.ized policy of suppression and murder of Palestinians and violations of al.1 the rights and privileges they are entitled to under the tules of internatiohal law. Regrettably, the international ammunity has failed, during the past four decades, to live up to public expactations and realize the inalienable riqhts of the Palestinian nation to self-determination and to return b;, all their lands. Horewer, tba flou of tipecific ref3oupces aha critical support from major Powert3I particularly the United States, which is extended to the Zionist r&qime has alWaY played an important role in the failure of the international camunity to fulfil its obligations. Unfortunately, in such conditions we hear of the crimes being perpetrated against the oppressed Palestinian people at a time of new waves of oppression antJ occupation of new areas and the continuing immigration of the Yews to the occupied territories. (MP. Sheikholeeiant, Islamic l&public of Iran! Shortly after the new Zionist policy of settling the new Jewish immigrants in the oo%pied t5rritiries began, we witnessed the IR~SS mrhring Of the 0mrm5ed Palestinian people, uho have risen up md demmdsd their inherent rights. This is n0 aocidentor ct3incidfmce. It is quite eviitsnt that all the recent inhuman acts ard amasures are the ePbodisent of a nev Zionist policy which is co-ordinated rith the international supOort5re of the Zionist regime in Or&r ti instil fear int0 t,h5 hearts of the Palestinian popuhtim, suppress and defeat the intifadah nd ultimately replace the indigenous Palestinian pfip.llatiou with the new JerJish immigrimts. In this respect I take this opportunity to point out in crystal clear tiPMa that the intePiXBtiOn& aommmity in general and the United &tiaa b particular must, before it is t&20 late, adopt serious, effective md Practical maaswea against the new flw of Jewish is&grants to occupied Palestine and their settle-t in the lands of Palestinians and their forefathers so &s to avoid m.i5&i8f, ina‘iability and future bloodshed in the region. History and experience prove Flat indifference md aloofness in the face of intenkd aggression will not help the praceee of paaae and ahbility. Rather, th2y pave the way for further violence and aggression. The 3kmnth-old uprising of the Palestinian Mueliss, cehich has rightly been reaorded in history do the “rwolution of the stones”, has provided new opportunities for the revolution aud the struggle of the Palestinian people. Aa the manifestatian of resistance 6nd awarene88 of a dispmmemed nation that has nothing more to 1-e and that has with its flesh md bloml s-k&I its very existence - that is, its faith md omm.itment to Islam ma the jll~tiess of its struggle - the inti hdah brings good tidings of a new nmvemnt and a new hOpa, a mwement and a how that are the culmination of years of experience in the struggle (Mr. Sheikholeslam, Islamic &public of Iran) of this oppressed nation against all Zionist enemies md their international supportt3ce. The fntifadah is the clear outcry of an oppcesoad &Lcslim nation which, after years of waiting and expectation, has this tim itself raised the flag of struggle and speaks of its rights. The inti fadah is the expression of strong disappointment at the failure of all those plans md measures which over long years SUPPOSdlY Pc~ised peaoe and security but which in praotice ignored the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. That is precisely why we ace now faced with the savap and dastardly murder of SOand daughters of the Palestinicm nation by the Zionists. The world %I arrogant PQJec% led by the United States as well as their client ‘Zionists, have clearly cealized the fact that there will be no e&xaission oc concessicm to what has arrogantly been called peace plans, aa lcmg a8 the intfifadah is paving its divine path of Jihad - the holy struggle - with strength and a spirit of sacrifice. The sovemant of resurgent Islam - the genuine phenomenon of this century which haa taught liberating and life-giving leseons to Muslims and other downtrodden nations of the world and whose tr iclmphant expxienos was the viotory of empty fists equipped with slogans of “Death to Amecica” and %?ath to fscael~ wet the largest Fascist infrar,tcuoture of suppression - harj illustrated beyond a shadow of doubt that wherever a nation relying QI its Iek ic faith and authentic heritage begins the struggle againet the enemyI however seemingly powerful and armd to the teeth it may by, its victory will he inevitable. Wherever there are nations md peoples, which, based upon their belief and their true nature, embark upon a struggle, they are able to uproot the enemy , no matter how 8 trong the enemy may be. PolloWing t.he dynmic and eternal guidelines of the gceat leader of the I13lemic Revolution, Imatr Khomeini, and those of the loader of the CWolutioR, (Mr. Sheikholeslam, Islamic bpublic of Irah) Ayatollah Khomenei, the Islamic l&public of Iran has repeatedly and CofISiStentlY declared it0 ammitment tP and support for the holy Palestinian cause, and it has never hesitated to serve this cause. In this connection X would like to reiterate the full, unreserved and all-embracing support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the uprising and the struggle of the Muslim natian of Palestine. I would alao like to announoa the readiness of both the psople and the Government of the fslamic &public of Irm to provide every possible support and assistanoa to the deprived Palestinian Muslim for serious ma effective struggle against the Zionist entity, so as to dismantle this source of miechief, instability and aggression. Finally, I weld like to call on the Security buncil and the United Nations, while unambiguously and unequivocally eondantning ths crimss perpetrated recently by Zionists, to take bcisive and practical masuree against a r&gime occupying holy Palestine and to take measures against this re’gime and its vicious aims and goals and to express support for the revolution an8 fir the Huelim people of Palestine in the whnle area* The PRE~UXBPI I thank the representative of the Xslamic Republic of Iran for the kind words he addressed to ma. The next apsaker is the representative of Qatar. I invite him to take a place at the Comcil table md b make his statement. Mr. AbNI’MAH (Qatar) (interpretation fran Arabic) : Mr. President, I thank you and the other aembere of the Coumil for giving m thie opportunity to address the Council. Let me wngratulate mu, Sir, as mu preeiflct over the Security Council during this historic meeting in which once again the Council has been seized of the question of Pale8tiner thie time on the basis of the bldy events which occurred last week. (Mr. JU-EJi’mah, Qatar) 1 am fully convinced that you will acquit yourselves admirably of the task8 before your sin= God has mnferred knavledge and wisdom upon you, and thus pu will be able to bring the work of the Council. to a successful conclusiar and adopt these lcng-awaited resolutions. I am also pleased trr express ~11 gratitude to Zpur predecessor Mr. Tesfaye Tadesse, for his guidance as President of the Security Council l.%t: month. MI delegation, wishes thrcugh the Security Council, to express its pleasure at tha good news of the reunification of Yemen. The atrocities of the Israeli occupation and the violations of the rights of the civilian population of the occupied territories is nothing newa these violations have been perpetrated thraughcut the years of occupation. Earlier resolutions of the Council axd tke General Assembly have called attentim to those violations and have amdenned the violations of intxrnational law and custom, demanding that an end bs ptt to Israel’s intervention - which is contrary to the Geneva Carvention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War - and to the atrocities committed by the occu~yirq forces. Those resolutions have scught to achieve a just and peaceful solution Q) the basis of the pr incieles enshrined in the relevant United Nations resolutions,, in particular the principle of the illegality of annexing territories by foroe. Hcwever, those repeated appals have not been heeded by the authorities in Israel, which has oontinued to pxsue its policies and has escalatad its violence against the mpulaticn of the occupied territories. This hm coincided with the beginning of the blessed intifadah of the Palestinian people, which is inten& only to achieve the realization of the rights of the Palestinian people, the freedom and self-determination ajoyed by all other peoples in the world, in (Mr. Al-Ni’mah, Qatar) Sunday and those of last week have gone beyond all limits. They have created an atmosphere of tension in the region and throughout the world. l+$~ deleqaticn calls upcm the Council to adopt resolutiorrs in whicb it would call for the sestiration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and of those who are working for justice and pea-8 condeem and reject out of hand Israeli Practices and guarantee international protection of the Palestinian people under the auspices of the United Nations; demand an end to the creation of new settlements in the occupied territories; and to take all steps within its power to ensure Israel’5 mmpliance with the Co~cil’s decisions. Ky deleqetiar supports the sending of a representative to the oraxpied territories and believes everything possibte should ba done to facilitate his task. The Council has heard the important statement made on behalf of the Palestinian people by Peesident Arafat, who by his presence at this meeting has affirlaed the importance of the &bate that ia being carried on at this meting as well 88 the importance of the resolution to be adopted by the Security Council to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, who seek cnly an honourable pea-. If the situation were not SO qrave and if the security Council and the entire world did not ne& to beoonre aware of the Palestinian positfar throuqh the voice of ita hG3h-t authorityr it would not have been neceseary to ineist on holding this meeting of the Security tiuncil here. However, the statement by President Arafat mentioned the Prioritiee as far as the Israeli occupation is concerned in the COUrf3e of ehfs decisive phase in the historv of that cause. Qatar fully supports ‘the decisive steps proposed by Yaeaer Arafat. we believe that this ie the best way attain the eetablishment of justice snd PENS for the Palestinian people. In these five PractiCal proposals we see a true bash and a eollnd point of departure foe attainment of the hopes of the Palestinian people, enabling this oppressed people to recover its humn rights in its plundered territories. The statement by Yasser Arafat clearly affirrmd the p?sitive nature of the direction taken by the Palestinians as set forth in the decisions of the Palestine National Council, which still constitutes the official policy of the Palestine Libwation Organisation (PLC) in the definition of i b3 mthodology and in the justice of the steps it takes. If the voice of right is not heard, does that not constitute intransigence? Cod will curse the blindless of the mind. HBW ~a.rt concessions not be given? How can mderation not be espoused? Why are Israeli acts of violence increasing in the occupied territories? tiy are there so many pr iot conditiona, so many restr i&ions which no dialectic and no logic can admit? With regard to the representation of the Palestinian people at peace negotiations, why insist on excluding certain territories occupied by Israel and absolve it from its commitments in accordance with the rules of international la# and the CharteK of the United Nations? Why is there an exception to the obligation to witharaw from all territories occupied by Israel by force of arms? All this confirm the policy of delay follwea by the Israeli ~vertum+nt, which is only stalling. Has the tine not aonp for those who wield power and who can exercise pressure on Israel to uee this pressure on Israel to lead it towards a just solution? What we are seeking from the international community is that the Security Council should provids the machinery and the framework that will guarantee a presence to protect the Palestinian PeaPle , who are sufEering under the yoke of Israeli occumtion, and that wiii d5CWrage tit? ioraeli occupation forces from , continuing their repression and flouting of the humanitarian practices which have led the Council to meet. (Me. Al-Ni'mh, Q&tar) Recent events should he Eaced squarely by the internationel axaawnity. The international cmmunity fs represented by the United Nations, on behalf of which the Security Comcil is entrusted with the maintenance off peace and sa~~rity. The Security Cinmcil eharld denounce Iscael*s amduct and fzcce Israel tD accept these resolutiords and implement them as, indeed, other ember States are doing. (Mr. Al-Ni’amh, Qatar) Tire position of the State of Qatar has been clearly expressed by His highness the Uir and Bfs Highness the Cra*n Prince. Qatar