11 January 2002 (A/ES-10/137-S/2002/39)
Letter sent by Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa, Ambassador and Permanent
Observer of Palestine to the U.N., to the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, the President of the Security Council, and the President of the
General Assembly: (Israeli Demolitions of Palestinian homes in
Rafah)
Israel, the occupying Power, continues with its bloody
military campaign against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, including Jerusalem, committing yet additional war crimes and State
terrorism. Pre-dawn yesterday, 10 January 2002 (Palestine time), approximately
a dozen Israeli tanks accompanied by bulldozers entered into Rafah refugee
camp in Gaza demolishing and seriously damaging homes belonging to Palestinian
families. According to United Nations officials, 54 homes were completely
destroyed leaving over 500 Palestinians homeless. The United Nations Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports that
nearly 200 homes have been demolished in repeated incursions into Rafah
refugee camp during past months. In the early morning hours of today
(Palestine time), Israeli bulldozers tore apart, for the second time, the
runway of Gaza International Airport. Furthermore, during the past forty-eight
hours, Israeli occupying forces and special units raided several Palestinian
homes and locations abducting a number of Palestinians.
We hold Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his government fully
responsible for the above-mentioned and other actions, especially those
constituting war crimes and State terrorism, committed against the Palestinian
people. These actions indicate even further, that the government of Ariel
Sharon wants to ensure the failure of any attempt to end the violence and
destroy any potential for real peace in the Middle East
In follow up to my previous 88 letters to you regarding the
ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem,
dated from 29 September 2000 to 9 January 2002 (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/ES-10/42-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; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154;
A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51- S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1206;
A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33;
A/ES-10/56-S/2001/50; A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131;
A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156; A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175;
A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209; A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226;
A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255; A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284;
A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314;
A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372;
A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447;
A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479;
A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504;
A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508; A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586;
A/ES-10/91-S/2001/605; A/ES-10/92-S/2001/629; A/ES-10/93-S/2001/657;
A/ES-10/94-S/2001/669; A/ES-10/95-S/2001/686; A/ES-10/96-S/2001/697;
A/ES-10/97 S/2001/708; A/ES-10/98-S/2001/717; A/ES-10/99S/2001/742;
A/ES-10/100; S/2001/754;A/ES10/101-S/2001/783;A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785;
A/ES-10/103-S/2001/798; A/ES10/104-S/2001/812; A/ES-10/105-S/2001/814;
A/ES-10/107-S/2001/821; A/ES-10/108-S/2001/826; A/ES-10/111-S/2001/880;
A/ES-10/112-S/2001/918; A/ES-10/114-S/2001/928; A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932;
A/ES-10/116-S/2001/941; A/ES-10/117-S/2001/971 A/ES-10/118-S/2001/989;
A/ES-10/119-S/2001/991; A/ES-10/121-S/2001/1007, A/ES-10/122-S/2001/1024;
A/ES-10/123-S/2001/1036; A/ES-10/124-S/2001/1084; A/ES-10/125-S/2001/1092;
A/ES-10/126-S/2001/1118; A/ES-10/128-S/2001/1149; A/ES-10/129-S/2001/1166;
A/ES-10/133-S/2000/1239; A/ES-10/134-S/2001/126; A/ES-10/136-S/2002/18 and
A/ES-10/137-S/2001/ 39).