Palestine & The U.N. in Retrospect
The Nineties
(Part 6 of 6)
This is the sixth in a
series of six articles, appearing chronologically by decade, looking back at the most
important events related to the question of Palestine that have taken place at the United
Nations since the inception of the organization in 1945.
- On 25 May 1990, the Security Council meets in Geneva, with Chairman Yasser Arafat in
attendance, after the U.S. refuses to grant him a visa to attend the meeting in New York.
The Security Council holds the debate on the situation in the occupied territories, and on
31 May 1990, in a meeting in New York, a draft resolution is vetoed by the U.S.
- On 12 October 1990, the Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 672, condemning
the acts of violence committed by Israeli security forces on 8 October 1990 at Al-Haram
Al-Sharif in Jerusalem and requesting the Secretary-General to send a mission to the
region. During the debate, the Palestinian delegation shows a video tape documenting the
Israeli aggression.
- On 24 October 1990, the Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 673, deploring
the refusal of the Israeli government to receive the mission of the Secretary-General and
urging it to comply with resolution 672 (1990).
- During the 45th Session of the General Assembly, no vote is taken on the
report of the Credentials Committee as required by the rules of procedures. This was a
compromise reached by the President of the General Assembly in light of a proposed
amendment to the resolution on the report of the Credentials Committee, indicating that
"the credentials of the delegation of Israel do not relate to or cover the
Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;
and the Syrian Golan."
- On 28 November 1990, the General Assembly once more adopts resolution 45/37, calling
upon all states concerned to accord the delegations of national liberation movements
recognized by the Organization of African Unity and /or by the League of Arab States, the
facilities, privileges and immunities necessary for the performance of their functions, in
accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on the Representation of States in
their Relations with International Organizations of a Universal Character.
- On 4 December 1990, the General Assembly adopts resolution 45/52 calling upon all
countries of the Middle East to place their nuclear activities under International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards; and in its resolution 45/63 the General Assembly condemns
Israels refusal to renounce any possession of nuclear weapons, and calls upon all
states to end aid to Israel in this field. *
- The General Assembly adopts resolutions 45/67 A,B,C on 6 December 1990 on the Question
of Palestine, endorsing the recommendations of the Committee on the Exercise of the
Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and requesting continuation of the work of
the Division for Palestinian Rights and the special information program on the question of
Palestine. Under the same agenda item, the General Assembly adopts a resolution calling
for the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East under the
auspices of the United Nations, and a resolution on the intifada, the uprising of
the Palestinian people. *
- On 11 December 1990, the General Assembly adopts resolutions 45/73 A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K
on UNRWA. The resolutions respectively call for contributions to UNRWA and endorse
assistance to Palestine refugees; call upon Israel to permit the return of displaced
Palestinians and to remove obstacles to the establishment of Al-Quds University for
Palestinian refugees; request the Secretary-General to take appropriate steps for the
protection and administration of Arab refugee property, assets and property rights; and
condemn Israeli raids on UNRWA premises, as well as Israeli policies against Palestinian
educational institutions. *
- The General Assembly adopts resolutions 45/74 A,B,C,D,E,F,G on 11 December 1990 on
Israeli practices affecting human rights in the occupied territories, condemning the
continued and persistent violation by Israel of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to
the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949; reaffirming the
applicability of the Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including
Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied since 1967; condemning Israels
policies of settlements and annexation in the occupied territories, as well as its
measures against civil and educational freedom there, and for its expulsion of Palestinian
leaders. *
- On 13 December 1990, the General Assembly adopts resolutions 45/83 A,B,C on the
situation in the Middle East. The three resolutions consist of an omnibus resolution on
the Middle East, a resolution on the Syrian Golan and a third on the status of occupied
Jerusalem. *
- On 20 December 1990, the Security Council, after lengthy discussions and maneuvering,
adopts resolution 681, on ways and means of ensuring the safety and protection of the
Palestinian civilians under Israeli occupation: urging the government of Israel to accept
the de jure applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and calls upon the High
Contracting Parties to the Convention to ensure respect by Israel, for its obligations
under the Convention in accordance with article 1 thereof. The resolution also requests
the Secretary-General to develop further the idea of convening a conference for the High
Contracting Parties of the Convention, deplores Israels decision to resume
deportation of Palestinian civilians from the occupied territories and requests the
Secretary-General to present periodic reports on the situation. In the resolution the
Council took into consideration the Presidential Statement of the same date, in which the
Council first agreed upon the idea of an international peace conference on the Middle
East, appropriately timed and properly structured.
- On 21 December 1990, the General Assembly adopts resolution 45/183, requesting the
international community to provide assistance to the Palestinian people in cooperation
with the Palestine Liberation Organization. *
- On 24 May 1991, the Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 694, deploring
Israels deportation of Palestinians and declaring that this action is in violation
of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.
- In October 1991, the Middle East Peace Conference convenes in Madrid. This development
is welcomed by the 46th Session of the General Assembly. At the same time, the
package of resolutions related to the issue of Palestine are retained almost intact, while
the resolution on the Syrian Golan is not presented during this session, and the omnibus
resolution on the situation in the Middle East is dropped.