condmns the hostile and aggreaaim practice3 that the Israeli occupying authoritiee continu? to employ against the Palestinian people. The sufferings of out Palestinian brothers in the occupied territories have been transformed into an energising force that has impelled them to proclaim their rights and their entity. That force will persist and guide them throughout their lives. To the Palestinian mrtyrs who have fallen QI the path to Eternity, we wish you happines? in God ‘8 bosom. The shoulders of all mankind bear the auf ferings inflicted upon you by repression and intransigence. You and your sufferings stand ae examples for us because you have consented to sacrifice yourselves on behalf of great events. Your misfortunes have touched the Arab world, rekindled its hopes and brought about its renewal. Your vocation of sacrifice has nwie your the Palestinian amtyre, the standard-bearers of hope in the occupied territOries. We take pride in your actions and will follow your eXUIWle. Has the time not come for the Security Council TV act with compassion towards the Palestinian victims and to make their fate more human? Has the time not come t0 homur the iimnory of the Palestinian youth? When the Council &es so, we will hail the revival of international imrality. The blessed intifadah of the Palestinian people has revealed the true Israeli policies and clarified its goals, which are to drive the Arab inhabitants from the oCCopied territories and to force them to leave their home in or&t t0 settle hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jewish immigrants on Palestinian lands and to continue to build settlements on territories that Israel has appropriated illegally and hy force. The Israeli practices are a violatim of international law and General Assembly reaolutiona , and they should be firmly and consistently aon&med (MI.. Al-Ni’mah, Qatar) by the Security Council. Indeed, the internat?onti comm~unity should increase its efforts to find a solution to the Palestinian problem and to put an end to the sufferings of the Arab populatiar of the occupied territories so that the Palestinian people, with other independent peoples, may enjoy their inalienable r ighta. The intifadah of the Palestinian people in the West Sank, including Zerusalem and the Gasa Strip, is tangible proof that they will not accept my alternative to the exercise of their inalienable rights and that they will not alltheir struggle to be dissipated. They will not alltheir personality to be effaced or assimilated into other societies, which mid be tantamount to defeat for their historic cawe. Thus the importa;rce of the question of the immigration Of Soviet Jews, which represents such a challenge to the Council. The entire world awaits the Council’s deoisive and equitable resolution an that question. The State of Qatar fully supports the struggle of the Arab people of Palestine and their right to self-determination and to build their okn independent State. We call upon the international ooarnunity to support the Palestinian people in their blessed intifadah to realize their independence and their human rights aa enshrined in the United Nation8 Chatter am9 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We call upcn the States embers of the Security Council. to take the necessary dd5iOTlS to @It an end to the oppressive and inhuman Israeli policies and ta hrce Israel to respect United Nations resolutions. My delegation considers that the convening of thie meting of the Security Council provides a new opportunity to implement resolutions calling for the convening of an Internetional Pace Cunference on the Middle Eaet, a conference that must ba comprehansive and involve all the parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PtQ) , the Bole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. (_Mr. Al.-.-Ni’mah, Qatar) The hopes vested in the convening of this meting oL the Council and in the dsi8ivr resolution it will adopt will give a IWIV iqmtus tn thy Palerjtilrfsn people and to the implrtnrntatim of United Nations reaolutiolls to help them to ahare, in building a happy and praeperoue tomorrow for humanity as a whale. The PRESIDENTP 1 thank the representative of Qatar for his kind words addrossad “Q IWJ. At the request of the non-aligned me&era of the Cw~~il, and with the c~~~cur~ence of the Cwmail~ I ohall now 5u5pbti the meeting fat a faJ nrinutes. Th8 meting urn suspended at 11.10 a.m. and tesumd at X1.30 a.m. The PRESIDWJ!u The next speaker inscribed on my list is His Excellenq Mr. Clcvis Maksoud, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to tha United Nation8, to whom the Council has extended an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Hr. MAKSOCD: At the outset f would likr fm express the appreciation of the League of Arab States for the invitation the Council has extended and to the members of the Council. I would also like to stati my personal admiratiqn for the way you, Mr. President, have been conducting the affairs of the Council during this month ard my personal appreciation for the rale that Finland has always been able to maintain in difficult times of global polarization, thereby mak lng , with measured objectivity and reasonableness , a contribution e0 international peace. I should also like to take this opportunity to share the Arab joy at the reinforced representation of the Arabs in the Council through the historic step that has been taken by &men in becoming one Itepublic. That step towards unity reflects a genuine historical trend throughout the Arab nation, and that is why the development that took place Last week in Emen had the effect of saying that the disunity that has been krflicted on the Arabs by historical and colonial circuraetances b the historical oddity and that unity is the wave of the future. In the next couple of days the Arab League suaunit meeting will take place in Ba#ld&i. Subsequently, another summit meeting will take place in Washington D.C. between the two super-P-era. We will therefore be witnesoing during the month of Junm, as cre did ck&s ~wnth; rpn4I-M PCPtm c_? @km 4m,arnrc4rrrrrl PICI*aC4nn. *i& -r)-- ---cv _._ -.--_..-- --.*-- -------.-. constitute8 the mntext in cJhich the deliberations of the Council on the hues before it are taking place. It is in that context that the debate, the deliberations, the meeting of the Council assum ar importmce that peehacarries with it the seeds of a trend towatds the genuine and just paaar that has eluded us in the Middle East for a long tin&t. Maybe these are grandiose hopes on the part of the Council, but there are many grandiose hopes that have been achieved. Many dream are beginning to come trueI and, therefore, our ambition and anticipation of the results of the Council’s deliberations can he justified, although in the past there has been a great deal cf disappointment. Yesterday we heard the representative of Israel trying to pro-en@ the results of the Gcuri ty Council meeting by giving the reasons why the Security Council iSo in the Israeli optic, an irrelevancy. FurtherEDOre, he sought to trivialize the reasons, the motives, for which the Group of Arab States, the non-aligned countries, the intarnatfonal axumunity, found it necessary to make the Security Council seized of the gravvf ty of the situation obtaining in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Israeli representative sought to ascribe as almost the sole motive for summoning the Security Gmncil a wish by discuss the incident of a so-called deranged personr as if nothing preceded that incident and nothing follcwed it, 88 if the whole evolving pattern of sustained violence and oppression were t&ally an intrusion into the responsible governance of Israal in the territories. Further, the Israeli representative sought to exc.!ciEW a sort of Vet0 power - &ich, of courser he does not p%xmees - by saying that whatever the Security Council decides, whatever mandate it provides, Israel will not abide by it, thereby setting Israel itself as the countervailing moral, political and gtrategic Power facing the world community. (Mr. Maksaudb Naedless to say, that built-in arrogance has been repeatedly condsrrned , and three who are the practitioners of such defiance and sustained contempt have in retrospect passed into the obliviar of history. however, while they functiar and while they are ar&itious in risking history, they becom extrenrely dangerous and utter and articulate ominous threats , and in their threatening pastures - and Only in their threatening postures - they have credibility. Iet me try to point out very briefly ~1 the notiar of the so-called deranged person. We do not kmw - we are ilot the psychiatrists - and we cannot therefore render judgement as to whether F~pper wae deranged a not, but let me assum that he was. It is important then that we inquiret Was %bbi &she Levinger, the head of Gush Gmunims desanged when he killed a Palestinian shopkeeper end was sentenced to five month8 in prism, and when there were oelebrations for him, even after the judgemsnt, at El Khana, with the military commander of the West Bank, General %rdechai, present, as well as Mr. Hetzog, the President of Israel - all. this, according to Ha’arets of 18 C&y. Five months’ imprisonment for Rabbi Levinger, but he was not deranged. Such permissiveness fran the Arary <Joman&r in tl~ West Bank and fran Mr. Herzog himself, besides ths celebration with which Rabbi tevinger went to priecm as a hero to a significant constituency of the budy politic of settlers in the occupied territories, is indicative of a deranged md pervasive arantality characteristic of settler aolcnialiam throughout history. And what about Colonel Yehudi Meir, who wss accused of systematically breaking the arms and legs of people in the T&et Flank villages of Hawara and Nits? he was quietly released, &,nd then given a token sentence. What about Mr. Sharon? Is he deranged when he @l&es to end the intifadah quickly, “with no questions asked”? We knau hw he conducts the business of ending all sorts of uprisings. AlI of this pervades and poisons the atmosphere, making tt pssible for even dermged pereom to undertake ~CJ perform deeds because they perceive that their (Mr. Maksaud) criminal activities are politically licensed by thoee sytiols, those role mdels, pWPle like bevinger, Mardechai, Weir ad Sharcn, not TV mention that earlier OopplllMder of the so-called Israeli &fence Forces, who described the Palestinians as “cOCkroaches”. At the same time, the Rnesset was voting $17 million for road-building and Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. Only two weeks aga the braelf Institute Ear Advanced Strategic and Political Studies issued a report representing “a wall-to-wall consensus of Israel’s military and strategic ccmrnM~tfes”~ and iQ prime conclusion was that8 ‘giving up territory for m Arab State in the West Bank and Gaxa is unthinkable for Israel, even if such a State was” as the rs~rt ‘8 editor stated in the United States National Press Club, w ruled by the Boy Scouts of America-. Xe did mentian that Israel thinks that throuug its support in the United State6 Congress it can withstand any pressure that might be exercised against it W aomply with any United Nations resoluticm. What we are dealing with is no lcnger anly criminal practices, Persecution, racti discrimination, violatian of basic human rights. All this has beoome a pattern Of a mlicyr so that, in a way, not only do we have ti examine the practices, we have to address the policy as well. ohs policy WBB summed UP when the Israeli represenbtive yesterday, in a very ex cathedra mannerr stated that the territories are aour responsibility*, and that any attempt by the Security QXIIIC~~ is an intrusion innto - as M;. Shamir has stated - “the sovereignty of Israel*. &body has SW& the West Rank and Gaza and East Jerusalem part of Israeli -nrn4n~~u - ur+ I& E -&k= it &z: tk=t w= L -L Lt.,rb Lb.-h rr.-.. u4ll -------3..1, ,“W. u I.“& L..LI..a CI.UC Y..JU.c-.