UNITED NATIONS

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Distr. GENERAL E/CM.4/I985/SR.6 15 February 1983
ENGLISH

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Original:

FRENCH

CObfllSSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS T h i r t y - n i n t h session SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 6 t h MEETING held a t the P a l a i s des Nations, Geneva, on Thursday, 3 February 1983, a t 5 p.m. Chairman : Mr. OTUNNU CONTENTS Question o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e (continued) The r i g h t o f peoples t o self-determination and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n to peoples under c o l o n i a l or a l i e n domination o r f o r e i g n occupation (continued) (Uganda)

This record i s subject t o c o r r e c t i o n . Corrections should be submitted i n one of the working languages. They should be s e t f o r t h i n a memorandum and a l s o incorporated i n a copy o f the record. They should be sent w i t h i n one week o f the date o f t h i s document t o the O f f i c i a l Records E d i t i n g S e c t i o n , room E.6IO8, P a l a i s des Nations, Geneva. Any c o r r e c t i o n s t o the records o f the meetings o f t h i s session w i l l be consolidated i n a s i n g l e corrigendum, t o be Issued s h o r t l y a f t e r the end o f the session. GE.83-15177

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page 2 The meeting was c a l l e d t o o r d e r a t 3 . 0 5 ..

QUESTION OF ] VIOLATION OP HUMAN RIGHTS I N THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING. PALESTINE (agenda i t e m 4 ) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN .4/1983/6 ; E/CN. 4 /1983/75 E/CN .4/1983/8) THE RIGHT OF 'PEOPLES TO SELF-DETEEMmATION ) I T S APPLICATION TO PEOPLES UNDER COLONIAL OR ALIEN DOMINATION O E FOREIGN OCCUPATION (agenda i t e m 9) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/GN .4/1983/2 and A d d . l j E/CN ,4 /1983/12; E/CN. 4 /I 983 /13; S T / H R / S E R . A / I 4 ) 1. V i s c o u n t COLVILLE o f CUTJROSS ( U n i t e d Kingdom) s a i d t h a t f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s p a s t h i s d e l e g a t i o n had c o n f i n e d i t s e l f t o e x p l a i n i n g i t s vote on r e s o l u t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g the q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s in t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e . However, a l t h o u g h the U n i t e d Kingdom had been u n a b l e t o s u p p o r t some o f t h o s e r e s o l u t i o n s , i t had always r e g a r d e d peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t as one o f the g r e a t e s t c h a l l e n g e s in i n t e r n a t i o n a l a f f a i r s . 2. The p r o b l e m s t i l l a w a i t e d a s o l u t i o n i n 198 . I t v/as t o be hoped t h a t t h e Commission would adopt r e s o l u t i o n s , p e r t a i n i n g . t o t h o s e a s p e c t s o f t h e q u e s t i o n w h i c h had a c l e a r b e a r i n g on human r i g h t s  A l t h o u g h the d e l i b e r a t i o n s o f t h e Seminar on v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t p in the P a l e s t i n i a n and. o t h e r Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l , h e l d a t Geneva i n November/Deember 1982, met v;ith the a p p r o v a l o f h i s d e l e g a t i o n t o a l a r g e e x t e n t , . n o t a l l o f t h e Seminar's c o n c l u s i o n s c o u l d be endorsed b y the U n i t e d Kingdom. 3. The e x e r c i s e o f the. .fj.rst r i g h t Bet f o r t h ^ i n the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenants on Human R i g h t s , namely the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , vras b e i n g d e n i e d t o p e r s o n s l i v i n g on the West Bank ( w i t h the p o s s i b l e e x c e p t i o n o f s e t t l e r s ) , and i n t h e Gaza S t r i p , the G o l a n H e i g h t s and a l s o s o u t h e r n Lebanon, On th-e.i.West Banlt and i n the Gaza S t r i p i n 1982 d e m o c r a t i c a l l y e l e c t e d mayors had been d i s m i s s e d and town c o u n c i l s d i s s o l v e d f o r r e f u s i n g t o co -operate v/ith an imposed c i v i l i a n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . On the Golan H e i g h t s t h e I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had b r o k e n a s t r i k e d e c l a r e d b y the Druze i n h a b i t a n t s o f the a r e a f o l l o v / i n g the i m p o s i t i o n o f I s r a e l i law i n 1 9 8 1 . . ; . . . . . .The-fact t h a t , the e l e c t e d P r e s i d e n t · and.·Parliament-si'..-.Lebancin were u n a b l e t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r a u t h o r i t y i n the s o u t h e r n p a r t , o f t k e i r : . c o u n t r y c o u l d o n l y be d e p l o r e d . I t was e s s e n t i a l the.t a l l f o r e i g n f o r c e s s h o u l d v/ithdraw from Lebanonr,.as,. s o o n as--, p o s s i b l e . 4. The e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f more s e t t l e m e n t s on the West Bank had f u r t h e r a g g r a v a t e d the s i t u a t i o n and reduced the hopes f o r the achievement o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n b y the Arab p o p u l a t i o n . I t v/as h a r d t o u n d e r s t a n d hov/ the I s r a e l i Government c o u l d t h i n k t h a t such measures v/ould h e l p i t t o o b t a i n s e c u r e b o r d e r s and p e a c e f u l c o e x i s t e n c e w i t h i t s Arab n e i g h b o u r s . H i s d e l e g a t i o n would be i n t e r e s t e d t o see the-stüdy'oñ the s i t u a t i o n o f f h e Arab p o p u l a t i o n i n that" a r e a to""'which t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f I s r a e l had r e f e r r e d the p r e v i o u s day. 5. As r e s u l t o f , i t s own e x p e r i e n c e , t h e S t a t e o f I s r a e l , whose e x i s t e n c e : c o u l d not be-qu.e.s,ti.oned, was u n i q u e l y equipped t o u n d e r s t a n d the a s p i r a t i o n s o f the.;Pal.e.s.tiniai;L:p-ç9ple t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . However, t h e I s r a e l i ^ a u t h o r i t i e s were c o n t i n u i n g t o h a r a s s and even m i s t r e a t the-Arab p o p u l a t i o n ' o f the, We&t .Bank¿  than 20 P a l e s t i n i a n Arabs had been k i l l e d i n d i s t u r b a n c e s s i n c e A p r i l I 9 8 2 and a l o c a l " p o i i t l C a l movement had been banned i n Ifexch 1982 ^' iHirtÈermoré., '{b.^, closing'-'oí" s c h o o l s " a n d ' u n i v e r b l t i e s c o u l d h a r d l y be reconciled'tóth' the r i g h t t o

E/CN.4/19S3/SR.6 page 3 freedom o f e x p r e s s i o n and assembly. N i n e t e e n e x p a t r i a t e l e c t u r e r s a t West Bank · u n i v e r s i t i e s had been d e p o r t e d f o r r e f u s i n g t o s i g n a commitment r e n o u n c i n g s u p p o r t f o r the PLO as a c o n d i t i o n f o r o b t a i n i n g a work p e r m i t . Such measures were i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h freedom o f thought and c o n s c i e n c e . 6. F i n a l l y , as had been emphasized a t the Seminar on v i o l a t i o n s of human r i g h t s   the P a l e s t i n i a n and o t h e r A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l (ST/HR/SER.A/145 para. 42)5 the r e a s o n s g i v e n by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s f o r t h e i r r e f u s a l to a p p l y the t h i r d and f o u r t h Geneva Conventions i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s xvere not a c c e p t a b l e . The Conventions were b e i n g p a r t l y a p p l i e d i n Lebanon, but even the I s r a e l i s ' own h i s t o r i c argument c o n c e r n i n g the West Bank c o u l d not a p p l y to Gaza or the G o l a n H e i g h t s . Moreover, the U n i t e d Kingdom b e l i e v e d t h a t the members o f the PLO d e t a i n e d i n s o u t h e r n Lebanon s h o u l d be t r e a t e d as p r i s o n e r s o f war under the t h i r d Geneva C o n v e n t i o n . 7. I s r a e l was not the s o l e o f f e n d e r a g a i n s t human r i g h t s i n t h a t r e g i o n o f the world. H i s Government d e p l o r e d the events t h a t had t a k e n p l a c e a t Hama i n e a r l y 1932. I t s h o u l d be acknowledged t h a t a t r o c i t i e s had a l s o been committed w i t h i n I s r a e l . Mr. B e g i n had s a i d t h a t the g r a n t i n g of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o the A r a b s o f the V/est Bank c o u l d o n l y l e a d to the d e s t r u c t i o n o f the S t a t e o f I s r a e l . As was so o f t e n the c a s e , such v i o l a t i o n s c l e a r l y r e s u l t e d from p o l i t i c a l c o n f l i c t , i n t h a t i n s t a n c e o f an i n t e r n a t i o n a l n a t u r e . I t was not enough m e r e l y to condemn those b r e a c h e s o f the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenants on Human R i g h t s . Nor v;as i t s u f f i c i e n t f o r the I s r a e l i Government to p u n i s h those g u i l t y o f i n f r i n g e m e n t s , a l t h o u g h t h a t would be d e s i r a b l e . The r e a l ansv/er must be to encourage the a t t e m p t s c u r r e n t l y b e i n g made to t a c k l e t h a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l p r o b l e m a t i t s r o o t s . A t the p r e v i o u s meeting the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f A r g e n t i n a had r i g h t l y p o i n t e d out t h a t not o n l y the consequences but a l s o the causes o f the s i t u a t i o n s h o u l d be s t u d i e d . The Y u g o s l a v d e l e g a t i o n had a l s o made some c o n s t r u c t i v e o b s e r v a t i o n s i n that respect. I f the P a l e s t i n i a n s had a r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , i t s h o u l d be c l e a r l y acknowledged t h a t I s r a e l had a r i g h t not o n l y to e x i s t , but a l s o to e x i s t w i t h o u t the t h r e a t o f t e r r o r i s m . B o t h p r o p o s i t i o n s s h o u l d be c l e a r l y e x p r e s s e d and backed b y a genuine i n t e n t i o n . I t was a l s o o b v i o u s t h a t t h e r e v/as no s i n g l e s o l u t i o n b u t , r a t h e r , a range o f p o s s i b i l i t i e s w h i c h r e q u i r e d genuine e x p l o r a t i o n . H i s d e l e g a t i o n t h e r e f o r e commended t o the Commission the two most r e c e n t p r o p o s a l s made i n t h a t c o n n e c t i o n : t h a t o f the P r e s i d e n t o f the U n i t e d S t a t e s o f America and t h a t c u r r e n t l y emerging as a r e s u l t o f the Fez Summit. 8. I n 1982 Egypt and I s r a e l had c o n t r i b u t e d t o the s t a b i l i t y of the r e g i o n t h r o u g h the r e t u r n o f the l a s t p o r t i o n o f the S i n a i . The courage and f a r - s i g h t e d n e s s shown by b o t h c o u n t r i e s on t h a t o c c a s i o n had a l r e a d y been p r a i s e d by the U n i t e d Kingdom Government, w h i c h hoped t h a t a s i m i l a r l y i m a g i n a t i v e s o l u t i o n would be found f o r the o t h e r t e r r i t o r i e s . 9. Mr. DAOLT)Y ( o b s e r v e r f o r the S y r i a n Arab R e p u b l i c ) s a i d i t was r e g r e t t a b l e t h a t the 21 Arab S t a t e s Members o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s c u r r e n t l y h e l d o n l y tvro s e a t s on the Commission on Human R i g h t s , vrhen they c o u l d l a y c l a i m to f o u r more. The S y r i a n Arab R e p u b l i c hoped t h a t the imbalance would be r e c t i f i e d l a t e r i n the y e a r v/hen the members o f the Commission v.'ere e l e c t e d by the Economic and S o c i a l C o u n c i l . The agenda o f the Commission on Human R i g h t s was a l m o s t i d e n t i c a l to t h a t o f the p r e v i o u s y e a r . He v/ould c o n f i n e h i m s e l f f o r the moment t o the q u e s t i o n o f the s i t u a t i o n i n the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l , but r e s e r v e d the r i g h t s u b s e q u e n t l y to r e v e r t t o the · c j u e s t i o n o f the e x e r c i s e o f the r i g h t to s e l f ^ d e t erminat i o n .

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 4 1 0 . At a previous meeting the representative of Israel had claimed that his country f e l t duty-bound to defend Christians allegedly subject to persecution by the Syrian a u t h o r i t i e s . However, the I s r a e l i Government was i t s e l f persecuting r e l i g i o u s d i g n i t a r i e s i n the Arab part of Jerusalem. In the course of one p a r t i c u l a r l y bloody incident at Nazareth, a clergyman had been axed to death i n h i s church by an I s r a e l i . 11. The representative of the United Kingdom had deplored the incidents at Hama. Why had he not also deplored the a t r o c i t i e s currently being committed i n Ireland? Had not the present d i s t r e s s i n g situation i n the Middle East been, i n a way, "bequeathed" to the region by the B r i t i s h authorities when they l e f t Palestine? 12. The previous year the Commission had adopted two resolutions concerning v i o l a t i o n s of human rights i n the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied by I s r a e l . In one of those resolutions i t had c a l l e d upon a l l States and a l l organizations to help the Palestinian people, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, to recover t h e i r legitimate r i g h t s . 13- A l l the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied by Israel were victims of the same practices and were suffering from the same v i o l a t i o n s of human rights on the part of the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s . It should also be recalled that the l a t t e r had gone so far as to make Jerusalem the c a p i t a l of Israel and had subsequently annexed the Golan Heights. The Security Council had condemned those two measures. The world was currently faced with a s i t u a t i o n analogous to that existing when the Sudetenland had been annexed by the Nazis before the Second World War. He had already pointed out that, according to Mr. Begin, Jerusalem constituted an integral part of Israel and the Golan Heights belonged not to the Syrian Arab Republic but to I s r a e l . 14. Mr. MURARGY (Mozambique) said that his delegation's position with regard to the important question of the right of peoples to self-determination and i t s application to peoples under c o l o n i a l or a l i e n domination or foreign occupation had always been based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and on the provisions of the resolutions of the United Nations and other relevant legal instruments. Since I 9 8 I the Commission had been p a r t i c u l a r l y concerned with that question, to which high p r i o r i t y had been accorded. 1 5 . International peace and security were, more than ever before, a fundamental aspiration of the whole of mankind and one of the main' objectives, i f not the raison d ' ê t r e , of the United Nations. To ensure the maintenance of peace and s e c u r i t y , the international community must respect the fundamental p r i n c i p l e s governing international r e l a t i o n s , including the p r i n c i p l e of self-determination, which was a sine qua non for the exercise of the human rights and fundamental freedoms l a i d down in the Charter of the United Nations and i n the two International Covenants on Human Rights. The Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States i n accordance with the Charter of the United Nations had made the right to self-determination a fundamental .principle of contemporary international law. 16. Experience showed that there was a close l i n k not only between the right to self-determination and international peace and security but also between those two elements and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Unless the right of peoples to self-determination was respected there could be no peace, and without peace there was no guarantee that human rights would be respected. The right to