- On 16 December 1991, the General Assembly adopts resolution 46/86, revoking the
determination in General Assembly resolution 3379 (XXX) of 10 November 1975. (The latter
resolution had determined Zionism to be a form of racism and racial discrimination.)
- On 6 January 1992, the Security Council adopts resolution 726, condemning the decision
by Israel to deport twelve Palestinian civilians from the occupied Palestinian
territories.
- On 18 December 1992, the Security Council adopts resolution 799, strongly condemning the
deportation by Israel of hundreds of Palestinian civilians, and affirming that the
deportation of civilians constitutes a contravention of Israels obligations under
the Fourth Geneva Convention. The Council demands that Israel, the occupying Power, ensure
the safe and immediate return to the occupied territories of all those deported.
- On 22 December 1992, the General Assembly adopts resolution 47/172 on the economic and
social repercussions of Israeli settlements on the Palestinian people in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population of the occupied Syrian
Golan. *
- On 14 September 1993, Chairman Arafat visits the U.N. to meet with the Secretary-General
to brief him about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the signing of the
Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements at the White House a day
earlier.
- During the 48th Session, the package of resolutions related to the Question
of Palestine undergoes several changes, including the combination of some of them and a
general revision of their language. All relevant agenda items are retained, as are
positions on all basic issues, the two Committees and the necessary budgetary allocations.
Also during that session the resolution on the Middle East peace conference under the
agenda item of the Question of Palestine is transformed into a resolution entitled
"Peaceful settlement of the Question of Palestine". The vote on this resolution
and the package as a whole rises dramatically, with the European countries casting
positive votes. The U.S., in cooperation with Norway and the Russian Federation,
introduces a new resolution in support of the Middle East peace process, and the
resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people is adopted by consensus. The report of
the Credentials Committee is voted upon according to normal procedures.
- On 10 December 1993, the General Assembly adopts decision 48/417, establishing a working
relationship between the Advisory Commission of UNRWA and the Palestine Liberation
Organization.
- On 18 March 1994, the Security Council adopts resolution 904, strongly condemning the
massacre in Al-Khalil (Hebron) committed against Palestinian worshipers in Al-Haram
Al-Ibrahimi (Mosque of Ibrahim) on 25 February 1994 during the holy month of Ramadan;
calling upon Israel, the occupying Power, to take and implement measures to prevent
illegal acts of violence by Israeli settlers including the confiscation of arms; and
calling for measures to guarantee the safety and protection of Palestinian civilians,
including a temporary international or foreign presence within the context of the peace
process. (The U.S. sought a rare procedure of a paragraph-by-paragraph vote and the
resolution as a whole was adopted without a vote.)
- On 25 May 1994, the Secretary-General appoints Ambassador Terje Larsen of Norway as
Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories to ensure coordination of the work of the
agencies of the United Nations involved in providing assistance to the Palestinian people.
- On 2 December 1994, the General Assembly adopts resolution 49/21 B on special economic
assistance to individual countries or regions, requesting the Secretary-General to
designate a United Nations agency to disburse the voluntary contributions given by donors
for salaries and other start-up costs of the Palestinian police force. On 13 April 1995,
the General Assembly adopts resolution 49/21 O, requesting the Secretary-General to
designate UNRWA once again to disburse the contributions.
- On 23 December 1994, the General Assembly adopts resolution 49/149, reaffirming the
right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and urging all states, specialized
agencies and organizations of the United Nations system to continue to support the
Palestinian people in their quest for self-determination.
- In October 1995, the United Nations convenes a Special Commemorative Meeting on the
Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations. In resolution 49/12 B
of 24 May 1995, the Preparatory Committee and the General Assembly decide that the same
arrangements extended to member states with regard to participation in the commemoration
will be extended to Palestine in its capacity as observer (in addition to Switzerland and
the Holy See). As a result, for the duration of the Special Commemorative Meeting,
Palestine is treated as a member state. President Arafat attends the meeting and addresses
the General Assembly during its first session before the Foreign Ministers of member
states who spoke in that session.
- On 28 September 1996, the Security Council adopts resolution 1073 on the action by the
Government of Israel to open an entrance to a tunnel in the vicinity of Al-Haram Al-Sharif
in Jerusalem. The resolution calls for the immediate cessation and reversal of all acts
which resulted in the aggravation of the situation, and also calls for ensuring the safety
and protection of the Palestinian people and for the timely implementation of agreements
reached.
- On 13 December 1996, the General Assembly adopts an additional resolution 51/133 on the
Israeli settlements, reaffirming that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory,
including Jerusalem, and in the Syrian Golan are illegal and an obstacle to peace and
economic and social development and demanding complete cessation of all Israeli settlement
activities.
- On 16 December 1996, the General Assembly adopts an additional resolution 51/190 on the
Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their
natural resources. The resolution reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people and the
population of the Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land and water, and
recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any
exploitation, loss or depletion of their natural resources.
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