* _-a-- And let me make it even clearer that the Arab peoples, the intifadah, the (Mr. Haksoud) having said that, however, it is crucial to focuf3 cn the specific issue. When the Israeli representative states that this k the exclusive prerogative of theme governing in the territories, we have tc ask backs FCC what purpaxe, until when, and by what authority? If the Wetat Bank md Gaza and Jerusalem ace occupied teccitories, then Israel would have to be bound by the Geneva Conventions. But Sscael states very cleacly that it is bound by the Geneva Conventions voluntarily, and in certain aspactr but not all, aa if it were doing the world a favour? because it does not aozept de jute application of the Geneva Conventions; and this distinction between de facto and de jure compliance become8 the central iSSUer because 15rael, in &fPanos of the world con&amity as a whole, does not recognize th fact that it is an occwyiw Power. It behaves as if it ia a olaimnt P-et to the occupied ticcitocies, and there i8 the cc& in the whole crieis iu the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, for if it is a oleimant, ther. &finitely it beoontes logical for the cepcesentative of lscael to oome here yesterday and say that uudec no ciccuwtances would Israel allov any kind of intrusion into the omduct of Ct8 govec~nt in the ocoupied territories. That is why it eetablishes settlenenter it proliferates settlements, it beefs up existing settlements, because the eettlements are not only obstacles to @ace, not only illegal, but they are the outpaste,. UKN focwacd pc~ts of Israel’s annexationis t policy. It it3 fcaa thie perspective that Israef. perceive these f3ettlerpentfs as the weapons by which it wants to autilate the demgcaphic, cultural and national ciiIia~aC%ee tit the occupieri territories , and from this perepective Israel perceives the Palestiniam in the occupied territories not a~ a people, not as part of a people, but as human &stacle~ tp the unravelling and tmfolding of their eonqueet and design of expansion of Eretz Israel. (Mr. Haksoud) That is why a Mr. Shamir would be able to say with total impunity that these are Clibetated territories”. In the final analysis and in the mind-set of the Israeli ruling authority, these are *liberated territories, that are not yet fulfilled, because Palestinians are still i.n them. . This is the basic confrontation. We have been dealing repeatedly in the Security Council with the various practices , deploring them, condeuning them and regretting them. Presidential statements have been repeatedly articulated at the Security Council, haping that by such appeals Israel would try to relent in the excessive violence that it pccsztises. Rut in a way - perhaps for so-called pragmatic reasans~ or out of realistic conuideratione - we decoupled the practices of Israel and the pdlicv of conqueet and annexation that Israel is practising. St is time 5.x us. collectively, to embolden ourselves - as many political endeavours have been characterized by etioldenment in the early 1990s - to recouple policy and practices, since these practices are SI instant outcome of a deliberate ptilicy, which is protected by ferael’e intransigence, contern* and total indiffecenca to the world comaunity. That is why the Israeli representative has the cheek, the audacity, t0 insult the Security Cuuncil and the mtivations of the Arabs ho aware to it. Then t&e Israeli representative talks about Arab resistance to Soviet-Jewish immigration, and he says that the Palestinians in the early 1920s resisted Jewish imsnigtatfem, ti that the Arab in the 19308 resisted Jewish immigration. %s, We did. We did because no people, no auntry would want voluntarily to abdicate prrt -- ..- OL au3 teccito*-r a: ’ &- --.. --LA-- -_-^-- .- --A-- L^ -IIc.d a.m. a mm*nab4e4- .Lu u”&AeG;cI”o Iessiuvry, +rl, “LUG& Lv uYuI-“u-u 6. “---.----..g pracese. We are not ashamed of our historical backgrarnd on this iesue. But we did acC*)mrndats, aud the President of Palestine yesterday, and in the General AWembly in Geneva last year, made a historic act of reconciliation, of compromise, which was neither responded to ncx appreciated. (Hr. Makmudb tt me stat8 for the record, hcmver, %omthing that perhaps should be stmtadr brcrume we have baen boo ungrassed in the Qy-togday reslitiea and practfcalitiea. The Soviet-Jawish inmigration him put thha Arab in a situaticm whereby we wader, aSl a natfona.l OOllPLLlnitYr at the &at that in the afterruth of the haloammt - where Iloot of the victirr were of the Javieh petewssian imd faith, but there were other&i too - Israel me8 to the Waat in a&r to help the Western world - bemuse #aziea VIY a product of a Western ctieis of civilizatim and was uhy we had the war - frrael tame to the Wsat and said, ‘farael, as the regmitory of Jewish history and future, will not ask ytx in tha Uest, *what ha= ya, done to the Jew in the past?‘; prwidad that you in the West do not aek Xarael what it is &i~q to the Palestinian3 in the pww3ntm - a soft of mtual absolving of ea& other’s guilt. The Warntern world abeolvm Israel of lte present guilt and Israel absolvae the West of ita p&e guilt. (Hr. Kaksoud) Then there wm tbs ~risim~ the change& withiu the aecialiat MP* and there wa8 the Jacksen-Vauik Aat of CQ1gra6, which linked Soviet Jeu&h migration aa a utter of huaan fights with acommdationa hgtween the United States and the Swiet Union at the glabal uvel. fucreascpd Soviet Jewish esigration became a litmus test, a ccitesi~l, of the libatalizing trend within the Soviet tiion. Thi8 crisis had to be resolved - again at the expense of the Palestinian People. So again we oppme Soviet Jwish immigration , becauw the Ralestinians and the Arabs feel - rightly or wrcmqly, but in u?j view rightly - that they had to be the victim to rerrolve m earlier crisie in th3 West ainmt anti-Semitism, and now they have to resolve a crisis of perceived auti-Semitismr and they are not supposed to oppase it, critiiaize it or do anything else about it. Our auxietiea are authmtic. They do not eaerge frarp a notion that we are anti-Jewish. QI & contrary, ~udaislp is part of the Arabs’ spiritual heritage, and the ecaoenas of Jam aan be prrt of our deetin!? - but not at the expenee of an Imadi hegemony seekfug to dictate then term, to annex territories unilaterally. That is why when we discuss the question of soviet Jmkh immigration it is Wt because we are addioted to a ao-oalled anti-Jewish perception. Whst we are aosnitted to itp the proposition Soviet Jswkjh b@,gratfOn Q myb&y ebe*s iamigratiar cannot he at the exI&nee of the liberaticm of the Palestinian homeland to bemne a Stat8 in the Daleutinian tarritoty that ie occupied today. The questim then arises vhetics we are aqaiuat Soviet Jewi& imigratim to Imad or to the ocuupiad territot m3. It ie a very logiael question, but Israel hm m& it mot. It is a logical question, becam if we recognise Ietad 8s a State hw can w objact to Soviet Jews OP aybody else going there’2 That is the logic of it. But what about the reality? When our friends a.& u8 whether we ate (Mr. Makeoud) an Arab official, must have fraa thae who put the question the ansner to this question; does Israel define iteelf as Israel within the 1967 borders OT not? liarma the question of having soviet Jewish imigration spill over inti the occupied territories am3 the settlements beames amot, because the question ha to be answered by Israel itself, which does not consitbr iteelf an occupying Pwec in the oca~pied territories. That ka the issue once again. Than as lang as Israel mintaim its answer to the question iu limbo, wdefined, I have a constituency of Palestinian refugees in tIm calppe of Rsehfdiyar Pin al-Hilwi and in Syria and other plam8, refugees hose sights Cp r&Urn to their homw in Uaifa and Jaffa are squally human rights, if wa consider the Palesttnian refugees humn - and in Bur view and in the vieu of the international oomunity they are human, md therefore they are entitled to rights. Their huntm . rights are eystematiaally being denied by Israel’s disallowing thea the right to return lo their homes m the bmis that they de not belong to the Jewish faith. Therefore, this structured, exolmionary policy ie a form of tadem, and the human righhes of the Paleatinfam to return, if there is logio in history, takes Pr=eilenae over the right of Eoviet Jew to ame to Israel. 8ut we are not insisting cm preaedenoe. We are isusieting that Israel, which denies the right of 6elfdeterPrination, the right b an jn&pm&nt State iu the West Bank and Gasa, balmce that denial with implemer&aticm of the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their h-8. It is high time to stop Israel’s getting away not aoly with the murdera that iQ occupation authoritfaa carry OUf8 but with lies and dietortions of history. That is why there is an opportunity, a historic opportunity, for the readVatiOn Of the 6ecurity tin&l’s invavant iu bringing about mace in blO8tilM. Mw aom that fnvolw8ent take place? Mw cm the Secucity Council envkage a QKOgrm Of action , a monitoring systese to bring about cmnplianor? Of eourm, we hav. out @.aut, but it is tba Coltriclil’s responsibility. In the hops of a renewad relwancm and affeutivmess for tho Security Council, I should like to e%preim ay dWQ aQQreciati= The PRESSDGNTa I thank Hr. Plekeoud for his kind words addrumd to se. The next speaker io the representative of Harocco. I invite him to take a Qlaw at the Council aable and to make his statelent. Hr. SWUM+ QrorQacol (interpretation fra Frennchl a Mr. IPrefsidmt, at the outset f wirh to say hew pleased ‘I am at the twfoldl pcivilags that I have todaya first, to address the Security &uncilo and seamdly, to rake tbhis l tatemwht uuder your able guidance, which I hope will h6 -o-me& with success~ f should also like to omvey to the people of Yemen, through it8 distinguished repcudzative, GUP congratulations foY.lcefng its unification. ckrw again the dramatic evmts that havct :-tzt coveml the mupied Arab territories qith blood arouse our oonscPe~.:~ C& *c-*.; 5 ‘: m the dram of a people that has m&red martyrdom for axe than 40 years. ‘:,, :.he -p-pin of being uproy”.nd am3 the clepcivatian of ibl fualierrable rights there has bees ad&d, wer the year% ’ the suffetiug caused by an implacable planned oppression perpetrated by tin socupier IAt hm am% uaa of it5 skills in txutality end k $0 inmlent 88 to ptodlailp that It is W2d’a chosen people*. No Phcm in the uorti has a better claim tm Ralestiue to be cmsidera8 tha! lad of lwe, tolerarca am3 peaoar for the tbraa great revealed relLgions have d.uaY5 aoerieted there k mcual respect and brother-. Yet it is there that blind vtdlcmce has atruck a ~pulaticm wtmae spilt blood ie the greatest affront to -4. To the aspiratiOni of the Palestinian people foi peace Sorael responds by the eysternatPc violation of human rights, by massacfe8 and by &port&ion. xt 3s in thhie c\nQaXt of the denial of r&jhts that we have witnessed the killings at Riahm 4 2im anO the regceesh of the 3utbumfm of legitisrate snger to which they gave riser the Israeli response amfirm the mrsistenae of the ouwpyfng authorWee in their total disregerd of human righu and international law. The mmcacre of ALehan Le Zion b not the imlated act of a es&an, recalling the act of another Israeli uho 5et free to the Al Agse atorzpm kr 1969. ttae CM w0 5Xpdain the oavagary with hiah the Ieradf &litary reprueed &e innOc?@mt Hr. Benhti, Moromd women md aid men who fell under the bulletu of the Israeli azay md the thousad who were injured in @aa and the %ot Sank confirm that thee killings were premditated. What k oore, they are part of a strategy of terror deefghed not only to 6-p out a just cause but alao physically to liquidate a people. Rimhan 4 ‘Zitm ad the rlaughter that followed in all the occupied Palestinim tettitoriee are a nw l ptsode in the gruesom 8eries of mass lPrrder8 that began in 1949 at l&r ‘yars in. The hundreda that were killed at &&a md Shatfla, who will realn in our collective mmry for all time, as well as the daily order of children and womn of tie intifadah, cohf frm, if confirrPstiai were needed, that the Rishon Io Zicln atroefty is not the first of its kind and surely will uot be the last. Furtheruore, the lnternatfaral ommuntty was not mistaken whm it expreeeed it& amdsunation of thase killings and its uhequivocel support of the legitimate aspirations of thrme children, women md old men who &fy the Israeli war machine every day, a8 thy have done fbr 30 mmths. The holding of this ameting of the Seourity Counuil at @eneva is full of SpthAiSllh It is obviously a diieplay of ierternational solfdatity with the Palestfnisn people, which is payttu~ dearly every day for ite fervent ceill to live in freedom and dignity in the land of Cts fathers. It alao expressso tejectton and aendematim of Israeli occupatim md Israel’s iuhuman practices, uhf& have been veneered by ever~ne. Lastly, it reflects the unflagging oomitment of the Wited Nations to support the Palestinian people, whisk is fighting to recover its legittmatrs right ti a free aud iniamndant h-land. a-- * -L. - 4 t sIw3IIr6va.o that tii Gwuiul,rw., he4ulK LL D iErG tt Sii~Eii is a ‘.~LICY.,cI -----am-.--1. *- LI-L.