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 5 self-determination included not only the right to national independence but also the freedom of peoples to choose their own system and method of development i n a l l spheres. That was c l e a r l y stated i n the two International Covenants on Human Rights. 17. The international community was currently witnessing flagrant violations of the fundamental p r i n c i p l e of the self-determination of peoples i n many parts of the world and i n various forms due to the actions of the c o l o n i a l i s t , n e o - c o l o n i a l i s t , r a c i s t and Zionist regimes which were continuing to impose t h e i r domination. In southern A f r i c a , the r a c i s t regime of Pretoria represented the l a s t bastion of colonialism which, by i t s policy of racism, apartheid and bantustanization, was denying the majority of the population of South Africa their rights and fundamental freedoms. The South African people, regarded as foreigners i n t h e i r own country, had been reduced to the status of cheap manpower working for the transnational corporations established i n South A f r i c a . Tho United Nations, the OAU and the nonaligned movement had frequently condemned those p o l i c i e s , which constituted the main obstacle to the exercise by the peoples of southern Africa of t h e i r r i g h t to s e l f determination . 18. The Commission should therefore pay p a r t i c u l a r attention to the question of the v i o l a t i o n of human rights and fundamental freedoms i n South Africa and should denounce such actions with a view to i s o l a t i n g the South African regime. The Commission should also use a l l means at i t s disposal to support the l i b e r a t i o n movements i n South A f r i c a . 19- Despite a l l the condemnations by the international community, South A f r i c a was continuing i t s i l l e g a l occupation of the Territory of Namibia, whose population was thereby prevented from f r e e l y determining i t s p o l i t i c a l and economic future. At the same time, South A f r i c a was i n t e n s i f y i n g i t s exploitation and plunder of the natural resources of that Territory and was endeavouring to impose a puppet government on the Namibian people. In that way, apart from v i o l a t i n g the r i g h t of peoples to self-determination, i t was also threatening regional and international peace and s e c u r i t y . The Commission should adopt a resolution c a l l i n g for the immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978), which constituted the legal basis for the independence of Namibia. The Commission should also condemn the i m p e r i a l i s t manoeuvres aimed at delaying independence by making i t conditional on the withdrawal of Cuban forces from Angola. 20. The r a c i s t regime i n Pretoria was responsible for the climate of war and insecurity i n southern Africa and represented the only obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms i n that region. Moreover, by attempting to destabilize neighbouring countries and by r e c r u i t i n g mercenaries to attack independent States, South A f r i c a was v i o l a t i n g the fundamental p r i n c i p l e s of international law and denying the peoples of the region t h e i r r i g h t to development. The South African regime was also attempting to weaken tho already f r a g i l e economy of i t s neighbours with a view to keeping them i n a state of economic dependence and preventing the countries of the region from j o i n t l y pursuing t h e i r economic development through the Southern A f r i c a Development Co-ordination Conference. 21. It was within that context that South Africa's constant attacks against Angola, Lesotho and Mozambique were taking place. In recent years Mozambique had been subject to attacks, acts of sabotage and attempts at d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n by armed bandits financed and trained by South A f r i c a . The Pretoria regime was acting i n that manner because Mozambique had decided to put an end to i t s economic dependence on South Africa and establish within the region a new society based on equality and free from exploitation of man by man and from discrimination based on colour, race or r e l i g i o n .

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page 6 22. The Commission should a l s o devote i t s a t t e n t i o n t o the s i t u a t i o n i n Western S a h a r a , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t e d a s e r i o u s t h r e a t t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y and c o n s t i t u t e d an o b s t a c l e t o the enjoyment o f human r i g h t s . The Sahrawi p e o p l e were c o n t i n u i n g t h e i r s t r u g g l e t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f determination. That problem c o u l d be s o l v e d o n l y t h r o u g h the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f a l l the r e l e v a n t GAU r e s o l u t i o n s . 23. The Commission should a l s o t a k e u r g e n t a c t i o n t o d e a l w i t h the t r a g i c s i t u a t i o n i n the M i d d l e E a s t and s t o p the h o l o c a u s t o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e . The Z i o n i s t e n t i t y was the o n l y o b s t a c l e t o peace and s e c u r i t y i n t h a t r e g i o n , where i t was p r e v e n t i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s from e x e r c i s i n g i t s fundamental r i g h t s . The t r a g i c events t h a t had r e c e n t l y t a k e n p l a c e i n Lebanon should a l s o be mentioned. I n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e Mozambicand e l e g a t i o n , the o n l y s o l u t i o n was t o r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e i r own S t a t e , The Commission should t h e r e f o r e s t r o n g l y condemn I s r a e l f o r i t s c y n i c a l and inhuman p o l i c i e s and demand the u n c o n d i t i o n a l w i t h d r a w a l o f I s r a e l i f o r c e s from Lebanon and t h e A r a b territories. 24. I n A s i a , t h e c o n t i n u i n g o c c u p a t i o n o f E a s t Timor by I n d o n e s i a was a l s o g i v i n g cause f o r c o n c e r n . V a r i o u s i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , had denounced t h e v i o l a t i o n s o f - human r i g h t s committed i n t h a t T e r r i t o r y . The o c c u p a t i o n o f E a s t Timor by Indonesia-was a f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n o f the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t o f t h a t T e r r i t o r y t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . I t was t h e r e f o r e e s s e n t i a l t h a t the s a i d r i g h t should be u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h the numerous r e s o l u t i o n s o f the G e n e r a l Assembly and o t h e r b o d i e s . F o r i t s p a r t , the )zambican d e l e g a t i o n supported the d r a f t r e s o l u t i o n e n t i t l e d " Q u e s t i o n o f E a s t T i m o r " s i i b m i t t e d by the Sub-Gommission on P r e v e n t i o n o f D i s c r i m i n a t i o n and P r o t e c t i o n o f M i n o r i t i e s , 25. The n a t i o n a l l i b e r a t i o n movements were p l a y i n g a d e c i s i v e r o l e i n the campaign f o r the maintenance o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y and a l s o i n t h e s t r u g g l e o f p e o p l e s a g a i n s t c o l o n i a l i s m , n e o - c o l o n i a l i s m , r a c i s m and Z i o n i s m . The Commission should t h e r e f o r e use a l l means a t i t s d i s p o s a l t o support t h e movements s t r u g g l i n g t o a c h i e v e t h o s e o b j e c t i v e s i n A s i a , A f r i c a and L a t i n A m e r i c a . 26. Mr. TALVITIE ( F i n l a n d ) s a i d t h a t , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h i t s p o l i c y o f n e u t r a l i t y , F i n l a n d had always adopted a c o n c i l i a t o i y p o s i t i o n w i t h r e g a r d t o the M i d d l e E a s t question. I t i n t e n d e d to c o n t i n u e t h a t p o l i c y , w h i c h had enabled i t to m a i n t a i n good r e l a t i o n s w i t h a l l t h e p a r t i e s c o n c e r n e d , 27. A l t h o u g h the Commission should c o n c e r n i t s e l f p r i m a r i l y w i t h i s s u e s i n v o l v i n g human r i g h t s , i n t h e M d d l e E a s t i t was i m p o s s i b l e t o i s o l a t e such i s s u e s from t h e i r g e n e r a l p o l i t i c a l c o n t e x t . To r e a c h a comprehensive, j u s t and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t o f the q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e i t was e s s e n t i a l t h a t n e g o t i a t i o n s should t a k e p l a c e on t h e b a s i s o f S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 242 (1967), The r i g h t o f e v e r y S t a t e i n t h e r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , t o l i v e w i t h i n s e c u r e and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d b o u n d a r i e s must be g u a r a n t e e d , and I s r a e l should w i t h d r a w from the A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s t h a t i t had been o c c u p y i n g s i n c e I 9 6 7 , A t t h e same t i m e , the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , must be t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t . As the most s i g n i f i c a n t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , t h e P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n must be g i v e n the r i g h t t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a l l n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h i n t h e framework o f a comprehensive s e t t l e m e n t , w h i c h Was the o n l y way t o s e c u r e the b a s i c human r i g h t s o f a l l persons l i v i n g i n the r e g i o n . The s i t u a t i o n i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t must not become a p r e t e x t f o r v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s .

E/CN.4/1903/SB.Ê page 7 28. F i n l a n d had j o i n e d t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l coramunity i n condemning t h e massacres a t Sabra and S h a t i l a and t h e v i o l e n t a c t s committed by I s r a e l i n Lebanon. I s r a e l was c o n t i n u i n g t o pursue i t s s e t t l e m e n t p o l i c y ; i t had i l l e g a l l y changed the s t a t u s o f J e r u s a l e m and extended i t s j u r i s d i c t i o n t o t h e Golan H e i g h t s , which t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community had c o n s i d e r e d as tantamount t o a n n e x a t i o n . A l l o f those a c t s had been censured by t h e S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . Furthermore, I s i ' a e l had r e f u s e d t o a b i d e by t h e Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e t o t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time o f War, which was a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e I 9 6 7 , i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem. 29. F i n l a n d had supported a l l i n i t i a t i v e s aimed a t f i n d i n g a s o l u t i o n f o r t h e s i t u a t i o n i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t . Although t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f a n e g o t i a t e d s e t t l e m e n t was a slow and d i f f i c u l t p r o c e s s , i t was t h e o n l y way i n which t h e peoples o f t h e r e g i o n c o u l d ensure t h e c o n d i t i o n s n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e e x e r c i s e o f t h e i r r i g h t s . I t was t h e r e f o r e e s s e n t i a l t o c o n t i n u e t h a t p r o c e s s . 30. Mr. LOPATKA (Poland) emphasized t h a t t h e r e v;as a c l o s e l i n k between v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , t h e M i d d l e E a s t c o n f l i c t i n g e n e r a l , and a l l o t h e r c o n f l i c t s i n c i t e d w i t h a view t o j e o p a r d i z i n g -world peace. Poland condemned I s r a e l ' s p e r s i s t e n t a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t t h e Arab S t a t e s and t h e r e s u l t i n g v i o l a t i o n s o f t h e human r i g h t s o f t h e Arab p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . H i s c o u n t r y was a p a r t i c u l a r l y staunch s u p p o r t e r o f t h e j u s t s t r u g g l e o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people f o r t h e i r i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s t o f r e e d o n and independence s i n c e i t had had s i m i l a r e x p e r i e n c e s i n t h e c o u r s e o f i t s h i s t o r y . H i s d e l e g a t i o n welcomed t h e r e p o r t o f t h e S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l on t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s system t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people (A /37/214) j which bore w i t n e s s t o t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g and s o l i d a r i t y t h a t t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l coramunity had shown w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n cause, 3 1 . I s r a e l was o b s t i n a t e l y r e f u s i n g t o a b i d e 'jy t h e r u l e s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w , the C h a r t e r o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , and v a r i o u s i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s designed t o ensure f u l l r e s p e c t f o r human r i g h t s . I t s p e r s i s t e n t d e f i a n c e o f t h e r e s o l u t i o n s and a u t h o r i t y o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s posed a t h r e a t t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y . I t was n o t o n l y t h a t c o u n t r y ' s p o l i c i e s and p r a c t i c e s , but a l s o i t s v e r y d o c t r i n e , v/hich gave cause f o r a l a r m . I n i t s l a t e s t r e p o r t s t o t h e G e n e r a l Assembly, t h e S p e c i a l Committee t o I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Human R i g h t s o f t h e P o p u l a t i o n o f t h e Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s had s t r e s s e d t h a t I s r a e l e n v i s a g e d t h e c r e a t i o n o f a Jev/ish S t a t s encompassing t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and was denying t h e r i g h t o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f those t e r r i t o r i e s . I s r a e l i s e t t l e m e n t s were b e i n g e s t a b l i s h e d and expanded on Arab l a n d s , i n d i s r e g a r d f o r t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g i n d i v i d u a l and c o l l e c t i v e human r i g h t s . S i m u l t a n e o u s l y , Arab p r o p e r t y was b e i n g damaged and d e s t r o y e d on a wide s c a l e and Arab r e s i d e n t s were b e i n g d e p o r t e d o r d i s p l a c e d . The Arab p o p u l a t i o n v/as p o l i t i c a l l y , m a t e r i a l l y and c u l t u r a l l y oppressed and s u b j e c t e d t o mass a r r e s t s , c o l l e c t i v e punishments and inhuman c o n d i t i o n s o f imprisonment. A l l o f those a c t s , which contravened t h e F o u r t n Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e t o t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time o f War and the a d d i t i o n a l p r o t o c o l s t o t h e Geneva C o n v e n t i o n s , had been c o r r o b o r a t e d by t h e l a t e s t r e p o r t o f t h e S p e c i a l Committee (A /57/4S5). 32. Furthermore, I s r a e l v/as p i l l a g i n g t h e a r c h a e o l o g i c a l and c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e o f the A r a b s , i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h t h e i r r e l i g i o u s freedom, and impeding t h e i r e x e r c i s e o f t h e i r f a m i l y r i g h t s and customs. U n i v e r s i t i e s i n t h e o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s v/ere s u b j e c t e d t o t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s . /41 o f those p r a c t i c e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e i l l e g a l e x p l o i t a t i o n o f n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s ,/

