The Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people continues unabated. In the early morning hours of today, Israel used helicopter gunships to fire missiles at populated areas in the vicinity of Bethlehem. During the day, the Israeli occupying forces also used heavy machine guns and other kinds of weaponry against civilians in the same area. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces and illegal Israeli settlers prevented the movement of persons and goods, even in an area that is supposed to be under full Palestinian control. The Israeli side even went as far as opening a new road in that area to serve one of the illegal settlements in Gaza.

Furthermore, and in follow-up to my previous letters to you, dated 29 September to 28 November 2000 (A/55/432-S/2000/921; A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39-S/2000/1015; A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45-S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47-S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129), I regret to inform you that since my last letter, dated 28 November 2000, and until today, 16 more Palestinians have been killed, which brings the total number of deaths to 266 Palestinians. (The names of the 16 martyrs are annexed.) Scores of Palestinian civilians were also wounded during the same period, many of whom remain in critical condition.

With regard to the urgent issue of providing protection to the Palestinian civilians under the Israeli occupation and the efforts to establish a United Nations Monitoring Force, we welcome the step taken by the members of the NAM Caucus who are members of the Security Council to table a draft resolution in this regard. We call on the Security Council to expedite its consideration of this matter and to take the necessary steps in this regard as soon as possible. The establishment of a United Nations Monitoring Force will definitely save lives and make the situation on the ground better, and will thus enhance the potential for peace in the region.