--levent in the tire.l.eme effortm of our Organization to eolve the Wddle Qmt crisis. Indaedr it reflectp daep camorn at the aerioue; dsterloratian of the situatim in tha occupied territories. Morewer, by holding this meting away from Headquarters, the Seecutfty Cotmcil, 63 the guarantor of international peace and s8Curityl intend8 to rpake the international mnraunity aware of the threats to mace and security in the Middle East. Pt goes without saying that the continued occumtton of tho Arab and Palestinian territories, whi* has been regularly condenned by international institutions, and the persistanos of repression and ccessacres raised to the level of a political eysfmu designed to perpetuate that occupatim are giving rise to permnent tension that holds hoetage all the umntriea of the region. This is especially 80 because the tensian is intensified every day by the ferocity of the repression of the Palestinian people and by the military attacks against the Lebanese people. W must also add the frequent threats made against other neighbour ing coun tr ies. These event.8 could cause a mnflagrstion in the region at any mment. The official etatemente of the fsraeli authorities cazaerning what they call “greater Israel’ and the massive influx of &v&et Yews (b not augur well for the future. ht a tim when the winds of ohan+ are bluing over the world and bringing abaut d&enter rapprochement between peoples and States, freedom and peWe in aertain countries and the glimmerings of a solution tp several regional mnfliots, the middle East rendma outside of that proaess. What frr nmer the even& taking place in that region plaoe it on a courae amtrary to the fbor of history. Theiwigraiian of &xuiet Seinto zerael ad their settlement kr the occupied territories anmtitute an erttrwl!r geave hotor in the evolution of the conflf6ct. &r& large-scale iimiglratian could unbalance the BerPDqraehic stfuature in the occupied Arab territories. MOteover, thfe policry of establishing Soviet Jew6 5n the eettlemertu in Gaxa md the Rest Bank is part of a arr& larger plan (WE. Berthha, ebroazo) uhoeo teglementaticn started soare 10 yeara ago. The gradual Judnization of the Arab hart of the HnLy City of Al Qtie, the archaeological excavations m&r the toligiom muwments and, more recenkLyr the occupatian of an orthodox church by extremist settlers ace further manifestations of Israel’s &sire tv parp4tuate its oecupaticn of the Palestinian territories. The Middle Ea9t ;!a experiencing a very critical period of its history that underscores the urgency of doing everything possible to save the Palestinian people from further suffering and to save the neighbouring countries fraa the risks of a gen8raL ccnf lagration. The Security Council, 68 then guarantor of fntetnational peace ar.d security, must fully assum the responsibility that it has been given undet the Charter of the United Nation& Xts obligatiar to ensure the i@.ementation of Cts wn resolutkans and of those of the f.kneral AaseEpbly is, in 0uT view, the only mean8 for restoring pence to the tegiar through the sOlutiOt3 Of the Palestine prablera. By umtinuing the intifadah for two and a half years, the Pelestinian people -- has shon tkt there is no alternative to tk full WI aoroplete exeraise of it9 riyht tro eelf-detemination and fndependencra. Its sole legitifuata representative, the Palestine Liberation Orqaniaation (PUN , hers shorn a hfgh degree of PolitiCgll reapnsibility in advocating dialoque and the use of all peaceful m~ane to reach a just and lasting solutim to the ConfliCt. Thie step was cpada official in the courageous and historic decisions adopted by the Palestine National Ccnmcil. Was it not in a neigbbourfrg part of tha PaAais des Nation that Preaidant Yasser Arafat launched his appeal in Dsceakmr 1988 for ‘a peace of the brave between tllo childrm of Abrahama? Unfortunately, his offer of a dialogue with the Israeli authorities waas not takoa up by the latter. peaa *at b8v0 re~ima &ad Lattets for two decoder - ma this ie because or the syatearstic refu#al to recogaize the inalienable rights of the Palalrtinian people, right8 that himtrory# international law ad the oDmunity of &at.aa already recognise. The himtoria turning-point in the Palestinian cause during the eguaI1.p historic eersiar of the National Council found its natural seguel in the deci6ione s of the extraordinary Arab mw&t RaoUd by the Kingdoo of N-woouo in May last year. The Arab countries unani.awusly support the cause of the Palestinian people, inter alia, by reeffitaing their firm dedication tn a political solution tp the Middle Ea0t crisim. There are thres part8 in the ~opoeea 0maU ~~lut~~: Iarael*s total withdrawal frar all Palestinian ad Arab territories ocougiea since 1967, ineluding Al-Quds Al-Sharif fi the tecwery of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, inoluding its legitiaata: rights b return, to self-duterainaticm arui to the establishment of dn in&Pendant State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-S&wit as itr capital@ the holding of an international peace conference QI ti Hit%10 Ert, with the partioipation of tiw fia perllarent w&era of the Seoutity Carnoil and all partiss to the aDntlfot, including reprmenkativa of _t;‘re Palestinian State, with a viu to reading a cowrehensive 8fba jrrst solution t0 the aJnfliot on tie basis of Seaurity Council resolutions 242 (106A and 338 (18731 aild all other relevant kited Nationo reaalutiom3~ While awaiting the faplewsntation of su& B fwlution, tho Security hncil Wt take aU appropriab l ea~ur~8 in order to enaum internatkmel proteotion for the Palcetinian Pe~pis agaifAst the inbumn sod illegal Praotiaes of the Iaroali ocaupler . In&d, f8rml is bfying, internstim law wiW irguniQ, inter alia, by univereally obiimrued eynt&ratier violations of ~n’&arnational humnitariaa norm, and mire particularly tie Pcmrth Geneva QmvePntiar cm %a mtectiat d Civilir~r Perron in Tire of W8r, of 12 &gust 1949. an=, the political and aocal obligation of the Security Council to aCbpt suds masures. In this mumction we believe that the popaaala made by President Arafat to the Security Council ye8tarday aca worthy of conoidaration. The adi?@Aon of suds masums, in keeping with the repeated appeals of the entire internatimal ummunity, is neceseary not only became it is urgent but also because it is an imperative arising out of the tragic situation in which the Palestinian people finds it5el.t. This Iuo@.er which ia dhily experiencing martyr&m, is keenly awaiting action frcm the &curity Comcil, fn keeping with the reepomibility entrwted to it by the inbrnstiunal mamnity, in the fore of measurea that will qmrmtee international protectian to its wouen and children against the bullets of the Israeli soldiers ahd settlero. That is has this lofty b&y, the guarmimr of interuatiouaf peace md security, om spare the Palestinian people events SU~I c1~ that of Riehor La Zion md p1t an md to the daily elau&tar in the occupied Palestiuim territories. llay your CWudl act in a msuuer ansisbent with the c~ursa of history and respard to the expectations not anly of the Palestinian people but also of all peoples that pray for gdaae and harmmy in the blessed laud of Palestiue. The RIfSlpiS’JTt I that& the representative of Memca, for the kind words addressed to IliB- Mr.MWSEANlJ 0Iosmnia)K Mr. Prmidant, we cnngcatulata you Sot the consummate ant you have bisplaysd iu your capacity as PresiUant of the Comcil for the current month ad in bringing us to a city of su& aatstinding diplomatic tsadltfonm. Indeed, this isa plaoa that brings 00 aeaory the old Lengurtof Nations and ito stmrd against inhumanity and var. Way this be a good omm foe tbhs present debata which u&a oouveued m the basim of the urgency of a situatiar that requires CM utaost dsdication. W delemtion is amfident that y%mr stewardship will help m to find a mu appxadr to euoh a ueusitive matter. We also spay tribute to your prsdscessor in the prapidsncy, AiabaesaQr Tadessep whose couutry well repembers this city, md I am very prcud to recall that Mania provi&d uarmsuppott tc Ethtipia's struggle at the I&Nue of Nations in the 1930s. I aleo take thisopportunityto welaomet our naw calleague, the representative of the Soviet Union, Ambassador Yutiy Vora~~ov, in the firsi belief that his well-known ability and great dipLomatic stature will ehhmoe the work of the Ccuncil. It is iudmd'vith satimfacfion that we join the other msbers of this lofty body in errtendiug OUK waKme&cmgmtubtioMl to the delegaticnof %men m the hietorio deoision Q) mifiaation of ito CBlJntKy. Zt is a happy O~OUKKWI~S while OUK Orgmioatian ia gPtting s~mllst in sioe by virtue of a rehmtim in the nuabor of &abet State& we apprdate that it ie becoming strawget ad Lacget in soopa in pUKsUisg its idealS snd fKaPiK&I t0 be 80 right b defending th@L The world today seto be in a stage of b&tiring soars of its historiaal pcrfoKumoes. We have sm changes in &MteKn f&opa whoos bright iajmat on ~n~rnatS43n~ re:r*iene m-1, L- 1--A-- -.-.-w "0 rqll,.Y. (Ht. Bbmteanu, Rmaniat X aa very lmppy to ackmwledge here the full understanding of the States WKbeKa of the United Nations with regard to the bveloyrsnts in aar region and in py ccruntKy* md I ark yoer permiss& gin, tp thank the Governments that extended their kind moral ard political aumrt and enmuKage=ut to us. Our collaagra fraat the United Riugdosn rightly pointad out that soaRtimes there aLO intaKnatiOual events that my be perouived as eiraal~ - yes, miracles achieved & peoples that aKe determined TV promte thek on interests by al80 taking into a-t the inCref8Q Of other peoples as well. In this light, we might be confident, then, that the situatiar in the Middle Past, so pr6mccupying and so worriam fix all of us f&r 90 loug, could also be settled iu a mtually satisfactory mannez by th parties involved ad that msitive results could be achievd. ‘P, achievca that, it will be necessary for all the ~ountr ies and people8 involved in the conflict to act in good faith md copB to the negotiating table in order to flnd solutions both amptable aud reflecting their raspeative interests, inaludinq self-deterainatisn for the peoples in the ama. That could be a mjor aontribution to the impbmmtation of a lasting peaa iu the Middle East. W Government ta& note with couceKn of Une incidents 8nd acts4 of violence which OCaUKKd recently in Xsrael and in the occupied Agab brritesies. It is well kum that these tragicr event6 resulted iu tamy dead md wounded aeORg the Palestinian population. We are emouraged that the Israeli C&vernrPsnt has already started legal prsoedums against those ti psamked the vfalenoa. (Hr. Nmbeanu, Ibmmial * delegation would Iike to reiterate before the Security Council our disap&mwal of any reprmsive ~~aaures~ wtrkh cnly stiie timions and enaoutage violence. At the sam tiiae it la our profound belief that only a fia oomitment to the principles of negotiations and psaoeful solutions can lead to an eventual settlement of the situatim in the Niddle East. We solesnly ak all parties involved to refrain frar any acts that oould worsen the situation iu the area and to follcw the path of peaoe by adoptiw measures that will prevent the recurreuoe of such drixmtic tnoidants. %Iy appeal for the prolongation of violent oonfrcmtsticm is conduaive to m eacalatim of tIm coofliot. Iustmd, we advocate peaoefirl mmns with the uudsrstanding that a halt e0 the violenat in the region will k achieved only by a general settlement of the Middle E&t crisis. Roarania onoa again reaffirm its s&and that the Couudl shmld aaauw its responsibility in promting md defending world pmce by eusuring the im&xnantation of pectinent rcrrolutions of the General Aseetily and the Cmuoil itself. Those Bloauasnte clesrly state the necessity of vithdravfng from tetritoCie8 ~~~upiied after the 1967 me, rapact for Palestinian righa and firm guarantees for the neautity of all the Stat68 in the area. b party should im allows to jaopardiza world peaae by trying to pfmte it@ trim interesta by mmM3 oi? war or pcolongiug e &ate of aardliat of ay sort. Irv CountPy i6 ready to ucwk through all the organo and representative bodies of the United Nations in oxdot to help achieve a settleuent OP the eonf%ict iu the #iddls East* We caasnd the efforts daployed in the area, and ye aink e* Lcurity Comcil should affirm a pasitian cmduoive to the holding of an inmrnational psaca arnbraoo or to any other frarwork Par ~gotj,at~am. It 883R3 to u3 that tha parties have daolarad theaoelves ready to extend a peaceful hand to eac#? othet. 