E/CN .4/1985 /SR .6 page 8

i n t e n d e d t o complete t h e p r o c e s s o f a n n e x a t i o n begun i n 19^7 and should t h e r e f o r e be condemned vjith t h e utmost v i g o u r by t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community, p a r t i c u l a r l y s i n c e the i n v a s i o n o f Lebanon i n June I982 and t h e massacres a t Sabra and S h a t i l a had shown t h a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l censure had n o t p r e v i o u s l y been s u f f i c i e n t t o r e s t r a i n I s r a e l i expansionism. I t s h o u l d be noted t h a t , as a r e s u l t o f t h e i n v a s i o n and m a s s a c r e s , thousands o f Lebanese had a l s o been made homeless and reduced t o a s t a t e of misery. 33The U n i t e d M a t i o n s had a v e r y i m p o r t a n t r o l e t o p l a y i n s o l v i n g t h e q u e s t i o n o f v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . A t t h e v e r y l e a s t i t c o u l d o p e r a t e as a c e n t r e f o r t h e d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h a t r e s p e c t a l t h o u g h i t was a l s o e n t i t l e d t o t a k e a c t i o n a g a i n s t g r o s s v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s by I s r a e l . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e p r o t e c t o r s o f t h a t c o u n t r y were b l o c k i n g t h e a d o p t i o n o f workable s a n c t i o n s . I n t h e f i n a l a n a l y s i s , t h e p e r s i s t e n t c r i m e s o f I s r a e l r e s u l t e d from t h e l a c k o f p o l i t i c a l w i l l on t h e p a r t o f one o r more Members o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s . I n c o n c l u s i o n , he b e l i e v e d t h a t , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g r e s i s t a n c e , t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s was s u c c e e d i n g i n p r o m o t i n g and e x t e n d i n g s t a n d a r d s o f p o l i t i c a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and r e a l i s m which were e s s e n t i a l f o r t h e a d o p t i o n o f p o s i t i v e measures a g a i n s t v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . I t was t h e r e b y h e l p i n g t o i s o l a t e t h e proponents o f a g g r e s s i o n and e x p a n s i o n i s m i n an e f f o r t t o make I s r a e l a b i d e by t h e r e s o l u t i o n s o f t h e O r g a n i z a t i o n . The P o l i s h d e l e g a t i o n would s u p p o r t a d r a f t r e s o l u t i o n designed t o ensure t h a t t h e Arabs o f t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s vjould enjoy a more d i g n i f i e d l i f e and a c h i e v e e a r l y l i b e r a t i o n from t h e o p p r e s s i v e yoke under which they v;sre s u f f e r i n g . 34. H r . MAVROMMATIS (Cyprus) p o i n t e d out t h a t i t was t h e f i f t e e n t h time t h a t t h e Commission was d i s c u s s i n g v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , which was a sad commentary on t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n g e n e r a l and on t h e development o f t h e human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n p a r t i c u l a r . Since the p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n Lebanon had been p a r t i a l l y o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l and h o r r i b l e massacres had t a k e n p l a c e a t Sabra and S h a t i l a . The Human R i g h t s Committee, o f which he was a member, had r e c e n t l y l o o k e d i n t o t h a t s i t u a t i o n and had expressed t h s deep a n x i e t y t o w h i c h . i t had g i v e n r i s e . The Committee had urged a l l S t a t e s t o make every e f f o r t t o b r i n g t o an end a s i t u a t i o n t h a t was r e s u l t i n g i n g r o s s v i o l a t i o n s o f t h e supreme r i g h t t o l i f e which was e n s h r i n e d i n t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenant on C i v i l and P q l i t i c a l R i g h t s . I t v.'as t o be hoped t h a t t h e Commission vrould t a k e note o f t h e p o s i t i o n . a d o p t e d by t h e Human R i g h t s Committee. 35 · ' Cyprus was f i r m l y committed t o t h e r i g h t o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people t o s e l f d e t e r m i n a t i o n and t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t i n P a l e s t i n e o f an independent P a l e s t i n i a n S t a t e . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , I s r a e l was m a i n t a i n i n g i t s p o l i c y o f o c c u p a t i o n and o p p r e s s i o n , a t t e m p t i n g t o change t h e demographic s t r u c t u r e o f t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , a t t a c k i n g the r e l i g i o u s and c u l t u r a l v a l u e s and i n s t i t u t i o n s o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n , and i l l e g a l l y e x p l o i t i n g n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s . A d e t a i l e d account o f t h a t c o u n t r y ' s a c t i o n s c o u l d be found i n t h e r e p o r t s o f t h e S p e c i a l Committee t o I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g t h e Human R i g h t s o f t h e P o p u l a t i o n o f t h e Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s . I t was a p p a r e n t t h a t v i o l a t i o n s viere b e i n g committed on such a l a r g e s c a l e t h a t they were assuming a g e n o c i d a l c h a r a c t e r . 56. He r e f e r r e d t o t h e s u p p o r t f o r t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people t h a t had r e c e n t l y been e x p r e s s e d by t h e n o n - a l i g n e d c o u n t r i e s d u r i n g t h e E x t r a o r d i n a r y M i n i s t e r i a l Meeting o f t h e i r C o - o r d i n a t i n g Bureau t h a t had been h o s t e d i n N i c o s i a by t h e Government o f Cyprus. F o r i t s p a r t , h i s Government was d o i n g e v e r y t h i n g p o s s i b l e t o a l l e v i a t e t h e p l i g h t o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s which i t u n d e r s t o o d o n l y t o o w e l l s i n c e Cyprus i t s e l f had s u f f e r e d , and v/as c o n t i n u i n g t o s u f f e r , from t h e e f f e c t s o f o c c u p a t i o n and o p p r e s s i o n .

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 9 37. He expressed the hope that the Commission would demand the unconditional withdrawal of a l l I s r a e l i forces from Lebanon as an essential prerequisite for a successful peace i n i t i a t i v e i n the Middle East; the dismantling of I s r a e l i settlements; the abandonment of the policy of d i r e c t or i n d i r e c t annexation; the return of the Arab population expelled from the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s to t h e i r homes and property; and the exercise by the Palestinian people of t h e i r right to s e l f determination and the establishment of t h e i r own State. 38. Mr. SOLA VILA (Cuba) said that, for the past 15 years, "the Commission had been concerned v;ith the acts of the I s r a e l i expansionists, whose crimes had recently assumed dramatic and unprecedented proportions. The bombing of Beirut and the massacres at Sabra and Shatila v/ould go down i n history as i r r e f u t a b l e proof of a monstrous and deliberate policy of genocide. The international community could accept neither the i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d v i o l a t i o n of the human r i g h t s of the Arab population nor the l e g a l i z a t i o n of the annexation of the Golan, which violated the sovereign right of the Syrian people to i t s t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y . The l e g i s l a t i o n t h e o r e t i c a l l y applicable i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s had been replaced by a series of "military ordinances". Other speakers had already described the manner i n which the Zionist occupiers were oppressing the c i v i l i a n population and denying i t s most fundamental r i g h t s . The establishment of I s r a e l i settlements violated both the l e t t e r and the s p i r i t of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, p a r t i c u l a r l y with regard to the humanitarian protection of populations i n the event of i n v a s i o n . The crimes committed against the Palestinian people by the Z i o n i s t s , who were paradoxically emulating the Nazis, would not prevent that people from recovering i t s homeland and i t s rights under the leadership of the PLO, i t s legitimate representative. 39The recent conclusions of the Seminar on v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n the Palestinian and other Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied by Israel confirmed the condemnation that the international community had expressed with regard to Zionist a c t i o n s . He also r e c a l l e d that the Co-ordinating Bureau of the non-aligned countries had reaffirmed the support of those countries for the just struggle of the Arab population for the l i b e r a t i o n of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s and the recovery of i t s inalienable r i g h t s . Following an extraordinary meeting held at Cyprus on the question of Palestine, the Co-ordinating .Jureau had c a l l e d for a meeting of the Security Council with a view to the adoption against Israel of the measures prescribed i n the Charter of the United Nations because of Israel's disregard for United Nations decisions and the threat that i t was posing to international peace and s e c u r i t y . More recently, at the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the Ministers for Foreign A f f a i r s of the non-aligned countries had condemned the I s r a e l i policy of expansion and aggression, which had been made possible by massive aid from the United States of America. They had also demanded an immediate, t o t a l and unconditional withdrav/al of I s r a e l i f o r c e s . He emphasized that Israel's criminal conduct was encouraged and materially supported by the Government of the United States. In conclusion, he reaffirmed the unreserved support of the Government and the people of Cuba for the Palestinian people and t h e i r representative, the PLO. 40. Ms. ANDERSON (Ireland) said that the questions covered by items 4 and 9 arose because of an improper application of the p r i n c i p l e of the s e l f determination of peoples. Whenever that p r i n c i p l e was f l o u t e d , v i o l a t i o n s of human r i g h t s were i n e v i t a b l e . In that respect, her delegation was increasingly concerned by Israel's policy i n the t e r r i t o r i e s occupied

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 10 since 1967 and also In Lebanon. Israel should r e a l i z e the extent to which i t s denial of the fundamental r i g h t s of the Palestinians was damaging i t s long-term i n t e r e s t s . I f i t was r e a l l y seeking peace i n the region, i t must h a l t those v i o l a t i o n s that were causing so much suffering and i n j u s t i c e . In p a r t i c u l a r , I s r a e l should put an end to the occupation that i t had been maintaining since 1967 and should abandon i t s i l l e g a l e f f o r t s to annex or change the status of the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . The present policy of establishing settlements i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s should cease immediately, i f only because the actions of some s e t t l e r s had contributed d i r e c t l y to c o n f l i c t and tension i n those t e r r i t o r i e s . ^Violations of human rights i n those t e r r i t o r i e s included the dismissal of democratically elected mayors and other l o c a l representatives, expulsions, t r a v e l r e s t r i c t i o n s , harassment of students and s t a f f at West Bank educational i n s t i t u t i o n s , the p o l i t i c a l pledges required from l e c t u r e r s , e t c . 4 1 . Although I s r a e l had claimed that i t did not covot one inch of Lebanese t e r r i t o r y , the consolidation of i t s m i l i t a r y presence and i t s f a i l u r e to comply with the Security Council demand f o r i t s unconditional withdrawal gave reason to doubt that claim. The I s r a e l i invasion had caused tremendous destruction and had brought i n i t s wake the massacres at Sabra and S h a t i l a . The time had come f o r a l l the parties to work together with a view to r e c o n c i l i n g two basic r i g h t s : that of a l l i States to exist within secure and recognized boundaries; and that of the Palestinians to self-determination. Her delegation c a l l e d upon the parties to seize the present opportunities f o r peace by commencing negotiations i n which a l l concerned, including the PLO, would participate with a view to a r r i v i n g at a comprehensive settlement. 42. The denial of the r i g h t to self-determination also explained the f a i l u r e to reach a p o l i t i c a l solution f o r the problem of Kampuchea, where the despotic Pol Pot regime, which had cost the country more than 1 m i l l i o n human l i v e s , had been followed by foreign invasion and occupation. There again, a l l the parties should respond to the successive resolutions of the General Assembly and the Commission c a l l i n g for a comprehensive p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n . Foreign troops should be withdrawn. 43- In Afghanistan too, intervention by foreign m i l i t a r y forces contravened the purposes and p r i n c i p l e s of the Charter. It had given r i s e to great suffering and, by creating a refugee problem, had imposed a heavy burden on the countries of asylum. Unfortunately the resolutions of the Comraission and the General Assembly concerning Afghanistan had not been implenented. Ireland would support genuine e f f o r t s to bring foreign intervention to an end on the basis of the p r i n c i p l e s contained i n those r e s o l u t i o n s . Her delegation appreciated the constructive e f f o r t s that the personal representative of the Secretary-General was making to that end. 44- In Namibia, the delay i n achieving an independence settlement was causing concern to the international community. South A f r i c a should show a genuine w i l l to reach a solution that would enable the people of Namibia to exercise t h e i r r i g h t to self-determination, and i t was v i t a l to ensure the early implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibia based on Security Council resolutions 385(1976) and 455 (1978). The I r i s h delegation reaffirmed i t s support for the e f f o r t s of the Secretary-General, the Western Contact Group of F i v e , the f r o n t - l i n e States and SWAPO to secure implementation of the p l a n .

 /(.4/1985/.
page 11

45. Mr. HILALY ( P a k i s t a n ) s a i d t h a t the c e n t r a l i s s u e i n the i n t e r m i n a b l e c o n f l i c t i n the M i d d l e E a s t was o b v i o u s l y the p e r s i s t e n t d e n i a l of the fundamental r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e and, p r i m a r i l y , of t h e i r r i ^ t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The e v e n t s o f the p a s t y e a r had reminded the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community o f the extreme urgency o f t h a t i s s u e . The I s r a e l i a s s a u l t on Lebanon and the d e s t r u c t i o n and a t r o c i t i e s t h a t i t had caused were y e t a n o t h e r d e m o n s t r a t i o n of Z i o n i s t e x p a n s i o n i s m , whose b l a t a n t d i s r e g a r d o f the r u l e s of c i v i l i z e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l conduct was r e v i v i n g the s p i r i t o f f a s c i s m and r e c a l l i n g the h o l o c a u s t t h a t the l a t t e r had caused d u r i n g the Second W o r l d War, I t was i n d e e d a h i s t o r i c a l i r o n y t h a t the v i c t i m s o f t h a t h o l o c a u s t were c u r r e n t l y i n f l i c t i n g the same f a t e on the A r a b s and P a l e s t i n i a n s . 46. A f t e r the h o r r i b l e massacres a t Sabra and S h a t i l a the i n t e r i ^ a t i o n a l - c o m m u n i t y and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , those coxHitries vihich c o u l d e x e r c i s e c o n s i d e r a b l e i n f l u e n c e on I s r a e l s h o u l d i n t e r v e n e w i t h a view t o p t i t t i n g an end t o the c u r r e n t i n t o l e r a b l e s i t u a t i o n i n the M i d d l e E a s t , w h i c h was t h r e a t e n i n g r e g i o n a l and g l o b a l peace and s e c u r i t y . The I s r a e l i i n v a s i o n , líhich was a g r o s s v i o l a t i o n o f the p r i n c i p l e s o f the C h a r t e r , was a l s o c r e a t i n g a p r e c e d e n t whereby the s o v e r e i g n t y o f a s m a l l nona l i g n e d c o u n t r y could- be j e o p a r d i z e d by a more p o w e r f u l neighhpur-. I t was imperative t h a t I s r a e l s h o u l d w i t h d r a w i m c o n d i t i o n a l l y f r o m Lebanon and a l l the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and a b i d e by the Geneva C o n v e n t i o n s r e l a t i n g t o the t r e a t m e n t o f p r i s o n e r s o f war. 47. The p e o p l e of P a k i s t a n had condemned the I s r a e l i a g g r e s s i o n in-Lebanon and were g i v i n g t h e i r f u l l s u p p o r t t o t h e i r A r a b and P a l e s t i n i a n b r e t h r e n . I n h i s message t o the heads o f S t a t e and Government o f the f i v e permanent members o f the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , the P r e s i d e n t o f P a k i s t a n had c a l l e d f o r an end t o the i n e r t i a ' i n d u c e d by the s h e e r a u d a c i t y of the I s r a e l i a s s a u l t on h e l p l e s s Lebanon and .had u r g e d them, to- use t h e i r power and i n f l u e n c e t o b r i n g about an immediate I s r a e l i w i t h d r a w a l . The s u f f e r i n g s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e had always s t i r r e d the emotions o f the p e o p l e o f P a k i s t a n , · who had o b s e r v e d a day o f s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e i n t h e i r h e r o i c . s t r u g g l e aga,inst Z i o n i s t a g g r e s s i o n . The P a k i s t a n i s had c o n t r i b u t e d g e n e r o u s l y t o . the S p e c i a l Fund f o r P a l e s t i n e e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e i r P r e s i d e n t , and the Government o f P a k i s t a n had d i s p a t c h e d r e l i e f s u p p l i e s and m e d i c a l teams t o Lebanon. 48. The U n i t e d N a t i o n s had a p r i m a r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y towards the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e ^ I t s h o u l d r e a c t a g a i n s t the h e g e m o n i s t i c a m b i t i o n s t h a t I s r a e l , v/ith the s u p p o r t o f i t s p r o t e c t o r s , was e n d e a v o u r i n g t o f u l f i l i n the M i d d l e E a s t , I s r a e l was e s t a h l i s h i n g J e w i s h s e t t l e m e n t s on the West Banlc, e x p r o p r i a t i n g Arab l a n d s , p e r s e c u t i n g P a l e s t i n i a n and Arab l e a d e r s , and endeavoxoring t o change the p h y s i c a l . . and demographic c o m p o s i t i o n o f the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s w i t h a view t o o b l i t e r a t i n g the i d e n t i t y o f the P a l e s t i n i a n n a t i o n as r a p i d l y as p o s s i b l e . The a n n e x a t i o n o f the H o l y C i t y o f J e r u s a l e m and the a t t e m p t to. a l t e r i t s j u r i d i c a l s t a t u s had caused i n d i g n a t i o n throughout the I s l a m i c w o r l d . The I s l a m i c Conference had a f f i r m e d t h a t the r e s t o r a t i o n o f J e r u s a l e m t o A r a b s o v e r e i g n t y v/as a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r any l a s t i n g peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t . The a p p l i c a t i o n o f I s r a e l i law to the S y r i a n t e r r i t o r y o f the G o l a n H e i g h t s c o n s t i t u t e d a n o t h e r grave v i o l a t i o n o f the C h a r t e r , the F o u r t h Geneva. C o n v e n t i o n and s e v e r a l r e s o l u t i o n s o f the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . The a t t a c k l a u n c h e d by I s r a e l on I r a q ' s p e a c e f u l n u c l e a r i n s t a l l a t i o n s was y e t a n o t h e r example o f i t s d i s r e g a r d o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l lav/ and w o r l d o p i n i o n , 49» The p r e r e q u i s i t e s f o r a l a s t i n g peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t v/ere w e l l knownj t h e y i n c l u d e d the t o t a l v/ithdrawal o f I s r a e l f r o m a l l the o c c u p i e d Arab and P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s , and the r e s t i t u t i o n o f the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e i r r i g h t t o the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a s o v e r e i g n S t a t e . To t h a t end, the PLO s h o u l d p a r t i c i p a t e i n the peace p r o c e s s on an e q u a l f o o t i n g . P a k i s t a n b e l i e v e d

