United Nations

A/RES/64/125
Distr.: General 21 January 2010

General Assembly
Sixty-fourth session Agenda item 70 (b)

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[without reference to a Main Committee (A/64/L.35 and Add.1)]

64/125. Assistance to the Palestinian people
The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 63/140 of 11 December 2008, as well as its previous resolutions on the question, Recalling also the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim SelfGovernment Arrangements in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, by the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people, 1 and the subsequent implementation agreements concluded by the two sides, Recalling further all relevant international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and, in particular, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2 the Convention on the Rights of the Child 3 and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 4 Gravely concerned at the deterioration in the living conditions of the Palestinian people, in particular women and children, throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, which constitutes a mounting humanitarian crisis, Conscious of the urgent need for improvement in the economic and social infrastructure of the occupied territory, Welcoming, in this context, the development of projects, notably on infrastructure, to revive the Palestinian economy and improve the living conditions of the Palestinian people, stressing the need to create the appropriate conditions to facilitate the implementation of these projects, and noting the contribution of partners in the region and of the international community,

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A/48/486-S/26560, annex. See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 3 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531. 4 Ibid., vol. 1249, No. 20378.

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Aware that development is difficult under occupation and is best promoted in circumstances of peace and stability, Noting the great economic and social challenges facing the Palestinian people and their leadership, Emphasizing the importance of the safety and well-being of all people, in particular women and children, in the whole Middle East region, Deeply concerned about the negative impact, including the health and psychological consequences, of violence on the present and future well-being of children in the region, Conscious of the urgent necessity for international assistance to the Palestinian people, taking into account the Palestinian priorities, Expressing grave concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and underlining the importance of emergency and humanitarian assistance, Welcoming the results of the Conference to Support Middle East Peace, convened in Washington, D.C., on 1 October 1993, the establishment of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians and the work being done by the World Bank as its secretariat and the establishment of the Consultative Group, as well as all follow-up meetings and international mechanisms established to provide assistance to the Palestinian people, Underlining the importance of the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on 2 March 2009, in addressing the immediate humanitarian situation in Gaza and in mobilizing donors to provide financial and political support for the Palestinian Authority in order to alleviate the socio-economic and humanitarian situation being faced by the Palestinian people, Recalling the International Donors' Conference for the Palestinian State, held in Paris on 17 December 2007, the Berlin Conference in Support of Palestinian Civil Security and the Rule of Law, held on 24 June 2008, and the Palestine Investment Conference, held in Bethlehem from 21 to 23 May 2008, Welcoming the meetings of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians, held in Oslo on 7 and 8 May 2009 and in New York on 22 September 2009, Welcoming also the resumption of activities of the Joint Liaison Committee, which provides a forum in which economic policy and practical matters related to donor assistance are discussed with the Palestinian Authority, Welcoming further the work of the Palestinian Authority to implement the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan 2008­2010, and stressing the need for continued international support for the Plan, Stressing the need for the full engagement of the United Nations in the process of building Palestinian institutions and in providing broad assistance to the Palestinian people, Welcoming recent steps to ease the restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank, while stressing the need for further steps to be taken in this regard, and recognizing that such steps would improve living conditions and the situation on the ground and could promote Palestinian economic development,

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Welcoming also the action of the Special Representative of the Quartet, Tony Blair, charged with developing, with the Government of the Palestinian Authority, a multi-year agenda to strengthen institutions, promote economic development and mobilize international funds, Stressing the urgency of reaching a durable solution to the crisis in Gaza through the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009, Stressing also the importance of the regular opening of the crossings for the movement of persons and goods, for both humanitarian and commercial flows, Noting the active participation of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority in the activities of the Special Envoys of the Quartet, Welcoming the endorsement by the Security Council, in resolution 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003, of the performance-based road map to a permanent two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 5 and stressing the need for its implementation and compliance with its provisions, Noting the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and from parts of the northern West Bank as a step towards implementation of the road map, Commending the continuous efforts by the Administration of the United States of America in pursuing vigorously a two-State solution, noting the commitment of the Quartet to remain actively involved, and welcoming steps towards the relaunching of direct, bilateral negotiations as part of a comprehensive resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions and the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference, in order to ensure a political solution, with two States -- Israel and an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State -- living side by side in peace and security, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General,6 Expressing grave concern about the continuation of the tragic and violent events that have led to many deaths and injuries, including among children and women, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 6