4t UB all help tha by oalling again for a omplete assatiorr of! .sy act of violwme. The hunm losses slnd tkm large nwber oil viotim ouly serve to fuel a conflict that baa luted too larq. I rem&eE in this content what 0 great militant in hman affair8 a30 saida .If you Q not believe in miracles takbq place in history, you are not a realist”. bt urn all, especially the peoylles of the Hiddle East region, be realists for once* Xt is our reapomibility here to work bard towar& implemnting mace among nationr. The PREspDENTa I thenk Lhe representative of Rmmia for his kind words ad&esmed to ~lt. The next opeakez is the representative of &te d*Ivoire. I invite him to take a place at the Council table md f;o make his statement. Mr. AUET (C&e d’lvoire) (interpretation trem French): At the outset I should like to ccngratuhte you, Sir, ab the skill with which you have been guiding the work of the Council &ring this partic?ularly busy mrmth of May. I rrhould also 1 ike to thank Bis Eixcellency Tesfaye Ihdesre, the Albaaaada of Bthopia, for hi8 mk 88 Breaiidbnt of the Camoil last mnth. I extend my Govennant ‘8 congratulation to Um people md authotitiee of the Izemblio of Yemn for rearking on m rsrdertaking worthy of a great pmple. C&e d’lvoire is oonvinced that the n6w tiw created by the unificatim Of the two Stater will etrengthen in the Yeami mple maca and fra~rnity, the pine oua mm of any economic and eocial prograW+ Lastly, I welcome the new Wbaamdor of the Union of &vie?. ~cialiat Ipublica. fiQ delegatiar im convinced that the &mu11 will benefit iron hie vast di plmtio eqaer ien-. The situation fn the Middle Riwiit, to which the Palestinian qut&ikiOn la aoneral, csontinuei3 tp &Q.etfcxaLO. &mlitia~ rtegnaticn in the .suogPm and tha lack of real pmgrees Pn de0rts 4;, bring the part&m t~3 em-* in 8 direat dialwwe (Mr. Anet, ate d*Ivoiret vidlence and oppreaaion hm increased temiorm 5n the region, producing a hardening of position8 and rendering the search for a just and lasting solution increasingly difficult. The recent events - which C&e d’Ivotre, along with the rest of the international ooarrpunity, deplores - should lead the Council to take constructiV@ crteps to resolve as rapidly as possible this conflict, which has lasted more than four d8cades. Although this conflict has amy dimensions, the major issue is the failure to recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. C&e d’Ivoire resains oonviuced that a just and lastpeace in the region can be achieved only if there ia a just solution &I the Palestinian question. While it is obviom that the State of Israel has a tight to security, it is equally obvious that the Palestinian people h&l a right to a h-land and to peace and security. My delegaticn is aware that to the Weak md OQQrQsSed use of fofoe my aQQ8ai: to be the only vorthy and legitimate way to end their hardships. Sut we remin convincefJ that the 8Qirit of talerauce and dialogue, which Clearly is required from au ethical point of view, ha8 always held a high plaoa ammg worthwhile principles, and it remim essential to the search fat a real, just and lasting peace. It is ti~g fbr the international commnity and the putties iuvolved in the Hiddle East cfmflict to aaeate the ap~ropfiab conditions for tkrt eouvening of an international p3a4e umfemnae on tie Middle East. There can be no dmbt about the urgency of doins see Tt:at is why, while dk~ploting the upsurge of violence in the region, my count.ry hopes that Ssraal will take all neceseary ste~8 bD eneure the motection of the righti of Pateetinim aiviliam is acaordame with the Geneva (Wr. Anet, C&e d’lvoire) Convention relative to the Protectian of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 AUWf3e 1949, in Q&r at 1-t e0 give hops for the advent of the just and lasting peace, my country so ardently desires. The PRESIDENT8 I thank the representative of C&e d’Ivoire for his kind words addressed to me. The next speaker is the representative of Yugoslawis. 1 invite him to take the place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. m)sD? (Yugoslavia) : I would like tu present my compliments to you, Sir, BB the President of the Security Council for this month. I am convinced that lln&r your experienoad guidance the Security Council will successfully anelude its examination of the extremely complex and delicate issue cm the agenda. We listened with particular interest to the exhaustive statement of President Yasser Arafat. We still have fresh memories of his inspiring and bold speech delivered here at the Palais, in which he submitted the initiative for a peaceful solution to the Middle East crisis and the Falestiniar issue. That initiatiVe E~ved tie way for a historic turning-point in the search for a permanent, aomprehensive and just peace in the Middle East. (Mr. Kas in, Yugoslav iai Wo must not forget that we are faced with a world crisis of the longe5t duration, repraPenting the arast serious sourcm of tension in the world. The stagnation fn the Middle East problem at&n&s out from WI positive trends in international relations. While, on the one hand, the majority +f mjor hotbeds of crisis are being opened fa negotiation oz teso.lved, an the o rbend the Middle East crisis remains at a standstill. The latest blockade of the peaae process has been follwed by a renewal of the mat violent repression by the 1~ael.i occupatico authorities. We are distressed and embittered by the latest acts of fierce violenas against innocxmt Palestinian c iv11 fans. Such repressiar increases the tensian iu the occupied territories and in the entire Middle ESa5t region. Their causes Lie in the year5-larg practice of the Israeli authorities of violating the national and human rights of the Arab paleetinian population. -ever, it is aWe again being Confirmd that such c#asures Carol. halt the juut rabeltion of a puople set m persevering in its etsuggle for its rights. The heroic Lntifadah, which has been going on for mre than two pare nowI has dispelled all illusiot8 that with tiara the situation resulting fram foreign occupation will be legalized. There Can be no peaoe and stability in the Middle East EpI long us tha just aspirations and interest8 of the Palestinian people are being ignored and as larg as dialogue with their legitimate representatives has not been accepted. Unfottunably, we are witnessing Oomplataly opposite aCtion cm the part of Me Israeli ~emment, whi& is pursuing a policy of settling Jewish imigrauts fraPr the fkwiet Union tie the territories ~t~cupfsd in the 1967 war, &l&l ia mat widely canndemned by the intetnstional cxmmunity and the United Nation5. I ah~~ld Like ts remind the Ccjunoil that at the ninth dt meting of the non-al.ignti coor~tries i5 Belgrah it was win&d out thet the unresolved Middle (Mr. Kosin, Yugoslavia) East problem further aggravated international peace and security. For that reason it vas acootded top priority in the activities of the Movement of Non-Aligned Gxmtr ies. Pn accordance with that orientation, my country reiterated in its recent ContkWts on a political. level with the representatives of the Israeli Government that the only possible way to a permanent solution of the Middle East situation was the initiation of a prtxzess for a political. solution to the problem CZI tie basis of respect for the authentic interest8 and rights of the Palestinian people as well as of all cmuntr ies and peoples in the region. At the ministerial meeting of Committee Nine on Palestine, held in Tunisia on 11 March of this year, the non-aligned countries called upon the Security Council, inter alia, “to mn5ider measures for the impartial protection of the Palestinian civilian mpulation under Israeli occupation”. They also “called upon all States not W pr~ide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements fn the occupied territories”. This debate in the Security Council has stressed the gravity of this problem, which imposes the need to have the Council act more decisively, especially in adopting adequate resolutions. That would undoubtedly represent a valuable amtribution by the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole e pB they play a significant role in the search for a paawful solution tD the Middle East crisis, in the centre of which ie thz problem of Palestine in all its aspects. We are entering a vesy important period in the Middle East peace process, whi& in the final analysis should result in what nry country has alwam insisted on: the St11 tealization of the right of the Palestinian people &J self-determination, including the establishment of their own State 8 the withdrawa’ of Israel from all territories occupied since 1964t and effective international (Mr. Rosin, Yugoslavian guarantee5 of peace and security Ea: all States in the regia within internationally recognised borders. Obviously the best road towards this is the convening of the International Peace Conference ar the Middle East under the auspice5 of the United Nations QI the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The Palestine Liberation Qrganizationr aS the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, should participate on an equal footing in eadh phase of this process. The Reads of State or Government of the non-aligned countries adopted these principles at their ninth summit as the basis fa a solution to the Middle East problem. The main obstacle to a peaceful solution is , unfortunately, still the unyielding stand of certain influential political circles in Israel. Its lade of readiness to take Part: in the processes for a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestine issue based Q) the authentic aspirations of the Palestinian paople is causing unforeseeable damage to Israel itself and to its positions. We express cur most sincere hope that in the interest of peace and humanity Israel will accept the indispensability of its participation in the peace process. We therefore call upon Israel, as its first step towards this aim, to cease immediately ite acts of repression against the Palestinian civilian population, uhictr in the last f&u days have resulted in a great 10s~ of human lives and have appalled the entire international smmunity. This meeting of the Security Council should certainly result in a decisive demand to the Israeli Government to ensure respect for the basic nocnm of tfitGfiiciLiMi& iawl & Iourt’n Geneva Gnveniionr ‘the internationai Cwenant on Civil and Political Rights, consistent implementation of relevant Securj,tg Council resolutions and condemnation of the latest crimes committed against innocent Arab-Palestinian civilians. Hr. Rosin, Yugoslavia) In the hope that blind hatred and violence will give way to reason and productive dialogue, we express the readiness of Yugoslavia and the Mavement of Non-Aligned Countries to offer all necessary support to the peace efforts of the world Grganixation and to the asuntries directly involved. Any further delay will continto complicate matters and lead us away from a solution, and could result in even nrrce serious mnsequenoes for peace and security in the region and beyond. The mESB)ENT# The next speaker is the representative of Tunisia. 1 -- invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. GHEZAL (Tunisia) (interpretaticm from Arabic) t First of all I have the pleasure of conveying to pu , Sir, on behalf of the Tunisian &legation Qur warm congratulations QI your presiding war the Security Council for the month of &Y. We are assured of your success in conducting the work of the Security Council because of your long diplomatic experience and your I;rereonal skills and the stance of your country, Finland, in the international arena ad its struggle for the cause 0e peaa and justice. (Mr. Ghezal, Tunisia) I should also 1 ike ta extend to your predecessor, Mr. Tadease, the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, our gratitude for his endsavours and very auocessful presidency of the Security Colplcil last mcnth. I should like to extend to the delegation of Yemen our congratulations upon its unificaticxr and the emergence of the Republic of Yemen. The Council meta today in the hclspitable city of Geneva, as dd the General Assembly in December 1988. It has listened to President Yasser Arafatr the leader of the State of Palestine, as did the General Assent,ly, as he described the sufferings of the Palestinian people, its just cause and its unshakable will to regain its rights. Mr. Arafat, uafng the language of peace, remind-d the International community and the Security Council of their responsibility to support the cause of peace and justice and to protect the Palestinian people. IJe in Tunisia wish to pay a tribute to the struggle of the fraternal Palestinian people and its heroic youth - children armed with stones - and to their glorious intifadah as they face the repressive occupier and its war machine. That occugier is attempting to remove them from the land of their forefathers. We are awe that the Palestinian people will triumph. As we heard in the message from the Arab Group in New York cn 21 May 1990, the Israeli occupiers have committed a new series of collective crimes against the children of the peaceful Palestinian people, further examples of the repression in the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem. Crimes were committed against PaleStinianB wherever they were. Not satisfied with the horrendous slaughter, Israel attrleked Palestinians with unlimited barbarism and brutality. It used its military forces against Palestinians who merely expressed their horror md anguish in the atreeta. This brutality caused victims among women, children and the elderly. (Mr. Ghezal, Tunisia) The international oomrrmunity was horrified and repulsed by such brutality. President George Bush expressed his &ep con-m about the increase in the number of Palestinian victims who had fallen to lsraeli repression. He called cn those forces tD respect discipline. But at a time when public opinion was horrified at thae dramatic events, uhat did we hear from the delegatiar of Ssrael? We heard insolence and arrogance- The representative of Israel dtd not say that the Psraeli authorities had ordered the Israeli troops to