E/CÏÏ .4/1985/ SR .6 page 12 t h a t t h e p r o p o s a l s endorsed   t h e Arab Summit a t F e z c o n s t i t u t e d a major i n i t i a t i v e towards t h e achievement o f a l a s t i n g peace. He c o n c l u d e d b y e x p r e s s i n g h i s c o n v i c t i o n t h a t no amount o f c o e r c i o n o r m a n i p u l a t i o n c o u l d succeed much l o n g e r i n d e n y i n g t h e l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people. 50. .  ( U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a ) suggested t h a t the time h a d come t o s t o p e x a c e r b a t i n g t h e s i t u a t i o n i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t and t o d i r e c t e v e r y e f f o r t towards peace. A  o f statements on t h a t q u e s t i o n d i d n o t r e f l e c t t h e a c t u a l f a c t s , i n c l u d i n g those made b y some speakers who h a d a t t a c k e d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . 51. H i s c o u n t r y had been c o n s t a n t l y w o r k i n g f o r peace i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t on t h e b a s i s o f S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (196?) and 558 (1975). Since 1 September 1982, the p a r t i e s concerned had been a c q u a i n t e d váth P r e s i d e n t Reagan's p r o p o s a l w h i c h , even i f i t d i d n o t p l e a s e everyone, might f o r t h a t v e r y r e a s o n p r o v i d e a f o u n d a t i o n f o r peace. 52. A l l the members o f t h e Commission r e c o g n i z e d t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n under c o n s i d e r a t i o n was f u n d a m e n t a l l y a p o l i t i c a l i s s u e c o n c e r n i n g a s t a t e o f vrar w h i c h had e x i s t e d betv/een I s r a e l and most o f t h e n e i g h b o x i r i n g S t a t e s s i n c e I4 May 1948. The o b j e c t i v e o f the U n i t e d S t a t e s was t o b r i n g a n end t o t h a t s t a t e o f war. H i s countary had n o t c o n f i n e d i t s e l f t o words b u t had p l a y e d a n a c t i v e r o l e i n h e l p i n g E g y p t and I s r a e l t o n e g o t i a t e a peace t r e a t y t h a t h a d e n a b l e d E g y p t t o r e c o v e r t h e S i n a i P e n i n s u l a . The U n i t e d S t a t e s v a s c i i r r e n t l y e n d e a v o u r i n g t o e s t a b l i s h peace between I s r a e l and i t s o t h e r n e i g h b o u r s . 55. I f t h e statements t h a t had so f a r been d e l i v e r e d foreshadowed t h e r e s o l u t i o n s t o be adopted, those r e s o l u t i o n s v/ere n o t l i k e l y t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e cause o f peace. He quoted t h e words o f P r e s i d e n t Reagan who, a f t e r d e p l o r i n g t h e t r a g i c h i s t o r y o f the M i d d l e E a s t , h a d d e c l a r e d t h a t ; " I t i s time f o r u s a l l - i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t and around t h e w o r l d - t o c a l l a h a l t t o c o n f l i c t , h a t r e d and p r e j u d i c e ; i t i s time f o r u s a l l t o l a u n c h a common e f f o r t f o r r e c o n s t r u c t i o n , peace and p r o g r e s s . " H i s d e l e g a t i o n urged a l l c o u n t r i e s i n t e r e s t e d i n a c h i e v i n g t h a t o b j e c t i v e t o j o i n i n the endeavours b e i n g e x e r t e d b y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a . 54. Mr. SKALLI (Observer f o r Morocco) s a i d t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e had ' d e t e r i o r a t e d d u r i n g t h e p a s t y e a r a s a r e s \ i l t o f a c t s o f o p p r e s s i o n d e s i g n e d t o q u e l l t h e r e s i s t a n c e o f the Arab p o p u l a t i o n a g a i n s t t h e Z i o n i s t o c c u p i e r . T h a t p o l i c y o f r e p r e s s i o n went hand i n hand w i t h a p o l i c y o f J u d a i z a t i o n o f t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s w h i c h was d e s i g n e d t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e i r v i l t i m a t e a n n e x a t i o n w i t h a view t o t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a " G r e a t e r I s r a e l " . The P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e  b e i n g p e r s e c u t e d b o t h i n and o u t s i d e t h e i r homeland. Those P a l e s t i n i a n s l i v i n g i n Lebanon had been t h e t a r g e t o f t h e I s r a e l i war machine. The a t t a c k l a u n c h e d on 6 June 1982 a ^ i n s t Lebanon and the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e had assumed t h e p r o p o r t i o n s o f a m a j o r u n d e r t a k i n g aimed a t e x t e r m i n a t i n g t h e c i v i l i a n P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n , D u r i n g t h e t h r e e months o f v;arfare, c i v i l i a n s had been t h e prime t a r g e t o f t h e I s r a e l i army. A l l t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l r u l e s c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f c i v i l i a n s had been c y n i c a l l y v i o l a t e d . I t was through t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l p r e s s , v;hich had been s t r o n g l y c r i t i c i z e d b y t h e I s r a e l i Government, t h a t t h e w o r l d had come t o know t h a t the I s r a e l i army was u s i n g weapons, s u c h as f r a g m e n t a t i o n and phosphorus bombs, w h i c h were p r o h i b i t e d b y i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w .

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 13

55. ífc si.ouxd be added that, as had been admitted by the I s r a e l i Minister of Defence himself, the invasion of Lebanon had been planned long i n advance and, contrary to the j u s t i f i c a t i o n s subsequently put forward, vias i n no way a war of legitimate s e l f defence. I t was well and truly a v/ar of aggression which violated a fundamental principle,, namely the p r o h i b i t i o n of the use of force i n international r e l a t i o n s . 56. The ruthless hounding of c i v i l i a n s had taken a tragic turn V7ith the massacres of Palestinians i n the camps of Sabra and S h a t i l a . Crimes against peace, viar crimes and crimes against humanity were punishable under international law and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , the Charter of the Nürnberg International M i l i t a r y Tribunal, the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1907 Hague Convention, In that respect, therefore, there was reason to approve the recommendations of the Seminar on v i o l a t i o n s of human rights i n the Palestinian and other Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied by I s r a e l . After much h e s i t a t i o n , under pressure from the I s r a e l i people and a world public opinion shocked by the massacres, the I s r a e l i Government had been compelled to appoint a Commission of Inquiry which, i n a very short time, had i m p l i c i t l y implicated the p r i n c i p a l I s r a e l i leaders. 57. .During the invasion of Lebanon, at least 10,000 persons had been arrested. They were t o t a l l y unprotected and i t seemed that t h e i r l i v i n g conditions were extremely precarious. The Commission should show concern f o r t h e i r fate and demand that the 1949 Geneva Conventions should be applied to them by the I s r a e l i Government.. 58. The problem of the Near East i n general, and the Palestinian question i n p a r t i c u l a r , had been the f o c a l point of the discussions at the second part of the Tv/elfth Arab Summit held i n September 1982 at Fez, Morocco, under the chairmanship of King Hassan I I . On that occasion, the Arab heads of State had drawn up an eight-point peace plan the principles of which had been favourably received by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community since they were based on precepts of i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , on resolutions of the United Nations c a l l i n g f o r ( i ) I s r a e l i withdrawal from a l l Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied in 1967, including the Arab c i t y of Al Quds (Jerusalem); ( i i ) the dismantling of the settlements established by Israel i n the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s since 197; ( i i i ) a guarantee of freedom of worship and b e l i e f f o r a l l r e l i g i o n s i n the holy places; (iv) reaffirmation of the r i g h t of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the exercise of t h e i r . indefeasible and inalienable national rights under the leadership of the PLO, t h e i r sole legitimate representative, and compensation f o r a l l those not wishing to return to Palestine; (v) the placing of the West Bank and Gaza Strip under the control of the United Nations for a t r a n s i t i o n a l period not exceeding a few months; (vi) the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Ai Quds as i t s c a p i t a l ; ( v i i ) a Security Council guarantee of peace between a l l the States i n the region, including the independent Palestinian State; and ( v i i i ) a Security Council guarantee that those p r i n c i p l e s would be respected. 59. The Arab peace plan offered an i d e a l framework f o r the settlement of the Middle Eas problem. However, i t s implementation would require time, since a c o n f l i c t that had lasted almost 40 years could not be settled overnight. As a f i r s t step, the heads of State had decided to explain the plan. To that'end, the Summit had established a committee composed of s i x Arab States and the PLO. The previous October, i n his capacity a,s current Chairman of the Tv;elfth Arab Summit and Chairman of the Committee of Seven, King Hassan II had made an important statement on that question to the General Assembly o f the United Nations. For t h e i r part, the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s f e l t that

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 14

they were involved i n a real race f o r the establishment of peace i n the Middle East and, apparently, had no desire to see peace f i n a l l y p r e v a i l i n that region. They were therefore engaging i n an increasing number of acts of defiance, manoeuvres and f a i t s accomplis with a view to Jeopardizing the peace plan, which had won v i r t u a l l y unanimous support among the international community. Accordingly, the Commission should take appropriate action to ensure respect f o r human rights i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , primarily by demanding that I s r a e l should comply with the 1949 Góneva Conventions. The Commission should also do i t s utmost to enable the Palestinian people to enjoy t h e i r fundamental rights and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e i r r i g h t to self-determination. 60. Mr. OGURTSOV (Observer f o r the Byelorussian Soviet S o c i a l i s t Republic) said that the report of the Special Committeo ( /37/485) bore witn-ass to violations of human rights and increased repression and terror by the I s r a e l i occupier, who was pursuing a policy of annexation i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . I t was not to be expected that the Palestinians would enjoy t h e i r human r i g h t s u n t i l they were able to exercise t h e i r r i g h t to self-determination. The documents under consideration noted that I s r a e l was obstructing the economic development of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s and committing v i o l a t i o n s .of the s o c i a l order. Moreover, by modifying the l o c a l l e g i s l a t i o n , the m i l i t a r y .ordinances, (of which almost-.a thousand had .so f a r been issued) were preparing the way/ for annexation of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . The intention was to i n s t a l l up to 1.5 m i l l i o n s e t t l e r s , since, according to the I s r a e l i Minister of Defence, mass colonization was the best response to the attempts that he believed were being made to. irapoae plans on I s r a e l . 6 1 ; The whole world had been shaken by the I s r a e l i aggression i n Lebanon. That bloody war, together with the policy that h.ad been pursued i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s since 1967, l e f t no. doubt that the ultimate aim was to prevent the establishment of an independent State, to annex the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s and to eliminate the PLO. Those events were reminiscent of the occupation of Byelorussia by the Nazis, who had wiped out whole communities i n order to eliminate a l l witnesses. History had shown, however, that, some witnesses always remained and that the criminals could not evade responsibirity for their actions. 62. He pointed out that the weapons of war used by the I s r a e l i s were manufactured i n the United States and that I s r a e l i t a c t i c s i n Lebanon recalled the scorched-oarth policy applied by the United States i n Viet Nam. The documentation merely confirmed that the United States was the accomplice of I s r a e l , which was defending v i t a l United States interests i n the region. The I s r a e l i m i l i t a r y objectives t a l l i e d with the i n t e r e s t s of the United States, which, f o r i t s part, had vetoed the adoption of a Security Council resolution which would have imposed sanctions on I s r a e l . The United States had thereby prevented the Security Council from e f f e c t i v e l y discharging i t s functions. 63. His delegation condemned the invasion of Lebanon and ths acts of oppression that' had been committed i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s i n disregard not only of United Nations resolutions but also of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The time had come to consider applying sanctions against Israel i n conformity with Chapter VII of the Charter, and to take action to counter Israel's expansionist designs. His delegation firmly supported the Arab people i n i t s struggle to reach a comprehensive p o l i t i c a l solution that would ensure the withdravial of the aggressor from a l l the t e r r i t o r i e s occupied since I 9 6 7 , together with the establishment of an independent State, the PLO being recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

