16 March 2001 (A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239)
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: (Siege of Occupied Palestinian Territory & Security
Council)
As the Security Council continues to debate the deteriorating
situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the
call for the establishment of a United Nations observer force to protect
Palestinian civilians, several more Palestinian martyrs have died as a result
of the lethal force and brutal practices of the Israeli occupying forces. In
the past few days, three Palestinian civilians have been shot and killed by
the occupying forces, while two others have died as a result of Israel’s
ongoing closure of the Occupied Territory, which has prevented civilians from
reaching hospitals in emergency situations.
Despite its so-called ‘easing’ of the siege, Israel, the
occupying Power, continues its intense siege of the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, dividing the territory and isolating the Palestinian people from
each other and from the outside world. This siege has severely restricted the
movement of persons and goods throughout the Occupied Territory. As a result
of such measures, Palestinian civilians have been prevented from access to
proper medical care, food, education, and their jobs. The closures have
seriously impacted all sectors of Palestinian society and every aspect of
Palestinian life, with a critically debilitating impact on the Palestinian
economy.
At the same time, the Israeli occupying forces continue to
carry out other brutal practices and destruction of infrastructure throughout
the Occupied Territory. In a dangerous incident yesterday, 15 March, in the
Palestinian city of Al-Khalil (Hebron), which has been under a continuous
siege for months, Israeli troops threw a stun grenade into the courtyard of a
school, burning and injuring several Palestinian children. At least six
children suffered burns to the hands, neck, and back. The school is located
near an illegal Israeli settlement in the city, where 400 fanatic settlers
live and continue to cause tension, hardship and misery for the over 120,000
Palestinian civilians who live in Al-Khalil.
In follow-up to my previous letters to you on this very
serious matter, which date from 29 September 2000 to 12 March 2001
(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/2000/131; A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156; A/ES-10/60-S/2000/175;
A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209; and A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226), I
regret to inform you that the total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by
the Israeli occupying forces since September has risen to 376 persons. (The
names of the martyrs since my last letter to you on 12 March 2001 are
contained in the annex to the present letter.) In addition, as noted above,
two Palestinians have died as a result of being prevented by Israeli soldiers
from reaching hospitals, while many other Palestinian civilians have been
seriously injured as a result of the excessive use of force by the Israeli
army and the perpetual violence of Israeli settlers.
Your Excellency, at this critical time, we reaffirm that the
international community has a duty to bring all illegal actions by Israel, the
occupying Power, to an end, including the cessation of the excessive use of
force by the occupying forces against Palestinian civilians and the total
lifting of the siege and not just a so-called easing of these measures. We
reiterate our call to the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility by
taking the necessary measures in this regard, including the establishment of a
United Nations observer force to contribute in providing protection for the
Palestinian civilians and in bringing stability to the area.
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Names of Martyrs killed by Israeli security forces
in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem
(Tuesday, 13 March 2001 through Friday, 16 March 2001)
Wednesday, 14 March 2001
- Ahmed Salem Banar (18 years old)
Thursday, 15 March 2001
- Murtaja Amer (17 years old)
Friday, 16 March 2001
- Jouma’a Abu Aun (17 years old)
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Names of Martyrs who died as a result of closure measures
by Israel, the occupying Power
Tuesday, 13 March 2001
Naeem Jamieh (prevented by Israeli roadblock from reaching
hospital - heart attack)
Wednesday, 14 March 2001
Amira Nasser Abu Saif (prevented by Israeli roadblock from
reaching hospital - complications from diabetes)