withdraw. Instead, his words pointed to further escalation of violence. There were no words of con&!.cnce ts the victims of violence or to the people l A few days ago@ the Head of State went to the Chief Rabbi to express condolences fa an act of desecration in a Jewish cernatery and even marched in a denmxstrention. We have been told that the pxeon who amsnitted the crfme was a m&ban. But in actual fact he was a soldier, and his act reflecti the hatred and enmity towards PaLestiniane. These Palestinians were not killed because uley had committed a crime but because they were Arabs, because they were Palestinians. They had done noth ins. It was an act of racism# it cannot be called anything but a racist crtubs. Vfolenas haa mrked the ootpduct of the occup/ing forces. ikmsinthe occu@ied tarritories have been attacked by m implacable war -chine in a reign of terror designed to prevent Palestinians frcin even apressing their feelings and anqui& and to drive them fcOnr Weir iands. We aii reCe&tX iiS, L;iZf?. S?t jntifadah arcse and shcmed the occupier's true face, Israel used every Ipeans available to change the identity of Palestinians simply by calling th9m tereoriets and equating Paleatiniane with terrorists. (Mr. Ghezal, Tunieiab H~J cm e describe the acts of the Israeli occupiers other than 89 tertOriSt when they do not discriminate between civilian children and women and military? We have read in many reports that since the glorious intifadah began hundreds and thousands of such acts have been perpetrated, on a daily basis, against the Palestinian people. But in actual fact, those acts haw persisted for 40 years, since the Palestinian people was first driven from its lands. But the Palestinians have fought back. They have no further means at their disposal. They must fight. They do not want to deprive anyone of his rights or his land. All they want is a dignified life in safety, a future of justice and l&W. The initiatives of the Palestinian people and other Arabs have multiplied. They have turned to the United mtions, in particular to the Security Council, calling for jus tfce and equity. We have read in the Secretary-General’s reports, particularly that of 21 January, that there is a need to reaffirm the rights of the Palestinian people. The Secretary-General has cutlined a practical plan to that end. It i5 high tiue for the United Natiorts to send fact-finding missions, observers and troops to defend those people. Other Governnmnts have always accepted such missions cu their territory, but Israel has constantly re jetted the presenoe of United Nations observers in Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied through force, not law. (Mr. Ghezal, Tunieia) This does not prevent them from saying or trying to 5ay that theirs is a democratic State, but let us have a claser look at these elements of democracy where we see constant use made of force and violence and not of justice and peace. The Tunis ian delegation wishes to say that the United States itself, after all other States in the world, expressed its view that United Nation5 observnm should be sent to the region to find out what was happening, and especially to dismver &at had actually happened in this wholesale massacre. Recent events have pointed further t0 the intransigenoe of the occupying authorities and their obstinacy in wntinuing to perpetrate these actS, but the Security Council has responsibilities to protect the innocent and unarmed people of Palestine, to protect them from further threats. It is high time that this Council, which has the responsibility of safeguarding peace and Security in the world, took the necessary steps to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people agairnst Israeli repression and cruelty. A1s0, the fourth Geneva Convention should be respected by the Catracting Parties. The international community must not delay in giving its assistanurce to the people against wham fsrael is exerting all sorts of measures of pressure. Especially at this time, when the world is embarking upon a new epoch of democracy, peace, justice and law, it is time to seek peaceful settlerents to regional disputes, to assert the right of people5 to self-determination and dignity. The Security Council rmst follm the path it has always taken in the prst when it reeolved many regional and international conflicts , 5ueh as problems of colonialism aa aggression. The Council nest respond favourably to the Palestinian appeal, as voiced by its Head of State at the opening of this meeting of the Security Council. The PRES IDEN h I thank the representative of Tunieia for his ki:zd words addressed to me. CJhe President) The next apeaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Sri Lanka. 1 invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statermrnt. Mr. RASAWTRRM (Sri Lanka) I First of all, let ma congratulate your Sir, on your assumption of the office of President of the Council for this mnth. You 0011~3 from a country that has close ties with Sri Lanka. Your guidance and counsel will undoubtedly enable this body to work cut an acceptable solution to the complex problem that we face today. I should 1 ike also to offer my most sincere thanks to you, Sir, and the m&erg of the Council for giving me this omrtunity to express our vie= cm the question before the Council today. May I also take this opportunity to mngratulate the representatives of Yeman QI the unification of their countries and wish them well. The Council is meting yet again to discuss the tragic and dengercuua situation that has been developing in the fsraeli occupied territories. It is a dangerous situation, as the escalation of military action by occupying authorities muld indeed reverse the positive peace process which has been painstakingly built wet the past years. This muld place the whole Middle East region QI the verge of a fresh spiral of confrontation at a time when conflicts and confrontation have abated elsewhere in the world. St is a tragic situation in which a people that had clearly opted for peace is being subjected to untold suffering and humiliation in its con homeland as a result of incrasing military actions unleashed against it. There has been deep concern wer these military actions against the just and legitimate quest for pea-, freedom and dignity for a people long subjugated. There was optimism Over the developments which hegap in 1988, when in this very city the State of Palestine initiated a process of aczonmxlation and moderation which was widely welcomed as a turning-point for peace in the Middle East. The (Mr. Rasaputram, Sri Lanka) Palestinian people and their legitimate representatives have continued to pursue aa advmm this process of accommodation ana dialogue. It is indeed regrettable that suck peace overtures , made under such trying conditions, have not been reciprocated by the occupying authorities. Recent dwelopaents in the aacupiea territories signify that peace overtures by the Palestinian people have been fespon&d to with increasing military measures and highly provocative immigrant policies. It is ironic that the occupying Power seems to ignore the self-evident truth that such an approach would sustain the intifadah. The international community hirs long urged that the withdrawal of Israel from territories occupied by it@ the halting and nullifying of measures taken to establish illegal settlements, the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and arrangements to guarantee the security and political independence of every State in the region, including Palestine i4na Israel, constitute prerequisites for enduring peace in the Middle East. The cx>m@lex cluster of issues that threaten peace and security fn the Middle East cannot be addressed without solving the wre issue, which is the question of Palestine. St was in that context that the international community encouraged the far-eighted and constructive initiative that was taken by Palestine over a Jest ago to restore the national rights of the Palestinian people in an environment in which all cauntriee of the region would feel secure. While the Palestinian people have eontintisd to suffer and make sacrifices for the sake of peace* thefe has been no corresponding reciprocity on the part of the Israeli authorities. Irmtiad they have adopted a purely military approam and indulged in highly inflamiaatofy new settkement projects. It was only a few weeks ago that we heard from the United Nations Relief d Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, at the (Mr. FWapOtram, Sri Lanka) World Health Assembly, of the deplorable conditione in which the Palestinian people are languishing. Recent laedia reports cn unprecedented caeualtiee inflicted on the innocent, including children , reflect only a pact of the real magnitude of the human suffering of these people. This situation muld only result in a mntinued intifadah and increasing military measures by occupying authorities , which could sggtavate the already volatile situation in this region. It is therefore the duty of the Council, and through it of the international community, to protect the Palestinian people against this military onslaught and insist that peace and security for the region should be negotiated under the auspices of BI international conference. (Mr. Rasaputram, Sri Lanka) It should be clear that unilateral military action by in occupying Power against a subjugated people who have long asserted their yearning for peace and justice will he counter-productive. The Council and the United Nations have an obligation to ensure and safeguard the well-being of all those defenceless man, women and children in the occupied territories. Military measures cannot bring peace. Only through negotiations to which the Palestinian people have committed themselves ten the security of all counkries and peace in the region be assured. We hope that the Council will decide to take tangible and immediate actian in this regard. The PREsIb@JTa I thank the representative of Sri lanka for his kind words addressed to me. The next speaker is the representafcive of Lebanon. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. EBMDAN (Lebanon) (interpretation from Arabic): At the outset I join preceding speakers in congratulating you, Sir, an your assumption of the presidency of the Security Ccruncil for this nwnth. I wish to affirm our full eDnfidence in your wicdom and personal capacities. We also wish to congratulate the representative of Yeimn for the declaration of the union betwe~ the two &amens. I cannot hide my anger, having yesterday heard the statement of the representative of Israel, which showed much disregard for this body. However I felt a little better t&en I had heard the staterent of the representative of the Arab League, Mr. Makeoud. I wish n<w to declare that everything Mr. Maksoud said repr@eents our views and thus our position. Contrary to what was stated by the Israeli speaker yesterday, the meting of this Council Lg indeed a necessity and urgent. The question relates not only to the hit??OUa maasacrc that bwk pla& last Sun&y $ which cesulted fran a stiate of (Mr. &Man, Lebanon) affairs whose continuation represents a real threat to peace and security in the region and the world8 it wa5 the result of the cw tinuous escalation of violence - that violence that results from total disregard of the meaning and purpose of the intifadah of the Palestinian people. It was the result of the belief that military superiority and the oceupatiar of land by force will lead to a fait aCCaPlL that will be followed by a certain pea-. We are angered and saddened by what is happening in the ocxxpied brritories. I need not enter into an analysis of the situation. The Council hue heard quite enough such analysis. However, we feel an inbrnational stand on this tragedy is the only criteria conducive to the achievement of world peace and security. The international community is faced with a hoices either it is capable of achieving a permanent and peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, or it is going to build on quicksand, which will lead to the collapse of all ongoing efforts to strengthen international dfStente. If there is indeed hope that the ongoing effort5 will have positive resu:.ts that will put an end to this crisis, we feel. the main criteria for such effor’cs should be the taking of a series of simultsneous steps that will frustrab Xareel’s schemes and compel it to accept peace. Israel must undlerstand its PlSn to create “Greater IsraeL” is a myth incomFetible with reason and oonscience. Intes: lational re jectiar of that plan should be translated into practical steps. In&ad, the Prime Minister of Israel has very candidly declared his position with regard to “Greater Israel”. The international community should take practical 5tepl to Close the door on Israel’s efforts to implement this scheme. It ia therefore our hape that the Security Council, the international body that represents the hopes for peace