E/CÏÏ .4/1983 /SR .6 page 15 64. Mr. TRUTH  A m ( o b s e r v e r f o r V i e t Nam) s a i d t h a t t h e i n v a s i o n o f Lebanon was t h e most r e c e n t o f t h e s e r i o u s v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s committed by I s r a e l a g a i n s t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n and Arab p e o p l e s w i t h a v i e w t o e l i m i n a t i n g t h e PLO and t h e P a l e s t i n i a n ' people as a h i s t o r i c and e t h n i c e n t i t y . To t h a t end i h e ^ I s r a e l i army had u s e d thé'most modern A m e r i c a n weapons, some o f w h i c h were p r o h i b i t e d ' u n d e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l law. Moreover, d u r i n g t h e b l o c k a d e o f B e i r u t , I s r a e l i t r o o p s had u n l e a s h e d a r e i g n o f t e r r o r , c u t t i n g o f f s u p p l i e s o f f o o d , w a t e r and m e d i c i n e t o t h e p o p u l a t i o n i n a d e l i b e r a t e attempt t o deny t h e i r r i g h t t o l i f e . Those a c t s o f tei*ro'rism h a d c u l m i n a t e d i n t h e massacres a t S a b r a and S h a t i l a f o r w h i c h not o n l y I s r a e l but -also t h e s e c r e t s e r v i c e s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s must be h e l d r e s p o n s i b l e . As h a d ' b e e h ' p o i n t e d out a t t h e Seminar h e l d a t Geneva i n November 1982, t h o s e a c t s c o n s t i t u t e d war c r i m e s , crimes o f genocide and crimes a g a i n s t humanity and s h o u l d be p u n i s h e d as such. 65» I n d e f i a n c e o f t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community and t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , I s r a e l \ías c o n t i n u i n g t o occupy v a s t A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s i n w h i c h i t was d e n y i n g t h e fuqidamental r i g h t s o f thé p o p u l a t i o n , e x p a n d i n g i t s p o l i c y o f a n n e x a t i o n , and i n c r e a s i n g t h e number o f i t s s e t t l e m e n t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l law. The r e p o r t o f t h e S p e c i a l Committee (A /37/485) had r i g h t l y c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people c o u l d not e n j o y t h e i r r i g h t s as l o n g as t h e y were d e n i e d t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 66. The a c t s o f a g g r e s s i o n , r a c i a l r e p r e s s i o n and e x p a n s i o n i s m on w h i c h t h e S t a t e o f I s r a e l had been founded had r e s u l t e d i n s e v e r a l wars' "and c o n s t a n t d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n o f t h e r e g i o n , t h e r e b y s e r i o u s l y t h r e a t e n i n g peace and s e c u r i t y i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t and t h r o u ^ o u t t h e w o r l d . However, I s r a e l would not have been a b l e t p p e r s i s t i n i t s a t t i t u d e w i t h o u t economic and m i l i t a r y a i d from t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . I n o r d e r t o p r o t e c t t h e Z i o n i s t regime, t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s had not h e s i t a t e d t o r e p e a t e d l y abuse i t s r i g h t o f v e t o i n t h e S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . T h e r e were n'umerous examples o f s t r a t e g i c c o - o p e r a t i o n between Washington and T e l A v i v , and t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s was p r o f i t i n g from t h e s i t u a t i o n i n Lebanon i n o r d e r t o impose i t s s o l u t i o n t o . t h e c o n f l i c t and t o s t r e n g t h e n i t s m i l i t a r y p r e s e n c e w i t h a v i e w t o e n s u r i n g i t s d o m i n a t i o n i n t h e r e g i o n . That v/as t h e r e a s o n why t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , whose, P r e s i d e n t had declâxed t h a t he p e r c e i v e d i n t h e Lebese t r a g e d y a new favoura'ble o p p o r t i u i i t y , v/as r e j e c t i n g t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f an independent and s o v e r e i g n P a l e s t i n i a n S t a t e , r e f u s i n g ' t o n e g o t i a t e w i t h t h e PLO and e n c o u r a g i n g I s r a e l t o o b s t r u c t a j u s t s o l u t i o n t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e . The U n i t e d S t a t e s must t h e r e f o r e b e a r f u l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e a c t s o f a g g r e s s i o n and o t h e r crimes committed b y I s r a e l , f o r t h e d e t e r i o r a t i n g s i t u a t i o n i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t , and f o r t h e impotence o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n t h e f a c e o f t h e P a l e s t i r d a n problem. 67. I n o r d e r t o r e a c h a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n t o t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e M i d d l e E a s t , i t was e s s e n t i a l t h a t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s s h o u l d abandon i t s p o l i c y o f i n t e r v e n t i o n i n t h e r e g i o n , d i s c o n t i n u e i t s support f o r I s r a e l , aj:id s t o p m i s u s i n g i t s r i g h t o f v e t o . I t was h i g h t i m e f o r t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o t a k e t h e a c t i o n needed t o ensure t h a t I s r a e l implemented a l l o f t h e p e r t i n e n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s and m t h d r e w i m m e d i a t e l y and u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y f r o m Lebanon, t h e G o l a n H e i g h t s and t h e o t h e r Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 197> i n c l u d i n g J e r u s a l e m . A j u s t and e q u i t a b l e , s o l u t i o n t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e s h o u l d bé based on r e s p e c t f o r t h e i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , t h e i r r i g h t t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r homeland and r e c o v e r p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e i r l a n d and p r o p e r t y , t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e j n n i n a t i o n and t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f an independent and s o v e r e i g n P a l e s t i n i a n S t a t e , and t h e r i g h t o f t h e PLO t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n any s e t t l e m e n t on t h e s a m e , f o o t i n g as t h e o t h e r p a r t i e s .

E/CN.4/1983/SR. page 16 68. The people and the Government of Viet Nam had consistently- supported the just cause of the Palestinian people under the leadership of t h e i r sole legitimate representative, the PLO. On the occasion of the International Day o f S o l i d a r i t y with the Palestinian People, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the S o c i a l i s t Republic of Viet Nam had stressed the need for international s o l i d a r i t y with Palestine. 69. Mr. MEBAZAA (Observer for Tunisia) said that the Commission was both a symbol and a manifestation of the conscience of the international community and, as such, should ensure r e a l respect for human rights everywhere and under a l l circumstances. However, a few months previously, the international community had looked on helplessly while I s r a e l had launched yet another V7ar. That country, which was a past master i n aggression and expansionism, had engaged i n a campaign of destruction and extermination directed against a large section o f the Palestinian population l i v i n g i n e x i l e far from Israel's borders. That act of aggression had taken on a dimension out of a l l proportion to the f a l l a c i o u s pretexts that had been put forward and, i n e f f e c t , amounted to a coldly premeditated act of genocide carried out against the Palestinian people i n Lebanon. By s t a r t i n g that new war against an Arab country for the primary purpose of a n n i h i l a t i n g the Pa.isstihian people, I s r a e l was accelerating a process whose unforeseeable consequences were jeopardizing international peace and s e c u r i t y . 70. Evidence of the e s s e n t i a l l y aggressive, c o l o n i a l i s t and expansionist nature of I s r a e l i policy had been accumulating for more than 30 years, I s r a e l had consistently and systematically violated the rules of international law and flouted the decisions of international bodies. Only recently, a report by an international commission consisting of distinguished j u r i s t s , a l l o f whom were nationals of Western European countries, had c l e a r l y implicated I s r a e l , The most serious v i o l a t i o n committed by I s r a e l was i t s denial of the r i g h t of the Palestinian people to self-determination, despite the fact that the right concerned was regarded as a peremptory norm of contemporary international law. The successive wars waged by I s r a e l , the occupation of Palestinian and other Arab t e r r i t o r i f c 3 , the policy oí' settlement i n those t e r r i t o r i e s and the acts of i n j u s t i c e and rapression carried out against the Arab population resulted from Israel's obstinate refusal t o recogni/.e a Palestinian entity and a Palestinian people with a right to determine t h e i r own future and lead a free and Independent l i f e . 71. The ultimate objective of the criminal operation carried out by I s r a e l i n the summer of I 9 8 2 was the physical annihilation of the Pales i ^inians and the destruction of the PLO. The aggressors had cherished the hope that they would thereby invalidate the very right  self-determination. Tho Seminar mentioned by previous speakers had concluded that I s r a e l had committed acts tantamount to genocide as defined i n a r t i c l e IX of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and that the States Parties to the Convention could resort to the compulsory j u r i s d i c t i o n of the Court without I s r a e l ' s prior consent. 72. The Tunisian delegation hoped that the Commission would endorse the recommendations of that Seminar. As long as the Palestinian people lacked the freedom to choose the form of State that they desired and u n t i l such time as I s r a e l i troops withdrew from the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , Palestinian rights would continue to be v i o l a t e d . 73. The report of the Special Corrmlttee to Investigate I s r a e l i Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s (A/37/485) was even more damning than previo'is reports i n  indictment of the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s .

E/CN.4/1985/SR.6 page 17 The v i o l a t i o n s of fundamental rights of which I s r a e l was g u i l t y ranged from the v i o l a t i o n of the r i g h t to l i f e to the v i o l a t i o n of j u d i c i a l guarantees, security of person and l e g a l p e r s o n a l i t y , freedom of movement and residence, p o l i t i c a l r i g h t s , e t c . In one sense, however, the most ominous event was undeniably the c o n f i s c a t i o n of Palestinian land for the benefit of I s r a e l i s e t t l e r s . Almost half of the land belonging to the Palestinians had apparently been confiscated. I s r a e l was applying an overtly expansionist policy designed to bring about fundamental changes i n the nature and the p o l i t i c a l , c u l t u r a l , demographic and r e l i g i o u s status of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s , and the increase i n the number of settlements was an expedient foreshadowing the outright annexation of those t e r r i t o r i e s . The I s r a e l i Minister for Foreign A f f a i r s had declared, moreover, that I s r a e l had not signed the Camp David agreements with the intention of g i v i n g up the West Bank and the Gaza S t r i p . 74. There countries, had surely put an end be reduced the entire was every indication that the escalation was continuing. The neighbouring part of whose t e r r i t o r y was occupied, were being threatened. The time come for the international coramunity to take appropriate measures to to that vicious s p i r a l . I t was to be feared that the Commission might to a forum f o r pointless exchanges of rhetoric and, above a l l , that United Nations system might thereby be brought into disrepute.

75- The question to-be answered was whether the countries which bore special r s e p o n s i b i l i t y for the establishment of I s r a e l , the Middle East c o n f l i c t i n general, and the Palestinian tragedy i n p a r t i c u l a r , were prepared to shoulder t h e i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . To prevent the highest organs of the United Nations from h a l t i n g the aggression or imposing sanctions capable of bringing I s r a e l to i t s senses was tantamount to rewarding aggression. Nevertheless, the Tunisian delegation remained optimistic and hoped t h a t , when the Commission came to consider the draft resolutions on the question of Palestine, i t would speak out for inalienable r i g h t s , notwithstanding the adversaries of j u s t i c e and peace. 76. Mr. AL JUBORI (Observer, League of Arab States) said that the reports issued by various international bodies gave a clear idea of I s r a e l i practices directed against the Arab population. The Z i o n i s t occupation had resulted i n acts of violence, the demolition of property, persecution, the desecration of holy places and especially of Christian churches, destruction of the archaeological heritage, the usurpation of land and the establishment of settlements. A l l such acts constituted crimes against humanity and v i o l a t i o n s of international conventions and resolutions concerning the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , 77. Between 1967 and the end of August 1982 the occupying authorities had established 143 settlements on the West Bank and, between February 1982 and the end of December 1982, they had seized 43-5 per cent of the t o t a l area of land on the West Bank. In addition to the settlements already established, "nuclei" had also been created i n preparation for the introduction of further settlements. Sixteen such n u c l e i had been created on the West Bank and the Golan Heights. I s r a e l was j u s t i f y i n g the establishment of settlements by the need to strengthen i t s internal and external s e c u r i t y , and land was being expropriated under a l l manner of pretexts. After the seizure of land, the I s r a e l i authorities had taken the l o g i c a l next step of displacing the inhabitants i n order to clear the t e r r i t o r y of i t s indigenous population, and Palestinians l i v i n g elsewhere were not allowed to return home.

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7 8 . The I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had t a k e n l e g i s l a t i v e measures t o d e p r i v e t h e i n d i g e n o u s population,,of t h e r i g h t of a c c e s s t o p r e c i o u s w a t e r r e s o u r c e s by f o r b i d d i n g t h e b o r i n g o f new w e l l s by .Arabs. Chemical substances .had been sprayed t o d e s t r o y t h e v e g e t a t i o n , t r e e s , had been .uprooted and e x o r b i t a n t land' t a x e s had been imposed on t h e r u r a l p o p u l a t i o n which, b e i n g unable t o pay,, had been, f o r c e d to. l e a v e i t s l a n d . The p r o j e c t e d c a n a l l i n k i n g t h e Mediterranean, t o t h e Dead, Sea was intended, t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e o c c u p a t i o n o f 70 p e r cent o f t h e Arab l a n d s e x t e n d i n g a s f a r .as t h e Dead.Sea, and would have t h e r e s u l t o f changing, the t r a d i t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e t e r r i t o r y . The i n t e r n a t i o n a l community s h o u l d r e j e c t t h a t p r o j e c t , which was i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and t h e r i g h t s of t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s . 79. for and the, I n t h e e d u c a t i o n a l sphere, t h e I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had a t t a c k e d t h e . I n s t i t u t e P a l e s t i n e S t u d i e s at B e i r u t which had e s t a b l i s h e d a l i b r a r y o f 25,000 works r e n d e r e d c o n s i d e r a b l e s e r v i c e s t o r e s e a r c h e r s . P a r c e l bombs had been sent t o I n s t i t u t e w i t h a v i e w t o d e s t r o y i n g i t s s t o c k of; documents.

80. The I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n o f t h e Arab t e r r i t o r i e s was r e m i n i s c e n t o f t h e N a z i , p e r i o d . A l t h o u g h .the A r a b s had not s u f f e r e d f r o m nazism, t h e y .were- s u f f e r i n g i t s e f f e c t s i n . t h e f o r m o f z i o n i s m , whose a d h e r e n t s f o u n d i n s p i r a t i o n i n nazism f o r t h e commission o f the same c r i m e s . I s r a e l a t t a c h e d no importance t o the recommendations and r e s o l u t i o n s t h a t were r e i t e r a t e d e v e r y y e a r by t h e G e n e r a l Assembly, s i n c e i t v/as s u p p o r t e d by a Superpov/er t h a t was p r o f i t i n g f r o m t h a t a g g r e s s i o n . 8 1 . He c o n c l u d e d by a f f i r m i n g t h e League's support f o r t h e p e o p l e s o f N a m i b i a and South A f r i c a , ..who were s t i T u g g l i n g t o l i b e r a t e themselves f r o m t h e o p p r e s s i v e d o m i n a t i o n - o f a regime t h a t -ira-s r e c e i v i n g a s s i s t a n c e f r o m t h e Z i o n i s t s . 82.. Mr.. HALEVI' ( o b s e r v e r , . P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n ) said, that., s e v e r a l decades a f t e r s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had been - u n i v e r s a l l y r e c o g n i z e d , as a fundamental  r i g h t embodied i n a s e r i e s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s , i t was s t i l l bering · d e n i e d i n p r a c t i c e , and by some even i n t h e o r y , t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e . That d e n i a l had been e x p r e s s e d ' i n a c t s of v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t t h e people o f P a l e s t i n e who, f o r m.ore t h a n 55 y e a r s , had been t o r n between e x i l e and o c c u p a t i o n . T h e ' f o r c i b l e d i s p l a c e m e n t , i n 1948, o f n e a r l y 1 m i l l i o n P a l e s t i n i a n s who had had t o l e a v e . t h e i r l a n d s , · v i l l a g e s and houses had. been f o l l o w e d , i n 1967., b y t h e o c c u p a t i o n of a l l t h e r e m a i n i n g t - e r r i t o r y of former mandatory P a l e s t i n e and, more r e c e n t l y , , by t h e i n v a s i o n and o c c u p a t i o n of Lebanon. 85. Z i o n i s t c o l o n i z a t i o n and e x p a n s i o n had brought r u i n and d e v a s t a t i o n not o n l y t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s but a l s o t o a l l t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e r e g i o n . The onslaught on Lebanon at t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e p r e v i o u s  vras m e r e l y t h e l a t e s t development i n t h e b a n e f u l p r o c e s s r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e mass d e s t r u c t i o n of c i t i e s and camps, imprisonment, t o r t u r e and d i s a p p e a r a n c e s , summary e x e c u t i o n s , a s s a s s i n a t i o n s , t h e massive displacement o f p o p u l a t i o n s , t h e bombing o f d e n s e l y i n l i a b i t e d q u a r t e r s o f West B e i r u t f o r more t h a n two months and, f i n a l l y , t h e w h o l e s a l e massacre' o f · women, o l d people and c h i l d r e n i n the camps o f Sabra and S h a t i l a . 84. By t h e i r v e r y i n t e n t i o n o f e s t a b l i s h i n g a w h o l l y J e w i s h S t a t e i n Arab P a l e s t i n e , t h e Zionièt s were5 i n p r a c t i c e , o b l i g e d t o deny t h e r i g h t s o f t h e i n d i g e n o u s p o p u l a t i o n . · As a s e t t l e r S t a t e based on e t h n i c and c o n f e s s i o n a l e x c l u s i v i t y , i t was

