Non-Aligned Movement Firm on Palestinian Issues
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) convened its XIIth Summit of Heads of
State or Government in Durban, South Africa from 29 August to 3 September 1998. The recent
Summit was particularly special because it was held for the first time ever in South
Africa after the dismantlement of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic
government in that country. The XIIth Summit of NAM was attended by many Heads of State or
Government, who expressed their high hopes that the Movement will play an even greater
role in the international arena in the future.
President Yasser Arafat attended the Summit and delivered a statement
as well. Among the many important issues addressed in his statement, President Arafat
stated the following:
"From this rostrum, I declare that the Israeli government bears
full responsibility for the comprehensive stagnation in the peace process and for the
uncontrollable chaos which will spread throughout the entire region if the peace march
stops."
"We, brothers and friends in our Movement, need more of your
support and assistance in this critical stage of our peoples heroic march, in order
to enable us to succeed in the 4th of May, 1999 historic decision, completing
our 1988 Declaration of an independent state of Palestine in the occupied territories
since 1967, which then received your support and recognition. God willing, this great
national project will succeed, since our people are determined to achieve their sacred
right to self-determination. The recent General Assembly resolution upgrading the
representation of Palestine in the United Nations, which was adopted overwhelmingly,
reaffirms once more the solid support of the international community for our legitimate
aspirations of freedom, independence and sovereignty. "
President Nelson Mandela of South Africa delivered a powerful opening
statement at the Summit, which included firm remarks concerning Palestine and the rights
of the Palestinian people. In this regard, President Mandela, stated the following:
"We remain gravely concerned about the situation in the Middle
East, especially the positions taken by the Netanyahu administration in Israel, which has
blocked progress towards a just and peaceful solution, including the formation of a
sovereign state of Palestine."
"The international community, and the United States in particular,
has a responsibility to ensure that this matter is addressed expeditiously. We should not
allow that the narrow, chauvinistic interests of the current administration in Israel
should succeed to block the prospect of a permanent and just peace throughout the Middle
East."
In general, the Summit adopted a strong position on Palestine and the
Middle East. The Final Communique adopted by the NAM Summit included an entire
section entitled "Palestine and the Middle East", which appeared under Chapter
II, Analysis of the International Situation. That section consisted of subsections on
Palestine, the Syrian Golan, Lebanon and the Middle East peace process. The following is
the text of the subsection on Palestine:
- The Heads of State or Government reiterated their traditional long-standing solidarity
with the Palestinian people, and noted that these days mark the 50th
Anniversary of the dispossession of the Palestinian people from their land, homes and
properties. They called for the implementation of all U.N. resolutions on the question of
Palestine including those related to Palestinian refugees. They reiterated their support
for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to return to
their homeland and to have their own independent State with Jerusalem as its capital, and
they reiterated their demand for the withdrawal of Israel, the occupying Power, from all
the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the other Arab territories
occupied since 1967.
- The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed their position on Occupied East Jerusalem,
the illegal Israeli settlements, and the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention of
1949 to all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. They demanded that
Israel, the occupying Power, implement relevant Security Council resolutions in this
regard and abide by its legal obligations. They reiterated their support for the
recommendations contained in the resolutions adopted during the Tenth Emergency Special
Session (ES-10/2, ES-10/3, ES-10/4 and ES-10/5) including, inter alia, the recommendation
to convene a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention on
measures to enforce the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including
Jerusalem, and to ensure its respect in fulfillment of their collective responsibility as
stipulated in common article 1 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
- The Heads of State or Government welcomed the adoption by the U.N. General Assembly of
Resolution 52/250 on the participation of Palestine in the work of the U.N. and expressed
confidence that Palestine will enjoy full membership in the U.N. in the near future,
preferably during the 53rd session of the General Assembly. They also
reiterated that Israeli representation in the work of the General Assembly must be in
conformity with international law, thus ensuring that Israeli credentials do not cover the
occupied territories since 1967, including Jerusalem.
- The Heads of State or Government strongly condemned the decision of the Government of
Israel on 21 June 1998 to take further steps to expand the jurisdiction and planned
boundaries of Jerusalem. In this regard, they highly appreciated the efforts deployed by
His Majesty Hassan II, King of Morocco, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee for the safeguard of
Jerusalem. They fully supported the content of the Final Communiqué and recommendations
adopted by the Committee at its XVII Session held in Casablanca on 29-30 July 1998.
- The Heads of State or Government expressed their deep concern over the current deadlock
of the Palestinian-Israeli track of the Middle East peace process as a result of the
policies of the Israeli Government, in violation of the existing agreements, including
settlement activities, repressive measures and economic suffocation of the Palestinian
people. In this regard, they condemned in particular the recent killing and wounding by
the Israeli army of scores of Palestinian civilians. They called for increasing efforts to
ensure compliance by Israel with the existing agreements and their timely implementation.
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