of all humanity and is the guarantor of peace, will bake the steps necessary for the attainment of peace. (Mr. Ha&an, Lebanon) kB feel the Palestinian people in the 0t32upiea territories should be provided with F!ternational pcotectim from the Israeli &ath laachine. We fear that the Israeli State ‘8 practices are ainmd at the total displacement of the PaleStiniZkn people. It is no langer aexeptable for it to be said that Israel is carrying out iti3 fiuties. We believe there exists a very clear, declared policy aimad at annexing these territories, their Judaixation and the displaosxent of their mple . That policy has been plainly declared; Isra’el declares it m a daily basis. Israel says the land it occupies is not occupied territory; every day its leaders decLare the territories are part of the State of Israel, they are liberated, inherited territories. They call it Judea aa Samaria. On all occasion they refuse to accept that they are occupied territories. e must make the leaders of Israel understand that the international co-unity rejects such claims and rejects all policies based cm such allegations and chfmo. The Arabs have expressed their willingness for peace. The Palestinian people, represented by its sole, legitimate representative, has declared its readines to reoognize Israel and to live in peace with its people. Yestarday we heard the statement of President Arafat, in which he once again declared that that approach was an irrevocable strategy. Who 5tandS in the way of peace? We address this question to the Security Council, aa we say it if3 capable of answering it. We know why the Israelis reject peace. Thrty want the land before anything else. The Israeli idea of peace is baaed QI the fact that they consider 113 their enemies. Their peace is based on ltmci. *%3y wane ianti. &xi we in ikebmon, a long-euifariny Colii,tCy, )iavo eid very; dearly 89 a result of the Israeli dream of establishing sGreater Israel”. (Mr. Hamdan, Lebanon) W in bbanon believe there is a need for the international community to act very speedily to end the death and Qstruction in Lebanon and to establish peace in that suffering, tortured country and implement the KesOlUtiOm of the United Nations cn Lebanon, in particular resolution 425 (1978). That means that the door must be closed on Israel’s efforts ti create *Greater Israel”. It wants to create “Greater Israelby displacing the Palestinian people and settling thousands and thousands of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. In Lebanon, Israel oontinues the policy it has used in the occupied territories and complenmnts it, and k that end it exacerbates the problem in Lebanon, exacerbating divisions auonq ita people, so as b lead the greatast numbers of Lebanese to emigrate, thuQ facilitating the settlement of thousands of Palestinians in their place. The problem of Jewish immigration into Israel is not aetificial or fabricated, as has been claimad by Israeli officials. It is a reality. It is a fact confirm8 by the establfshmnt ?f settlements in the oocupied Arab territories, including in mu them Lebanon. The immigration of Soviet Jews, Ethiopian falashas and others represents one of the tools of Israeli policy used to achieve its objective, the creation of “Greater Lsrael”. The Arabs have never questioned the right of Soviet Jews to emigrats, but wo do oGject, and have a right to object, to exercise of that right at the expense of the rights of our people. We oppose their settlement in our occupied terr itor lee, and we seek a clear position an the part of the Security Council that will prevent their settlement there. %re X ziist offirru whet wa8 stated by the representative of the Arab League, Mr. Maknoud a that we should not forget the Palestinians who have been refugees since 1948. They are hwn beings, and they have rights as hurtkxn beings. And, incidentally, I should like refer to the round-table meeting that took @la@ in San R.enx, on 5 May, at the invitation of the International Centre for (Hr. Hamdan, Lebanonn) HumanitAriAn 4rw. The participants numbered more than 60 And represented mAny countries and non-governmental organizations. They issued a ckc~aration Affirming that the right to leave and return, And the right to emigrate, should not be exercised At the expense of the human right8 of the original inhabitants. Furthermore they EtAted it is the right of every refugee to return to his or her origindl country At Any time. yesterday we heard the statement of the representative of Israel. tb stated that Ierael did not avenge the attack QL the bus , neither in Israel nor in %JYPt. I ask why. Do m%TbePs think thhat was because Israel wanted to exercise self-restraint? tJo. The reA1 reAsm is that the incident took place in Egypt, And IEPAel i8 incapable Of C3PPying Out a lstlitAPy act: in @jpt. But IEPAel i8 carrying out Peprieals daily somewhere else. Consider what ia happening Lebanon. What does Israel do in Lebanon? Why did the Israeli representative ignore what Israeli authorities APe doing in Lebanon? Why doe8 he want to divert the CQunCiP’s attention from what is tiking place daily in Lebanon? In Lebanon, Israel ie not merely carrying out repnisals. Indeed Israel is doing something even more serious and dWWePCU5: it is engaging in ndlitary o@spations which it calls pre-emptioe military WtiOn5, which mean3 it is attacking whenever it 80 wishes - txaffore MY act has taken place that might be COnSidered A pretext for reprisals or 81 act of revenge. The 8ecurity Council has adopted many tesolutiom in thie regaid. fetae~ CaPPies ait such pre-em#iVe oparations and air raids cm a daily basis, A8 well ~8 oomm~ndo opePAtions, operations of incursion And invgRian that lead to the deaths -_---L__ Of thGUE&llb& Of CiViiiAnf3 And the &mj.ition a& &stru.&G 1 tit P~uw~s.~. Should we not a8k ourselves why the Israeli invasion Against Lebanon took plaoz in 1982 Why all this bath And destruction in LebAnon? Why the 5hAiNful massacres of Sabta and Shatila? If the c01~~il does not kntlsJ the anmer, w would refer it to the declaration5 of the leaders of 18Pae1, from the first to the last. (Mr. Hamdan, Lebanon) Yesterday the repxeaentative of Israel mentioned three leaders of the Palestinian people. We refer uximbero to Israeli officials, frora the first to the last, who have very clearly wmted to ugmot the Paleotinian people, to eradicate, to eliminate the Palestinian problem? The shooting on a buo was the act of a weak person who had lost all hope aa regard3 the international oonununity. We certainly condemn such m act. But it cannot be aompured with the daily rafds, the incorsiom and invasion that are systematic acts based on a clear and perfected PolW. The repr-entative of Isreel raised the Palestinian insignia that President Arafat carries to justify his claim that the PakMinfatW *1Mt k~ destroy Israel.. Uw can he juetify the map that decoratee the Rneeset in Israel, which represents “Greater Israel* and beara the message ‘Your borders, Israel, are from the Nile to the Euphrates”3 No. Peaofa requires courage - the cmrage to take an almost impossible Po3i tion. The Palestinian people have aaid the word in thir, regard, and the Arabs welcomed the Palestinian initiative for peace. But where is the mciprocal recoqnitiou of the right of the Palestiniam to exist, their right to self~termination and their right to their sun 5ndependent State in which they can attain thek objectives and realise their hopes and a8piratiotlJ to live in peace and certainty? This bs ymr role, Mr. President. Thie is the role of your Cauncil. We of our regiou need the international ammuui ty to amist 1x3 Ln achieving a permanent (Mr. kwidan, Lebanon) The United Nation W(YI created to eetabliah world pe~ce( end the Security ~ZXUIC~~ was entrusted with the task of safeguarding International mace. We therefore expect the Secuti~ Council to play its role end secure the implementation of ito Qyn resolutions. The ~~ID~Ts I thank the representative of Lebanon for the kind words he addressed to me. The next smaker ia the repreeentative of Turkey. I invite him tx~ take a place at the Council table end to make his Statement. Mr. DUNA (Turkey) 8 Let me associate myself, Sir, with the sentiments expressed with respect to your able presidency of the Security Council- I sharld like to seize this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to the Permanent Representative of Yemen cm the reunification of his country. We rejoice over that auepfciouo event, and look forward to further improving our bilateral relatiorre with brotherly yemen. By virtue of ite geographical location and its historical ties, the Middle East and the peoples of this region are of particular interest to Turkey. In this COnbXtr the question of Palestine continues to be a source of major concern for my Government. It is cn example of hou the denial of fundamental right8 and freedoms has consequenoee that tear apart the fabric of wace. I should like to recall that the Middle East conflict has been on the United Nations agenda since the inception of the Organisation. For wet 20 years Arab territories have been under Israeli occupation. During W past four decades we have Wienei38eci recurring warfare anci eniik3~ iis&%ti s&forkj in ‘-=.tst te~?z. rF*r _.._ lack of a political settlement is at the core of alI. the troublea. The murder of seven Palestinian Wrkere cn 20 Way and the resulting Bevelobxoents gave rise to en accelerated aggravation of the situation. fQa deplore (Mr. Duna, Turkey) Q1 this occasim YB call cmm atore upon fsrael to honour its obligations under international imnventions concerning the cnxupied tirritories and duly to contribute to peace efforts. Israel should understand that the current uprising of the Palestinian population is neither artificially induced nor a teraporary Fhenomenan. The intifadah was born of the just claims, frustration and disappoiutraent of Palestinians i&o have lived under aocupatton for more than two Facades. It5 message is unequivocal: the Palestinian People reject the occupation and resnin oomnitted to the exercise of their legitimate rights, including self-determination. It is very unfortunate that Israel has thus far failed to grasp the message of the intifadah. Violence, confrontation and bloodshed ate bound to increase so long as the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians are suppressed. The policies and practices of Israel, in particular the killing and wounding of unarlped Palestinian oiVilisuSr can have only negative amsequences for the efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East. Moreover, the settlement of Soviet Jews 5n the oocupied brritories will mly a&i fuel to the fire. &ilo ferael persists in a line of acticm incompatible with the expectations of the international massunity, the fmnstructive policy pursued by the Palestinians under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (Wro) continues to gain ame understanding and recognition. In fact, the number of . countries that have officially recognized the newly established Palestinian State is clear evidence in that regard. The proclamation of an independent State of ram, *rL 4 a- YU -UL”YCI..-e “CI? G -a^- ..L-- 1- ILL- -e-L& s .-.- ..a-- nra)yL daL.Qr Y, CI‘U rryr,r. “ALwzbL+“II. Ttiiiriiey rpas vrle or' the Eiisi; countries to recognire the State of Pales tine. We believe that was a natural outmme of our policy cm this iosu5. (MC. &nap Turkey) In our view, b&e question should be solved an the basis of the withdrawal of IStael from the Arab tirritories cccupied since 1967, the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, including their right to establish their own State, and an acknowledgement of the right of all sides in the region, including Israel, to live within secure and recognized boundaries. The PLO has taken impottant steps to pave the way towards the solution of this long-standing issue. In this context, the PIO’s acceptance oE SecucLty Councfl resolution8 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and rejection of terroriem are of particular importance. Israel should reciprocate the PLO’5 moves by adopting conciliatory policies. In our view, peace projects which exclude the mmmencement of dialogue with the PLO are not realistic. Therefore, we believe that Israel should consider wieely the ideas that have been put forward in the hope of contributing to the initiation of a promieifxl pesos process. Few inbhrnational issues are as complex and potentially dangerous as the Arab-Israeli conflict, of which the questian of Palestine is the eeeence. It is imperative that the interested parties entat into an effective negotiating process that will lead to the establishment of peace in the region. There is no doubt that the Glrreilt stalemate is against the interests of all and that it has &ngerous implicatione. It encourages entremiem and provokes a wider conflagration. The events which led to the present meeting of the Security Council have unfortunately deepened tk frustration of the peoples of the region, contributing to an escalation of tension throughout the area. Therefore, the latest events cannot be viewed in iaolatim from the overall eit:uatim in thie explosive region, which, tegrettably, hao not benefited from pooitive &velopments all around the globe. It ie clear that so Long a0 an effective peace process is not initiated such deplorable incidents are likely to recur. The latest events nake it all the (Mr. Duna, Turkey) more urgent to begin a peaprocess which must address and satisfy the legitimate concerns and aspirations of all the interested parties, above all those of the Palestinian people, whose right to self-determinatiar cannot he displtel. In that context, the proposal to dispatch United Nations doservers tD the Arab territories occupied by Israel haa the support of my Government. In fact, as we have stated at every opportunity, Turkey is ready to support all peace efforts in the region. Because these violent and tragic incidents amplify the gravity of the situation, we urge once again all interested parties tn work ceaselessly to bring abcut a settlement of this complex and difficult problem. f should like to oonclwle by wishing the members of the Security Council succe68 in their deliberation to defuse tension and, we hope, to pave the way to the initiation of a sound peace process.