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 19

i n e v i t a b l e t h a t t h e Z i o n i s t S t a t e would deny t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people and, u l t i m a t e l y , p u r e l y and s i m p l y deny t h e human p e r s o n a l i t y o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s . V/hen t h e y a g r e e d t o  d i s p o s s e s s e d o f t h e i r l a n d s t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s were l a b e l l e d "Arabs Of t h e l a n d o f I s r a e l " , but vihenever t h e y t r i e i d t o r e s i s t t h e y were d e s i g n a t e d a s " t e r r o r i s t s " . I n a-statement d e l i v e r e d t o t h e I s r a e l i P a r l i a m e n t I s r a e l ' s Prime M i n i s t e r , t h e t e r r o r i s t Menachem B e g i n , h a d even gone t o t h e e x t e n t o f d e s c r i b i n g t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s as "tv/o-legged a n i m a l s " . 85. I t was not s u r - p r i s i n g t h a t massacres o c c u r r e d v/hen I s r a e l ' s Z i o n i s t l e a d e r s v/ere waging such a. s y s t e m a t i c campaign t o dehumanize t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s . Since D e i r Y a s s i n , where 254 men, women and c h i l d r e n had been murdered i n c o l d b l o o d by B e g i n ' s men, t h e e n t i r e p e r i o d f r o m 1948 u n t i l S a b r a and S h a t i l a had been marked b y b l o o d y " r e p r i s a l s " . The e x t e n s i o n o f t h e Z i o n i s t system o f a p a r t h e i d had been p r e p a r e d by l a r g e - s c a l e massacres o f innocent c i v i l i a n s v/ith a view t o d e m o r a l i z i n g t h e s i r r y i v o r s and a g g r a v a t i n g t h e d i s p e r s i o n and d i s l o c a t i o n o f P a l e s t ' i n i a j i s o c i e t y . 86. F a c e d w i t h t h a t ' p r o s p e c t o f a n n i h i l a t i o n , t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people had s t r u g g l e d v/ith t h e inadequate means a t t h e i r d i s p o s a l t o r e c o v e r t h e i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s t o v/hich t h e y were e n t i t l e d under t h e C h a r t e r o f t h e u n i t e d N a t i o n s , namely t h e r i g h t t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r homeland, t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , t h e r i g h t t o e n j o y c i v i l and p o l i t i c a l freedoms everyv/here i n t h e i r homeland, and t h e r i g h t t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r s o v e r e i g n and independent S t a t e on P a l e s t i n i i i n s o i l . The enjoyment o f t h o s e r i g h t s , w h i c h was a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e achievement o f a j u s t and l a s t i n g peace i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t , was b e i n g p r e v e n t e d o n l y by I s r a e l i v i o l e n c e and t h e a c q u i e s c e n c e o f some W e s t e i n c o u n t r i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a . He wondered hov/ l o n g t h e i n t e i n a t i o n a l 'community v/ould r e m a i n h e l p l e s s i n t h e f a c e o f I s r a e l ' s c r i m i n a l v i o l a t i o n s o f t h o s e f u n d a m e n t a l p r i n c i p l e s o f lav/ and j u s t i c e . The grave c r i s i s r e s u l t i n g from t h a t s i t u a t i o n was l i k e l y t o j e o p a r d i z e t h e v e r y c r e d i b i l i t y of t h e O r g a n i z a t i o n . 87. The Z i o n i s t d e n i a l o f t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e o f a P a l e s t i n i a n people had l e d t h e I s r a e l i l e a d e r s t o d e c l a r e t h a t t h e y v/ould never r e c o g n i z e t h e PLO. F o r t h e same r e a s o n t h e y v/ere r e f u s i n g t o a b i d e by t h e Geneva Conventions and t o g r a n t P a l e s t i n i a n f r e e d o m - f i g h t e r s t h e 'status o f p r i s o n e r s o f v/ar. G o l d a M e i r had e x p r e s s e d a b a s i c t e n e t o f Z i o n i s t p h i l o s o p h y v/hen she had s a i d " t h e r e i s no such t h i n g as a P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e " . The d e n i a l , o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was t h e common denominator between B e g i n ' s "autonomy" and P e r e s ' " J o r d a n i a n o p t i o n " . That d e n i a l formed t h e b a s i s o f t h e infamous Camp D a v i d a c c o r d s , v/hich had s e r v e d o n l y t o l e a v e I s r a e l f r e e t o p e r p e t r a t e i t s b a r b a r i c a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n and Lebanese p e o p l e s . F u r t h e r m o r e , i t formed t h e b a s i s o f t h e "Reagan P l a n " t h a t t h e Americans hoped would t h e r e b y be a c c e p t a b l e t o t h e Z i o n i s t l e a d e r s . 88. The P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n , víhich i n c l u d e d v f i t h i n i t s f o l d a l l t h e p o l i t i c a l t e n d e n c i e s and s o c i a l f o r c e s o f t h e . P a l e s t i n i a n people w h e t h e r i n e x i l e o r under o c c u p a t i o n , would c o n t i n u e t o s t i ^ g g l e f o r t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f an independent and s o v e r e i g n S t a t e i n P a l e s t i n e and v/ould n e v e r accept any " s o l u t i o n " t h a t f a i l e d t o r e c o g n i z e t h a t r i g h t . A t t h e same t i m e , hov/ever, t h e PLO would go on s t r i v i n g f o r a j u s t and comprehensive s e t t l e m e n t b a s e d on a l l o f t h e p e r t i n e n t . U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s , f r o m G e n e r a l ' A s s e m b l y r e s o l u t i o n 181 ( l l ) o f 1947 onwards, which c l e a r l y r e c o g n i z e d t h e r i g h t o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o r i and t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r homes, a f f i r m e d t h e i r r i g h t t o e s t a b l i s h an independent S t a t e i n P a l e s t i n e and r e c o g n i z e d t h e PLO as t h e i r s o l e l e g i t i m a t e représentative. I t v/as w i t h t h a t end i n v i e w t h a t t h e most r e c e n t A r a b Summit, h e l d a t F e z i n Morocco, had adopted i t s r e s o l u t i o n s , which t h e PLO f u l l y s u p p o r t e d .

E/CN. 4/1983 /SR. 6 page 20 89. I n c o n c l u s i o n , Jae reminded the Commission t h a t i t s h o u l d use e v e r y means a t i t s d i s p o s a l t o i n q u i r e i n t o I s r a e l i v i o l a t i o n s o f P a l e s t i n i a n human r i g h t s and t o a l l e v i a t e the s u f f e r i n g o f the v i c t i m s of such v i o l a t i o n s . The Commission s h o u l d a l s o he aware t h a t the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i ^ t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s would cease o n l y when the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e were a l l o w e d t o e n j o y t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f determination. U n t i l t h a t r i ^ t was r e c o g n i z e d , the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e and t h e i r s o l e l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , the PLO, w o u l d c o n t i n u e t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r r i ^ t t o s t r u g g l e and r e s i s t . 90. Mr. FRAHBACH ( O b s e r v e r f o r the German D e m o c r a t i c R e p u b l i c ) s a i d t h a t the s h o c k i n g events t h a t had r e c e n t l y o c c u r r e d . i n Lebanon had once a g a i n prompted the Commission on Human R i ^ t s t o c o n s i d e r t h e ' p r a c t i c e s p u r s u e d by I s r a e l i n the o c c u p i e d Ara.b and P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s . Bj- a t t a c k i n g Lebanon and a t t e m p t i n g t o p h y s i c a l l y a n n i h i l a t e the P a l e s t i n i a n s , I s r a e l had d a n g e r o u s l y e s c a l a t e d i t s p o l i c y . World-wide i n d i g n a t i o n had oeen e x p r e s s e d a t the murder of thousands o f P a l e s t i n i a n s and Lebanese, p a r t i c u l a r l y the massacres a t S a b r a and S h a t i l a , the s y s t e m a t i c dest3?uction o f P a l e s t i n i a n r e f u g e e camps, and the c o n t i n u e d o c c u p a t i o n o f l a r g e a r e a s o f Lebanese t e r r i t o r y , 91. Those e v e n t s had once a g a i n f u r n i s h e d p r o o f t h a t I s r a e l was r e c e i v i n g f r o m o v e r s e a s h i g h l y s o p h i s t i c a t e d weapons and eqtiipment t h a t e n a b l e d i t t o c a r r y out i t s campaign o f e x t e r m i n a t i o n . No one c o u l d be unaware o f the c o m p l i c i l y o f I s r a e l ' s s t r a t e g i c a l l i e s . A t the same t i m e , the a g g r a v a t i o n of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n was e n c o t i r a g i n g I s r a e l t o commit i n c r e a s i n g l y b r u t a l a c t s o f a g g r e s s i o n as p a r t of the e x p a n s i o n i s t d r i v e f o r a G r e a t e r I s r a e l i n w h i c h the r u l i n g c i r c l e s i n T e l A v i v were engaged. To t h a t end, I s r a e l was a t t e m p t i n g t o s o l v e the q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e by p h y s i c a l l y e x t e r m i n a t i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n s and t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , tiie PLO. A l t h o u ^ h i s t o r y had shown t h a t such a t t e m p t s vrere doomed t o f a i l u r e , t h a t d i d n o t make them any l e s s inhuman or l e s s dangerous t o p e a c e . 92. I t was a f a c t t h a t , g i v e n the g r o w i n g number o f c o n c e n t r a t i o n canips, human r i o t ' s c o u l d n o t be r e s p e c t e d under I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n . The v i o l a t i o n of the most fundamental human r i ^ t s , the d e n i a l o f the r i ^ t t o l i v e i n peace, the t h e f t and a n n e x a t i o n o f P a l e s t i n i a n l a n d , p r o p e r t y and nat-ural r e s o u r c e s , t o g e t h e r w i t h a c t s o f t e r r o r i s m , were c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f I s r a e l ' s p o l i c y of c o l o n i z a t i o n , w h i c h r e f l e c t e d a h i ^ l y d e v e l o p e d and c y n i c a l l y a p p l i e d system f o r -üie v i o l a t i o n of human r i ^ t s b a s e d on the concept t h a t m i ^ t was e q u i v a l e n t t o r i ^ t . 93. I t was o n l y too u n d e r s t a n d a b l e , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e s h o u l d r e s i s t o p p r e s s i v e and d e s p o t i c I s r a e l i p r a c t i c e s . The b r a v e sti-uggle o f the P a l e s t i n i a n s and t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , the PLO, t o ensure r e s p e c t f o r t h e i r i n a l i e n a b l e r i ^ t s , had r e c e i v e d w o r l d - w i d e s u p p o r t . The German D e m o c r a t i c R e p u b l i c w i s h e d t o r e a f f i r m i t s s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e and would do i t s utmost t o h e l p them i n t h e i r s t r u g g l e . H i s countrj'- c a l l e d upon I s r a e l t o i m m e d i a t e l y h a l t i t s p o l i q r o f v i o l a t i n g human r i ^ t s i n the o c c u p i e d A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s . 94. The e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a l a s t i n g and comprehensive peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t r e q u i r e d immediate and complete I s r a e l i w i t h d r a w a l f r o m a l l the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g J e r u s a l e m . R e c o g n i t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e r i ^ t s o f the A r a b p e o p l e o f P a l e s t i n e , I n c l u d i n g t h e i r r i ^ t t o the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f an independent S t a t e , i m p l i e d p a r t i c i p a t i o n by the PLO i n a l l n e g o t i a t i o n s h e l d w i t h a v i e w t o s o l v i n g the q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e and the M i d d l e E a s t c o n f l i c t .