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his rapid response and efforts regarding assistance to the Palestinian people; 3. Also expresses its appreciation to the Member States, United Nations bodies and intergovernmental, regional and non-governmental organizations that have provided and continue to provide assistance to the Palestinian people; 4. Stresses the importance of the work of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority and of the steps taken under the auspices of the Secretary-General to ensure the achievement of a coordinated mechanism for United Nations activities throughout the occupied territories;

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S/2003/529, annex. A/64/78-E/2009/66.

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5. Urges Member States, international financial institutions of the United Nations system, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and regional and interregional organizations to extend, as rapidly and as generously as possible, economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people, in close cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization and through official Palestinian institutions; 6. Welcomes, in this regard, the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians and the outcome of the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on 2 March 2009, at which donors pledged approximately 4.5 billion United States dollars to support the needs of the Palestinian people; 7. Recalls the International Donors' Conference for the Palestinian State, held in Paris on 17 December 2007, the Berlin Conference in Support of Palestinian Civil Security and the Rule of Law, held on 24 June 2008, and the Palestine Investment Conference, held in Bethlehem from 21 to 23 May 2008; 8. Stresses the importance of following up on the results of the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza; 9. Calls upon donors that have not yet converted their budget support pledges into disbursements to transfer funds as soon as possible, encourages all donors to increase their direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority in accordance with its government programme in order to enable it to build a viable and prosperous Palestinian State, underlines the need for equitable burden sharing by donors in this effort, and encourages donors to consider aligning funding cycles with the Palestinian Authority's national budget cycle; 10. Calls upon relevant organizations and agencies of the United Nations system to intensify their assistance in response to the urgent needs of the Palestinian people in accordance with priorities set forth by the Palestinian side; 11. Expresses its appreciation for the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and recognizes the vital role of the Agency in providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip; 12. Calls upon the international community to provide urgently needed assistance and services in an effort to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation being faced by Palestinian women, children and their families and to help in the reconstruction of relevant Palestinian institutions; 13. Stresses the role that all funding instruments, including the European Commission's Palestinian-European Mechanism for the Management of Socio-Economic Aid and the World Bank trust fund, have been playing in directly assisting the Palestinian people; 14. Urges Member States to open their markets to exports of Palestinian products on the most favourable terms, consistent with appropriate trading rules, and to implement fully existing trade and cooperation agreements; 15. Calls upon the international donor community to expedite the delivery of pledged assistance to the Palestinian people to meet their urgent needs; 16. Stresses, in this context, the importance of ensuring free humanitarian access to the Palestinian people and the free movement of persons and goods;

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17. Also stresses the need for the full implementation by both parties of the Agreement on Movement and Access and of the Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing, of 15 November 2005, to allow for the freedom of movement of the Palestinian civilian population, as well as for imports and exports, within and into and out of the Gaza Strip; 18. Further stresses the need to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, premises, facilities, equipment, vehicles and supplies, as well as the need to ensure safe and unhindered access by humanitarian personnel and delivery of supplies and equipment, in order to allow such personnel to efficiently perform their task of assisting affected civilian populations; 19. Urges the international donor community, United Nations agencies and organizations and non-governmental organizations to extend to the Palestinian people, as rapidly as possible, emergency economic assistance and humanitarian assistance, particularly in the Gaza Strip, to counter the impact of the current crisis; 20. Stresses the need for the continued implementation of the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations of 29 April 1994, fifth annex to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, signed in Washington, D.C., on 28 September 1995, 7 including with regard to the full, prompt and regular transfer of Palestinian indirect tax revenues; 21. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, through the Economic and Social Council, on the implementation of the present resolution, containing: (a) An assessment of the assistance actually received by the Palestinian people;

(b) An assessment of the needs still unmet and specific proposals for responding effectively to them; 22. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-fifth session the sub-item entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people". 64th plenary meeting 16 December 2009

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A/51/889-S/1997/357, annex.

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