United Nations

A/RES/64/94
Distr.: General 19 January 2010

General Assembly
Sixty-fourth session Agenda item 32

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/64/406)]

64/94. Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
The General Assembly, Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 Recalling also the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights2 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 3 and affirming that these human rights instruments must be respected in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including resolution 63/98 of 5 December 2008, as well as those adopted at its tenth emergency special session, Recalling the relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council, Recalling also the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and stressing the need for their implementation, Having considered the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories 4 and the report of the Secretary-General,5 Taking note of the recent reports of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, 6

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Resolution 217 A (III). See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 3 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531. 4 See A/64/339. 5 A/64/517. 6 A/HRC/10/20; see also A/64/328.

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Recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice, 7 and recalling also General Assembly resolutions ES-10/15 of 20 July 2004 and ES-10/17 of 15 December 2006, Noting in particular the Court's reply, including that the construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, and its associated regime are contrary to international law, Aware of the responsibility of the international community to promote human rights and ensure respect for international law, and recalling in this regard its resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, Reaffirming the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, Reaffirming also the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 8 to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, Reaffirming further the obligation of the States parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 8 under articles 146, 147 and 148 with regard to penal sanctions, grave breaches and responsibilities of the High Contracting Parties, Reaffirming that all States have the right and the duty to take actions in conformity with international law and international humanitarian law to counter deadly acts of violence against their civilian population in order to protect the lives of their citizens, Stressing the need for full compliance with the Israeli-Palestinian agreements reached within the context of the Middle East peace process, including the Sharm el-Sheikh understandings, and the implementation of the Quartet road map to a permanent two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 9 Stressing also the need for the full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access and the Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing, both of 15 November 2005, to allow for the freedom of movement of the Palestinian civilian population within and into and out of the Gaza Strip, Expressing grave concern about the continuing systematic violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, the occupying Power, including that arising from the excessive use of force, the use of collective punishment, the closure of areas, the confiscation of land, the establishment and expansion of settlements, the construction of a wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in departure from the Armistice Line of 1949, the destruction of property and infrastructure, and all other actions by it designed to change the legal status, geographical nature and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,

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See A/ES-10/273 and Corr.1; see also Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Advisory Opinion, I.C.J. Reports 2004, p. 136. 8 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973. 9 S/2003/529, annex.

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Gravely concerned about the military actions that have been carried out since 28 September 2000 and that have led to thousands of deaths among Palestinian civilians, including hundreds of children, and tens of thousands of injuries, Gravely concerned in particular about the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian and security situation in the Gaza Strip, including that resulting from the prolonged closures and severe economic and movement restrictions that in effect amount to a blockade and the military operations between December 2008 and January 2009, which caused extensive loss of life and injury, particularly among Palestinian civilians, including children and women; widespread destruction and damage to Palestinian homes, properties, vital infrastructure and public institutions, including hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities; and the internal displacement of civilians, as well as from the firing of rockets into Israel, Stressing the need for the full implementation by all parties of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009 and General Assembly resolution ES-10/18 of 16 January 2009, Gravely concerned by reports regarding serious human rights violations and grave breaches of international humanitarian law committed during the military operations in the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009, including the findings in the summary by the Secretary-General of the report of the Board of Inquiry10 and in the report of the United Nations Fact-finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, 11 and stressing the necessity for serious follow-up by all parties to the recommendations addressed to them towards ensuring accountability and justice, Expressing deep concern about the short- and long-term detrimental impact of such widespread destruction and the impeding of the reconstruction process by Israel, the occupying Power, on the human rights situation and on the socioeconomic and humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian civilian population, Expressing deep concern also about the Israeli policy of closures, severe restrictions, and a permit regime that obstruct the freedom of movement of persons and goods, including medical and humanitarian personnel and goods, throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and about the consequent violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people and the negative impact on their socio-economic situation, which remains that of a dire humanitarian crisis, particularly in the Gaza Strip, Concerned in particular about the continued establishment of Israeli checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the transformation of several of these checkpoints into structures akin to permanent border crossings inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which are severely impairing the territorial contiguity of the Territory and undermining efforts and aid aimed at rehabilitating and developing the Palestinian economy, adversely affecting other aspects of the socio-economic conditions of the Palestinian people, Expressing deep concern that thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, continue to be held in Israeli prisons or detention centres under harsh conditions that impair their well-being, and expressing concern about the ill-treatment and harassment of any Palestinian prisoners and all reports of torture, _______________
10 11

See A/63/855-S/2009/250. A/HRC/12/48.

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Convinced of the need for an international presence to monitor the situation, to contribute to ending the violence and protecting the Palestinian civilian population and to help the parties implement the agreements reached, and, in this regard, recalling the positive contribution of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, Emphasizing the right of all people in the region to the enjoyment of human rights as enshrined in the international human rights covenants, 1. Reiterates that all measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, in violation of the relevant provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 8 and contrary to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, are illegal and have no validity; 2. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, cease all practices and actions that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people, including the killing and injury of civilians, and that it respect human rights law and comply with its legal obligations in this regard; 3. Also demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply fully with the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 8 and cease immediately all measures and actions taken in violation and in breach of the Convention, including all of its settlement activities and the construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, which, inter alia, gravely and detrimentally impact the human rights of the Palestinian people; 4. Condemns all acts of violence, including all acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction, especially the excessive use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians, particularly in the Gaza Strip in the recent period, which have caused extensive loss of life and vast numbers of injuries, including among children, massive damage and destruction to homes, properties, vital infrastructure and public institutions, including hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities, and agricultural lands, and internal displacement of civilians; 5. Expresses grave concern at the firing of rockets against Israeli civilian areas resulting in loss of life and injury; 6. Reiterates its demand for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009); 7. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to comply strictly with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, with respect to the alteration of the character, status and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; 8. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with its legal obligations under international law, as mentioned in the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice 7 and as demanded in resolutions ES-10/15 of 20 July 2004 and ES-10/13 of 21 October 2003, and that it immediatel y cease the construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, dismantle forthwith the structure situated therein, repeal or render ineffective all legislative and regulatory acts relating thereto, and make reparation for all damage caused by the construction of the wall, which has gravel y impacted the human rights and the socio-economic living conditions of the Palestinian people;

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9. Reiterates the need for respect for the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and for guarantees of the freedom of movement of persons and goods within the Palestinian territory, including movement into and from East Jerusalem, into and from the Gaza Strip, and to and from the outside world; 10. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease its imposition of prolonged closures and economic and movement restrictions, including those amounting to a blockade on the Gaza Strip, and, in this regard, to fully implement the Agreement on Movement and Access and the Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing, both of 15 November 2005; 11. Urges Member States to continue to provide emergency assistance to the Palestinian people to alleviate the financial crisis and the dire socio-economic and humanitarian situation, particularly in the Gaza Strip; 12. Emphasizes the need to preserve and develop the Palestinian institutions and infrastructure for the provision of vital public services to the Palestinian civilian population and the promotion of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights; 13. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution. 62nd plenary meeting 10 December 2009

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