E/CÎÎ.4/198VSR.6 page 21 95. Mr. K I S ( o b s e r v e r f o r Hungary) s a i d t h a t t h e Government o f I s r a e l was c o n t i n u i n g i t a . i l l e g a l o c c u p a t i o n o f A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s i n w h i c h i t was i m p o s i n g i t s own l a w , e x p r o p r i a t i n g t h e l a n d o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n and a l t e r i n g t h e g e o g r a p h i c and demographic c h a r a c t e r o f v a r i o u s l o c a l i t i e s i n d e f i a n c e o f t h e C h a r t e r and numerous r e s o l u t i o n s o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s and i n v i o l a t i o n o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l law. I t was c l e a r t h a t I s r a e l would be unable t o pursue i t s a g g r e s s i v e p o l i c y w i t h o u t s u b s t a n t i a l support from some Member S t a t e s . A l l a s p e c t s o f t h e l i f e o f t h e c i v i l i a n popiü.ation i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s were s u b j e c t e d t o t h e m i l i t a r y power o f I s r a e l , w h i c h had a l s o extended i t s o c c u p a t i o n t o a l a r g e p a r t o f Lebanon, thereby t h r e a t e n i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y . That a g g r e s s i v e p o l i c y h a d r e c e n t l y c u l m i n a t e d i n t h e s i e g e o f B e i r u t and t h e massacre o f i n n o c e n t vromen, c h i l d r e n anà e l d e r l y p e r s o n s i n t h e P a l e s t i n i a n r e f u g e e camps. The r e p o r t s s u b m i t t e d t o t h e Commission, p a r t i c u l a r l y t h a t o f t h e S p e c i a l Committee t o I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Human R i ^ t s of- t h e P o p u l a t i o n o f t h e Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s (A /37/485 - E/CN. 4/1985/6), p r o v i d e d ample evidence t h a t t h e Government o f I s r a e l was g u i l t y n o t o n l y o f s e r i o u s and l a r g e - s c a l e v i o l a t i o n s o f h-uman r i g h t s b u t a l s o o f g e n o c i d e . That Government would i n e v i t a b l y f a c e t h e consequences o f i t s p o l i c y and would be judged by h i s t o r y for i t s crimes, 96. I n t h e view o f the H u n g a r i a n P e o p l e ' s R e p u b l i c , t h e d e c i s i o n s t a k e n by I s r a e l to change t h e l e g a l s t a t u s and t h e g e o g r a p h i c and demographic c h a r a c t e r o f t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e West Bank and t h e S y r i a n G o l a n H e i s t s , were n u l l and v o i d . The H u n g a r i a n Government b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e o n l y way t o ensure r e s p e c t f o r t h e h-uman r i ^ t s o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was t o p u t an end to I s r a e l ' s e x p a n s i o n i s t and a g g r e s s i v e p o l i c y . A j u s t and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t o f ·the M i d d l e E a s t c r i s i s r e q u i r e d u n c o n d i t i o n a l I s r a e l i w i t h d r a w a l f r o m a l l t h e Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 1967 and t h e r e c o g n i t i o n and e x e r c i s e o f t h e i n a l i e n a b l e n a t i o n a l and human r i g h t s o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n aiid t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a s o v e r e i g n and independent S t a t e . A l l S t a t e s i n t h e r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , s h o u l d a l s o be a s s t i r e d o f t h e i r r i g h t t o l i v e i n peace w i t h i n s e c u r e and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d b o u n d a r i e s . 97. The H u n g a r i a n d e l e g a t i o n f u l l y endorsed t h e c o n c l u s i o n s and recommendations o f the Seminar on v i o l a t i o n s o f human rigj-its i n t h e P a l e s t i n i a n and o t h e r A r a b t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l , h e l d a t Geneva i n 1982, s i n c e iiiose c o n c l u s i o n s and recommendations l i s t e d t h e measures t h a t c o u l d and s h o u l d be t a k e n i n o r d e r t o r e a c h a j u s t and comprehensive s o l u t i o n t o -the M i d d l e E a s t c r i s i s . The H u n g a r i a n P e o p l e ' s R e p u b l i c f u l l y s u p p o r t e d t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e and i t s s o l e l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , t h e P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n , and was d o i n g e v e r y t h i n g i n i t s power t o h e l p them i n t h e i r s t r u g g l e t o r e c o v e r t h e i r i n a l i e n a b l e r i ^ t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e i r r i g h t t o r e t u r n t o -their homeland and e s t a b l i s h t h e i r own independent S t a t e , 98. M r , DABBAGH ( O b s e r v e r f o r K u w a i t ) s a i d t h a t , y e a r a f t e r y e a r , t h e Commission had t o examine t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e v i o l a t i o n o f human r i ^ i t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e , s i n c e I s r a e l was p e r s i s t e n t l y a c t i n g i n v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s and i n d e f i a n c e o f r e s o l u t i o n s adopted by t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s . The P a l e s t i n i a n s were c o n t i n u i n g t o be p e r s e c u t e d i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . Hundreds o f them, whose o n l y crime was t h a t o f c l a i m i n g -the r i g h t t o r e p e l -the invader,were b e i n g i m p r i s o n e d and t o r t u r e d . I s r a e l was c o n t i n u i n g t o blow up t h e i r houses and i l l e g a l l y occupy t h e i r l a n d s w i t h a vievr t o t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f c o l o n i e s o f f o r e i g n s e t t l e r s who would change t h e c h a r a c t e r o f those t e r r i t o r i e s . A p a r t from t h e t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d i n 1967, t h e a c t s o f a g g r e s s i o n committed by t h e I s r a e l i s i n 1982 h a d been m a i n l y d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t a n e i g h b o u r i n g Arab c o u n t r y . The c a p i t a l o f t h a t c o u n t r y had

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 22  d e v a s t a t e d and i t s d e f e n c e l e s s i n h a b i t a n t s i n h u m a n l y - m s s a c r e d . A t Sabra and S h a t i l a t h e massacres had been a l l t h e more d e p l o r a b l e s i n c e t h e i r v i c t i m s i n c l u d e d women, c h i l d r e n and e l d e r l y p e r s o n s . 99. Those t r a g i c e v e n t s were the r e s - u l t o f the Z i o n i s t polios'- based on r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , m i l i t a r y e x p a n s i o n i s m and the b e l i e f t h a t -there was a chosen p e o p l e w i t h the r i ^ t t o e x i s t a t the expense o f o t h e r p e o p l e s . I n o r d e r t o p u t an end t o t h a t t r a g e d y , i t was e s s e n t i a l t o t a c k l e -bhe p r o b l e m a t i t s r o o t s . The a c t s committed by I s r a e l must be s t r o n g l y condemned. The i n t e r n a t i o n a l comraimi-iy had r e j e c t e d any t h e o r y based on r a c i a l d i s c r r m i n a t i o n and d e n i a l o f the r i ^ t o f s e l f d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n , N a m i b i a n o r ,- o t h e r s u b j e c t p e o p l e . History showed t h a t any attempt t o e l i m i n a t e a p e o p l e by any means w h a t s o e v e r , i n c l u d i n g g e n o c i d e , was doomed t o f a i l u r e and l e d o n l y t o c o n f l i c t . S i n c e t h e day, i n 1917, when the B r i t i s h c o l o n i a l i s t s had p r o m i s e d t o e s t a b l i s h a J e w i s h S t a t e i n P a l e s t i n e , ·the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e had m a n i f e s t e d t h e i r r e s o l v e t o s t r u g g l e f o r t h e i r e x i s t e n c e and the r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e r i ^ t s . They had sho-^m -that they would n e v e r a l l o w e t h e r s t o d e c i d e t h e i r d e s t i n y . The p a r t i t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e , d e c i d e d upon by the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , had s u b s e q u e n t l y prompted I s r a e l t o e x p e l the i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h a t c o u n t i y , i n d e f i a n c e of a l l the r e s o l u t i o n s adopted by t h a t v e r y O r g a n i z a t i o n i n t h a t r e s p e c t . The P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e had shovm, hov/ever, t h a t I s r a e l ' s e x p a n s i o n i s t a i m s , even i f s u p p o r t e d b y shipments o f f o r e i g n weapons, w o u l d n e v e r s u c c e e d i n d e s t r o y i n g them o r s u p p r e s s i n g t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e r i ^ t s , 100. Awareness o f those h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s s h o u l d p r o v i d e an i n c e n t i v e t o p u t an end n o t o n l y t o the i n j u s t i c e s u f f e r e d by the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , but a l s o t o the a i d w i t h v/hich the U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a was s u p p o r t i n g -the r a c i s t Z i o n i s t p o l i c y . F o r y e a r s a p p e a l s had been made t o the e f f e c t t h a t t h e PLO, -the l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , sho-uld r e c o g n i z e -the e x i s t e n c e o f I s r a e l as a p r e r e q - u i s i t e f o r any s e t t l e m e n t o f the q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e , Y e t why s h o u l d ·the P a l e s t i n i a n s be r e q u i r e d t o r e c o g n i z e t h e r i ^ t t o e x i s t e n c e o f t h e i r a g g r e s s o r when the l a t t e r ' d i d not r e c o g n i z e t h e l e g i t i m a t e r i ^ t s o f a p e o p l e  r h o had been e x p e l l e d f r o m -their homeland? I t was r e g r e t t a b l e , moreover, t h a t a major power was c o n t i n u i n g t o i n s i s t on t h a t u n j u s t i f i a b l e p r e r e q u i s i t e . However, t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n must be borne by the e n t i r e i n t e r n a t i o n a l communi-ty. The l e a s t -that c o u l d be e x p e c t e d of any S t a t e was the s u s p e n s i o n o f i t s economic a i d t o I s r a e l - u n t i l such time as t h a t c o u n t r y c o m p l i e d w i t h t h e r e s o l u t i o n s o f -the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , Any S t a t e t h a t s u p p o r t e d I s r a e l was i n d i r e c t l y h e l p i n g i t t o k i l l i n n o c e n t p e r s o n s w i t h a v i e w t o the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of s e t t l e m e n t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s i n t o t a l d i s r e g a r d o f c o n t e m p o r a r y · i n t e r n a t i o n a l o p i n i o n . I t was h i ^ i time f o r the c o n s q i e n c e o f -fche w o r l d t o awalce. A t t h e Fez Summit, the Goverrmients o f the A r a b c o t m t r i e s had sought a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n t o t h a t s i t u a t i o n but t h e i r coircageous p r o p o s a l s had n o t met vri'fch s - u f f i c i e n t r e s p o n s e f r o m the i n t e r n a t i o n a l communi-iy, w h i c h was a d o p t i n g a p a s s i v e a t t i t u d e and c o n f i n i n g i t s e l f t o condemnation o f I s r a e l i c r i m e s as t h o u ^ i t was o n l y r e m o t e l y c o n c e r n e d , 101. The K u w a i t i d e l e g a t i o n b e l i e v e d t h a t the v i o l a t i o n s o f the human r i g h t s o f the p o p u l a t i o n o f the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s p o s e d a t h r e a t t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e a c e . I t was i m p o r t a n t t o f i n d a s o l u t i o n t o t h a t t r a g i c s i t u a t i o n and t o r e c o g n i z e the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people, p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e i r r i ^ t t o s e l f d e t e r m i n a t i o n , and the need f o r u n c o n d i t i o n a l w i t h d r a w a l b y -the a g g r e s s o r f r o m -the t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by f o r c e on the V/est Bank and i n the Gaza S t r i p and the Golan H e i s t s . I t was time f o r words t o be backed up by deeds.

E/CN .4/1983 /SR .6 page 23 102. Mr. EL REEDY (Observer f o r Egypt) s a i d t h a t he c o u l d not agree w i t h speakers who c l a i m e d t h a t , d u r i n g t h e l a s t 15 y e a r s , t h e Commission's c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s had been a waste o f t i m e . I n r e a l i t y , t h e y were s e e k i n g t o undermine c o n f i d e n c e n o t o n l y i n the c o n s c i e n c e o f t h e w o r l d b u t a l s o i n t h e sum t o t a l o f t h e p r i n c i p l e s and i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s which c o n s t i t u t e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l h u m a n i t a r i a n l a w . 10'3. The v i o l a t i o n s o f t h e human r i g h t s o f P a l e s t i n i a n s and S y r i a n s i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s were an i n e v i t a b l e consequence o f t h e o c c u p a t i o n o f those t e r r i t o r i e s by I s r a e l . I n t h a t r e s p e c t , t h e E g y p t i a n d e l e g a t i o n f u l l y endorsed t h e s t a t e m e n t c o n t a i n e d i n paragraph 28? o f t h e r e p o r t o f t h e S p e c i a l Committee (/ 37/485) t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t i t was v i t a l t h a t t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community s h o u l d r e c o g n i z e t h a t t h e v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s would cease o n l y when t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e were a l l o w e d t o enjoy t h e i r r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and t h a t the S y r i a n n a t i o n a l s i n t h e Golan H e i g h t s , who were themselves under o c c u p a t i o n , would n o t s e c u r e t h e i r own r i g h t s u n t i l t h a t t e r r i t o r y was r e i n t e g r a t e d i n t o S y r i a n territory. I t was u n d e n i a b l e t h a t o c c u p a t i o n r e p r e s e n t e d t h e most s t r i k i n g example o f t h e v i o l a t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l and c o l l e c t i v e human r i g h t s . In that respect, the cause o f human r i g h t s had s u f f e r e d a s e v e r e s e t b a c k when I s r a e l had invaded Lebanese t e r r i t o r y i n June 1982, t h e r e b y e x t e n d i n g i t s o c c u p a t i o n t o f u r t h e r Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and i m p o s i n g a f o r e i g n m i l i t a r y government on t h e p e o p l e o f Lebanon. Once a g a i n , I s r a e l had hounded t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s i n t h e v e r y camps i n which they had t a k e n r e f u g e s i n c e t h e i r d i s p e r s i o n i n 1967 · 104. That i n v a s i o n and t h e t r a g i c e v e n t s t o which i t had g i v e n r i s e had once a g a i n h i g h l i g h t e d t h e i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e between t h e cause o f human r i g h t s and t h a t o f peace. Egypt wished t o emphasize b o t h t h e r i g h t t o e x i s t e n c e o f t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e r e g i o n and t h e need f o r a j u s t peace t h a t would enable a l l those p e o p l e s t o l i v e i n freedom, s e c u r i t y and e q u a l i t y . That g e n e r a l c o n c e p t i o n o f peace had been embodied i n t h e C h a r t e r o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , which r e j e c t e d o c c u p a t i o n and i n v a s i o n and a f f i r m e d t h e r i g h t o f S t a t e s t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r s o v e r e i g n t y o v e r t h e i r own t e r r i t o r y and a l s o t h e r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . Furthermore, the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f Human R i g h t s had r e a f f i r m e d t h e r i g h t o f every p e r s o n t o l i v e v;ithout f e a r i n an environment c h a r a c t e r i z e d by j u s t i c e . 1 0 5 . The p r e s e n t d i f f i c u l t i e s stemmed from t h e f a c t t h a t t h e I s r a e l i Government ' was showing an e x p a n s i o n i s t tendency m a n i f e s t e d i n t h e o c c u p a t i o n o f Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and was e n d e a v o u r i n g t o impose i t s presence t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n . The e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f s e t t l e m e n t s c o n s t i t u t e d a s e r i o u s v i o l a t i o n o f t h e r u l e s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and r e p r e s e n t e d a dangerous o b s t a c l e t o peace, s i n c e i t was g i v i n g r i s e t o f e e l i n g s o f d e s p a i r and f r u s t r a t i o n among t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . Under those c o n d i t i o n s , I s r a e l i o f f e r s t o n e g o t i a t e were v i r t u a l l y m e a n i n g l e s s and were e s s e n t i a l l y d e s i g n e d f o r purposes o f propaganda. I n t h a t r e s p e c t , he emphasized t h e statement made t h e p r e v i o u s day by P r e s i d e n t Reagan, who had c a l l e d upon I s r a e l t o p u t an end t o i t s p o l i c y o f e s t a b l i s h i n g s e t t l e m e n t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e I s r a e l i l e a d e r s , t h e presence o f I s r a e l i s i n the r e g i o n was m o t i v a t e d by s e c u r i t y c o n s i d e r a t i o n s . I n r e a l i t y , however, t h a t p o l i c y c o n s t i t u t e d an o b s t a c l e t o peace s i n c e i t had l e d t o t h e bombing o f t h e I r a q i n u c l e a r r e a c t o r near Baghdad, t h e i n v a s i o n o f Lebanon and t h e r e i g n o f t e r r o r t o which t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s were s u b j e c t e d i n t h e o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . That p o l i c y , a l t h o u g h doomed t o f a i l u r e , posed a s e r i o u s t h r e a t t o w o r l d peace and many I s r a e l i s had come t o r e a l i z e t h e dangers t h a t i t e n t a i l e d .