I thank the representative of Turkey for the kind words he addressed to me. The next speaker is the representative of India. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. Mrs. RJR1 (Lndia)r Mr. President, please accept our felicitations Rn your assumpticm of the presidency of the Security Council. We are confident that you nil1 provide leadership which will enable the Council to find a way towards vitalising the peaoz process in the Middle East and a way out of the present difficulties that the deliberations so far have clearly brcught out. We should also like to conveyI through you, our thanks to the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, Ambassador Tadesse, for his able guidance of the Council doriw the pteviolls month. It is indeed fitting that the Security Catneil shculd convene this meeting devoted to a discussion of the recent developments in the Middle East, since, as the apex organ of the United Nations , the Carncil nest discharge its special responsibility whictr the United Nations has fcr long assured in the realisation of the inalienable rights and legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. The Council heard yesterday the stirring voice of Palestine, His Rozellency President Yassar Arafat, Chairman of the &ecutive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Pm), who outlined ard identified the ccmcr?rns and @rctbleras of the Palestinian people and put forward his perspectives an possible solutions with characteristic clarity and eloquence. The Government af India has been shocked by the brutal killings of innocent Arab workers by an Israeli gunman on 20 P&y 1990 zmd eubseguent action by Israeli security forces in the omupied territories II which resulted in further casual ties. It ccndamns those incidents. It ie clear that such incidents are only symptomatic - and this has been pointed out W many embers of the Council - and manifestations of one of the moat profound and stubbornly intractable tragedies of our times, which has run its long and painful course for sb many years. The Eundamental and root cause of this tragedy has been the displatxmnt of a people and a nation from their h-land over (Mrs. Puri, India) ~OUK decades md throblgh EOUK WLWB md the persistent denial aE the inalbmable righta of the Palestinian people, including thei.r right to an indepen&nt State and to their own homelmd. Also, Ierael’s policies, measures and actions m the occupying Po#er in the occupied Arab territorierl - especially its &liberate and systematic establishment of settlebats in such territories in dafltice of United Nations resolutions, international law and world public opinion, its violation of the Pourth Gent.88 Convention md its attempts to prt dovn the heroic intifadah of the Palestinian people - have further oompounded the problem. India believes that the situation in the Middle E&t will continue to renrain unstable so long as the Palestinian question remains unresolved. The recent developments in the Middle East only underline this belief and reinforce the importance and urgency of concerted international action for the reactivation of the Middle East peace process, something that has, 1 think, been univeP8all.y emphasfzed by all the speakers uho have made stateeoents here, including members of the Security Council and observers who have addressed the CWncfl. The convening of the International Peaa3 Conference under United Nation6 sponsorship to negotiate a just 81d comprehensive settlement should be with the participation of all parties to the conflict, including the PI& on an wual footing, and the five permanent m3mbers of the fkcurity Council. Any further delay in convening such a conference will in&finitely prolang the suffering of the Palestinian people and make umre difficult and aamplicate the search for pexx? in the region at a time when the relaxation of glcbal tensions has raised new hopas for Peace everywhere. Needle= to may* ally settlement at the Middle East must addrass the core iSSUe of the inaiienable rlghta of the PaZestinian people and involve the recognition of the rights of all the States in the region, including Palestine and Israel, to live in peace within internationally recoqnized and secure boundaries. The reality of (Mrs. Puri, India) the PLO (it the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people should also be recognized. It sharld involve the withdrawal of Israel from all the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and from the other occupied Arab territories. The rcettlemsnt must, as has been enphasized, give practical effect to Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 336 (1973). Ga would therefore recomend that the Security Council should use the opportunity of this rpleetfng to provide a positive and decisive impulse for the holding of suti a aonfetence, which could evolve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian questiar and cantribute to durable peace in the Middle East.

I thank the representative of India for her kind words addressed to sm. We are now very close to the end of the list of speakers for this meting. I have been asked by soma members of the Council to suspend the meeting for a few minutes to hold informal aonsultationa in a separste room. It is w intention to resume the mee :ing immdfately following this short suspension. The meeting was suspended at 1.45 p.m. and resumed at 2.20 P.m.

X shall naw raake a statement in ay capacity as representative of Finland. We are a3ncluding our debate here in Geneva after a week of dramatic events in Israel and in the occupied territories. The shootings wnmitted by a madman last Sunday were already tragic enough. Hwever, the subsequent developFnents led to even more deaths and the wounding of hundreds of Palestinians because of repressive masures by the Israeli authorities. Such me of force against demonstrating Palestinian civiliarrs is totally unacceptable. What has been especially alarming is the continuing use of live ammunition against the Palestinians - even against young children. Finland, for its part, has repeatedly urged the Israeli authorities not only to exercise restraint but also to respect scrupulously its obligations under the fourth Geneva Ccovention. At the seme time, of courser everybody should show restraint and avoid sucn actions BB could escalate into a vain cycle of violence, whidr would tend to provoke more tragic incidents involving innocent outsiders. The chain of eventi follwing U e shootings of last Sunday sharply illustrates the deep frustration prevailing on account of the mntinuing occupation and the lack of any sign of progrem in the Middle East peaae process. Xt has becoma illOre pressing than ever to get the peace process started and to Convene an international pears conference as soon as possible, with the participation of all concerned, inctuding Xsrael and the Palestine Liberation Orqanization, in order to achieve a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East. Finland has follwed with growing distress the way o@ortunities towards peace have been 1-t. Indeed, in the present situatian no ores can any longer afford to lose opportunities. It is time to give up a tendency to look nrainly for evidence of bad intentions ar the Fart of (The President) others. What is needed instead is evidence of good will cm one’s own part and readiness to help the peace process forward. In the meantime, serious considerati~)n has to be given to what more the United Nations could & in order to alleviate the situation. We support the ideas of United Nations fact-finding and observation. On the basis of its cwn peace-keeping experiences, Finland is convinced of the usefulness of an impartial international presence for local civilian populations. In our view, such nmasures aould be helpful in the occupied territories as an emergency step in a process towards a negotiated settlement. I nm resume my functions as President. The representative of Palestine has asked to speak and I naw call upon him. Mr. TERZI (Palestine) : First, in the naFja of the Palestinian people, an8 particularly of the freedam fighters in the occupied territories, I wish to thank the representatives S&O, in presenting the views of their respective Governments here, have diagnosed the situation and, guided by the principles and aims of the Charter of the United Nations, have prescribed remadiee. We trust that such rernsdtes fyi thoee just mentioned by youc Mr. President, on behalf of Finland, will be reflected in a resolution soon ti be adopted by the Council when it reconvenes and that tba prwisione of such a resolution will be respected and carried out in conformity with article 25 of the Charter. During the last 30 months at least the Council has been expressing concern and strong views QI the situaticn in the occupied Balestinian territory, including Jerusalem. The prompt res@mse of the Council in oxvening a meeting immediately to consider the latest of the sufferings and visitations inflicted upon our People does help restore the faith and oonfi&noa of our people in the efficacy of the security Council. Our people are anxiow to knaw the results of au& deliberations (Hr. Terzi, Palestine) as brought the Council from all wet to this particular place, the Geneva Office of the United Nations. I Would like to mention a few things that really caught our attention. There was an attempt to divert attention, and the representative of Israel, when referring - to use his words - to ‘Arafat, the cartographer” (supra, pp. 94-951, thought that Arafat’s action was a joke when he referred t0 the eQP which is reproduced on the coins and on the charts of Xarael. I would think that the representative of Israel should read better the cartwraeW as shown W the i&rut Party and the Likud, that shaws the map of Israel to be extending on bcth banks of the River Jordan. His is not a joke. The position of the representative of Israel is an insult to our intelligence. Yes, it Is truer we cb maintain the map of Palestine as shorn on all, the literature by the United Nations. We shall continue to maintain that as a map of Palestine until such time as the final peace treaty between the Palestinian people - the State of Palestine - and the State of Israel omes under the auspices of the United Nations, showing exactly where the boundaries of each State lie. I am surprised that some States still call for the security of Israel without telling us exactly where the boundaries of Israel ace@ and it is for the Council and the State of Israel to tell us where those boundaries are. Finally, the personal participation of President Arafat in the first meeting of the current eessicn of the Security Council teaf f irms our trust in the endeavours of the United Nations, particularly those unbrtaken by the Sacretary-General. His presence also is really an expression of our knowledge that, in the final analysis, the Security Council is the proper, if not tbe anly, vehicle ta achieving tbe long werdw peace in Palestine and in the Middle East. The PRESIURNT: There are no further wakers inscribed on my list for this meeting. (The President) Aa agreed in the Council %3 consultationa , im informal consultative meeting of the Security Council in omnection with the item 00 the agenda will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on hresday, 29 May 1990. Before adjourning this meeting I should like, on behalf of the Council, to exptem deep appreciatiarr to Mr. Jan Martenson, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, and his staff for their co-operation in facilitating Olllf meeting. The meeting rose at 2.30 p.m.