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 24 106. His delegation wished to pay a t r i b u t e to a l l the proposals that had been made with a view to the achievement of a just peace i n the region. As i n the past, Egypt was supporting the Palestinian people and the PLC, which waa playing a major role i n that people's heroic struggle to secure recognition of their legitimate rights and the establishment of a just peace. Egypt had taken an active part i n the struggle of the Arab countries for l i b e r a t i o n , progress and r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , not only for the benefit of a l l the peoples of the region but also i n the interests of international s t a b i l i t y . 107. The recent massacres at Sabra, Shatila and Beirut could not be forgotten. Nevertheless, i t should be noted that many people had demonstrated, even i n the streets of I s r a e l , i n condemnation of those massacres and i n favour of the establishment of a just peace. The Egyptian delegation therefore f e l t that there . was reason to hope that the international community was witnessing the f i n a l phase of the tragedy from which the peoples of the Middle East were s u f f e r i n g . 108. Mr. ALBADRAN (Observer for Iraq) said t h a t , although neither the Charter of the United Nations nor any other international instrument recognized any right to what was acquired through the use of force or recourse to aggression, I s r a e l was obstinately attempting to occupy t e r r i t o r i e s by such means. In addition to the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied i n 1967 , Israel had invaded more than half of Lebanon and had committed an act of aggression against the sovereignty of Iraq by bombing a nuclear reactor used for peaceful purposes. Since i t s establishment, I s r a e l had been responsible for numerous barbaric crimes, of which the massacres at Sabra and Shatila ware the most recent example. He wondered what the world could expect from an entity which resorted exclusively to brute f o r c e , vihich did not respect the rights of the population of the t e r r i t o r i e s that i t had occupied and was continuing to occupy by force, and which did not hesitate to commit the worst acts of aggression. I t was unlikely that I s r a e l would v o l u n t a r i l y implement the equitable decisions of international organizations while i t was receiving f i n a n c i a l a i d , weapons and p o l i t i c a l support from some countries and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , from the United States of America. 109. The task of the Commission was made a l l the more d i f f i c u l t by the fact that pressures were being exerted with a view to impeding implementation of the decisions adopted by the international community. Nevertheless, the l a t t e r must face up to i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security by opposing aggression and preventing enslavement and a l l other crimes against the person. The international community must do everything i n i t s power to discharge i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and ensure the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the United Nations and the specialized agencies on the subject of respect for human rights i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , including Palestine. 110. More than ever before, there was a need to affirm the inalienable r i g h t of the Palestinian people t o the establishment of an independent State under the leadership of i t s sole legitimate representative, the PLO; to demand an end to the Zionist occupation of a l l the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , including Palestine; to stress the importance of the application of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time of Viar; to condemn the crimes committed against the Palestinian people, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s ; to protest against the establishment of settlements i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s ; to c a l l upon a l l States members of international organizations to r e f r a i n from providing Israel with economic, m i l i t a r y or p o l i t i c a l a i d ; to impose on I s r a e l

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 25 sanctions similar to those that had been imposed on South A f r i c a ; to p r e v a i l upon Israel to respect and apply i n t e r n a t i o n a l conventions and agreements; to encourage bodies within the United Nations system and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , the Special Committee to continue t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n of I s r a e l i practices i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and of the exercise by the Palestinians of t h e i r inalienable r i g h t s ; and, f i n a l l y , to c a l l upon the specialized agencies and international organizations to continue to support and a s s i s t the Palestinian people and the Arab population of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . 111. Mr. SOFFER (Observer for Israel) expressed the view that the opening of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on 28 December 1982 marked a decisive step towards peace i n the Middle East. Those negotiations, which had taken place alternately i n both of those countries, were a token of mutual goodwill. Unfortunately, however, that step towards peace was not to the l i k i n g of the States of the r e j e c t i o n front and some of t h e i r a l l i e s . 112. In the name of t r u t h , and i n order to refute various accusations, he f e l t obliged to restate c e r t a i n facts concerning the Lebanese question. He recalled t h a t , i n the 1970s, the PLO had taken control of some parts of southern Lebanon i n order to carry out i t s operations i n which I s r a e l i children were i t s favourite target. During the course of countless acts of butchery children had been machine-gunned, thrown from windows, burnt to death or had t h e i r throats c u t . Numerous c i v i l i a n s had f a l l e n victim to the crimes committed by the PLO within I s r a e l i t e r r i t o r y , quite apart from the ruthless s h e l l i n g of towns i n G a l i l e e , the assassination of a large number of diplomats, the hijacking of a i r c r a f t , the seizure of hostages, and anti-Semitic acts of v i o l e n c e . 113. Israel would have had no reason to'intervene i n Lebanon i n June 1982 i f the Lebanese State i t s e l f had been capable Of ensuring respect for i n t e r n a t i o n a l law by preventing the groups of foreign t e r r o r i s t s occupying i t s t e r r i t o r y from using the l a t t e r to attack I s r a e l . However, being neutralized by the dual foreign occupation of i t s t e r r i t o r y by Syria and the PLO and torn apart by eight years of c i v i l war, Lebanon had been incapable of f u l f i l l i n g i t s obligations under international law. Since 1975 an unrelenting c i v i l war had claimed 100,000 innocent l i v e s according to the Lebanese a u t h o r i t i e s , or 150,000 according to some Christian sources. The tragedy of Sabra and Shatila had to be viewed i n that context. 114. He found i t astonishing t h a t , instead of strongly condemning the c u l p r i t s and naming the assassins, some speakers had been attacking his country. The number of victims would have been even higher i f the I s r a e l i army had not intervened to halt clashes as soon as they had been brought to i t s n o t i c e . 115. He pointed out t h a t , by exercising i t s right of self-defence, I s r a e l had succeeded where a l l international bodies and other powers had f a i l e d , namely i n ensuring the restoration of a sovereign and representative Lebanese Government, the expulsion of the PLO t e r r o r i s t s from southern Lebanon and B e i r u t , the r e u n i f i c a t i o n of the l a t t e r c i t y , the dismantling of i n t e r n a t i o n a l terrorism, security for the northern borders of I s r a e l , and the opening of d i r e c t negotiations between I s r a e l and Lebanon.

E/CN,4/1983/SR. page 2 116. Mr. SAKER (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic), speaking i n exercise of the right of reply, emphasized that the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon had begun while Israel was s t i l l occupying, Arab t e r r i t o r i e s from v/hich i t had repeatedly been c a l l e d upon to withdraw by the international community. He also pointed out that Lebanon had not been subjected to a dual occupation by Syrians and Palestinians since both had entered the country with the consent of the Lebanese Government. Moreover, the representative of Israel was incorrect i n claiming that, by intervening i n Lebanon, the I s r a e l i s had put an end to a massacre v/hich would otherwise have taken an even greater t o l l of human l i v e s . The media had unanimously condemned-Israel for i t s policy of aggression and annexation, i t s establishment of settlements, i t s demolition of houses, i t s expropriation of land, i t s shooting of peaceful student demonstrators, and i t s a l t e r a t i o n of the geographic and c u l t u r a l features of the region. The international community had been unanimous i n demanding I s r a e l i withdrawal from the Golan Heights and i n praising the heroism of the Syrians i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . I t had been proved that Israel had mobilized i t s f o r c e s , engaged In.^military aggression and committed various other offences with the, support of the United States of America and the South African regime. The international community had also been unanimous i n demanding that I s r a e l should compensate the victims of i t s crimes. In short, world opinion was i n favour of a just and equitable solution which, under the auspices of the United Nations, would guarantee complete I s r a e l i withdrawal from the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and enable the Palestinian people to exercise t h e i r legitimate rights under the leadership of the PLC. 117. Israel was an aggressive State which had already shown that i t did not hesitate to v i o l a t e international conventions. He expressed the hope that the representative of the United States of America would transmit to h i s Government the appeals for peace that had been made i n the Commission and which merited an e f f e c t i v e response. Numerous American associations and a large number of Jewish Americans recognized the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to establish an independent State i n the Middle East. 118. Mr. ARMALIE (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization), speaking i n exercise of the right of r e p l y , said that the only new element i n the habitual d i s t o r t i o n of facts by the I s r a e l i delegation related to the highly humanitarian role of rescuer allegedly played by the I s r a e l i occupation forces at Sabra and S h a t i l a . 119. Under international law, the occupying force bore r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r everything that happened i n the t e r r i t o r i e s that i t occupied. In the particular case, i t had been c l e a r l y established that the perpetrators of the massacres had entered the Palestinian camps under arrangements made by the I s r a e l i Government two months beforehand. 120. Contrary to the allegation made by the representative of I s r a e l , the Palestinians had not caused the Lebanese c i v i l war. The Palestinian presence i n Lebanon since 1948 was solely the r e s u l t of the I s r a e l i policy of aggression, terror and expulsion that had led to the dispersal of the Palestinians not only among several Arab countries but throughout the world. 121. Once again the I s r a e l i delegation had stigmatized as anti-Semitic a l l those w h o were opposed to I s r a e l i policy or who were legitimately exercising t h e i r right to r e s i s t the occupation. That old r e f r a i n no longer convinced anyone. On the contrary, I s r a e l i policy vias being increasingly c r i t i c i z e d throughout the world, even among the Jewish communities.

E/CM.4/1983/SR.6

page 27 122. R e f e r r i n g to the statement made by the representative of the United States of America, he said that ho too was t i r e d o f the vehement r h e t o r i c that was heard year a f t e r year i n the Commission. However, i t should be repeated that the s u f f e r i n g s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people were i n c r e a s i n g only because of; the perpetuation of the r e a l cause cf the tragedy a f f l i c t i n g the region, namely the acta of aggression committed by I s r a e l and the l a t t e r ' s r e f u s a l to recognize the l e g i t i m a t e n a t i o n a l r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people. To a l l e v i a t e those s u f f e r i n g s , Instead of r e s o r t i n g to subterfuges such as o f f e r s of autonomy the United States of America should respond to the appeal of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community for recognition of the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n people t o self-determination and i t s natural consequence, the establishment of an independent State. In that v/ay a r e a l l y e f f e c t i v e c o n t r i b u t i o n would be made to the cause of world peace. 123. Mr. SUFFER (Observer f o r I s r a e l ) , speaking i n exercise of the r i g h t of r e p l y , r e c a l l e d some aspects that the representative of S y r i a appeared to have forgotten; the 40,000 Syrian c i v i l i a n s massacred at  by the Syrian army i t s e l f i n 1982:, the systematic; persecution of the Syrian Jewish community, the genocidal campaign launched, by the Syrian army of occupation against the C h r i s t i a n community, the devastation of dozens of Lebanese v i l l a g e s and the c i v i l irar i n t o which S y r i a ^ with the help of the PLO, had plunged Lebanon since i t s invasion of that country. Moreover, S y r i a , together with the PLO, bore d i r e c t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the death o f more than 100,000 Lebanese c i v i l i a n s k i l l e d i n the war since 1975, and the Syrian Government had never recognized the existence of the Lebanese State, which i t s t i l l regarded as forming an i n t e g r a l part of Greater S y r i a . 124. Hr, SOLA VILA (Cuba), speaking on a point of order, said that the observer f o r I s r a e l appeared to be s t r a y i n g from the items under consideration. 125. The CHAIRMAN drew a t t e n t i o n to the two agenda items that the Commission was c u r r e n t l y considering, namely item 4 and item 9 . 126. Mr. SOFFER (Observer f o r I s r a e l ) , continuing h i s statement, reminded the observer f o r S y r i a that, a f t e r eight years of a n t i - C h r i s t i a n oppression i n Lebanon, S y r i a and the PLO bore a d i r e c t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the t r a g i c s e t t l i n g of scores at Sabra and Shati .a. The Government of i. ' r i a , which was pe'secuting i t s ethnic and r e l i g i o u s m i n o r i t i e s , oppressing i t s c i t i z e n s , a t t a c k i n g i t s neighbours and i n s t i g a t i n g wars and acts of t e r r o r i s m ,  apparently seeking to d i v e r t public a t t e n t i o n from i t s own actions by c a s t i n g asoersions on I s r a e l . 127. Furthermore, the observer f o r Iraq appearedi to have forgotten not only the war of aggression that h i s country had launched against Iran, and vihich had already cost hundreds of thousands o f l i v e s , but a l s o the genocidal campaign d i r e c t e d against the Kurdish people. The observer f o r Iraq should remember that the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n h i s country was so serious that Amnesty I n t e r n a t i o n a l had f e l t obliged to devote a s p e c i a l report to Iraq i n vjhich the systematic use of t o r t u r e had been e s t a b l i s h e d . 128. Some Arab States were c a s t i n g aspersions on I s r a e l i n a desperate attempt t o obstruct peace and throw the blame f o r the s i t u a t i o n on to others. However, the negotiations recently opened between Lebanon and I s r a e l , v/hich, i t was to be hoped, would r e s u l t i n a r e a l peace, provided conclusive proof that the g u i l e employed by the enemies of peace was not alv/ays s u c c e s s f u l . 129. Mr. SERGIWA (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), speaking i n exercise of the r i g h t of r e p l y , wondered how the I s r a e l i delegation could claim to be working f o r peace i n the Middle East when the Z i o n i s t e n t i t y v i a s responsible f o r the massacres at Sabra and S h a t i l a , the expulsion of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and the occupation of t h e i r t e r r i t o r y , and the annexation of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. The main

E/CN.4/1983/SR.6 page 28

perpetrators of terrorism i n the region viere those who had massacred or imprisoned countless Palestinians whose only objective was the exercise of t h e i r people's r i g h t to self-determination. 130. Mr. SAKER (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic), speaking i n exercise of the right of r e p l y , pointed out that the game i n v/hich the representative of Israel was indulging was no longer acceptable to anj^ne, not even i n Jewish s o c i e t y . I t was incorrect to claim that Syria was persecuting the Jewish community since some of the most t h r i v i n g businesses i n his country v/ere owned by members of that community and Jewish doctors and lav/yers enjoyed freedom to exercise t h e i r professions. The alleged persecution of Christians i n Syria and Lebanon quite simply did not e x i s t . 131. The objective to be pursued was the establishment of peace i n the region. The requirements f o r the achievement of that objective were unlikely to be met by the occupation of more land, the demarcation of new borders and the a l t e r a t i o n of the character of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . A l l the indications were that I s r a e l did not respect human r i g h t s , notv/ithstanding ths fact t h a t , when the State of I s r a e l had been established i n 1947, i t had been understood that that State should comply with international law and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , respect human r i g h t s . I t was reassuring to note that the international community was becoming Increasingly aware of that aspect of the question. 132. Mr. ALBADRAN (Observer for I r a q ) , speaking i n exercise of the right of r e p l y , recalled Israel's destruction of a nuclear reactor i n Iraq, lie stressed that the arguments put forward by Israel had not convinced international public opinion, v/hich had strongly condemned that act of aggression. With regard to acts of war, he emphasized the relations between Israel and the State that had committed an act of aggression against I r a q . F i n a l l y , he pointed out that the President of Amnesty International was currently on an o f f i c i a l v i s i t to Baghdad and that the results of his mission viould shortly be made known.

The meeting rose at 7-40 ..