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UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 2963

(December 13, 1972)

A

The General Assembly

Recalling its resolution 2792 A (XXVI) of 6 December 1971 and all previous resolutions referred to therein, including resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948,

Taking note of the annual report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, covering the period from 1 July 1971 to 30 June 1972,1/

Taking note also of the appeal made by the Secretary-General on 20 March 1972,2/

1. Notes with deep regret that repatriation or compensation of the refugees as provided for in paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 194 (III) has not been effected, that no substantial progress has been made in the programme endorsed by the Assembly in paragraph 2 of resolution 513 (VI) of 26 January 1952 for the reintegration of refugees either by repatriation or resettlement and that, therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to be a matter of serious concern;

2. Expresses its thanks to the Commissioner-General and to the staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East for their continued faithful efforts to provide essential services for the Palestine refugees, and to the specialized agencies and private organizations for their valuable work in assisting the refugees;

3. Notes with regret that the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine was unable to find a means of achieving progress in the implementation of paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 194 (III) and requests the Commission to exert continued efforts towards the implementation thereof and to report thereon as appropriate, but no later than 1 October 1973;

4. Directs attention to the continuing critical financial position of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as outlined in the Commissioner-General's report;

5. Notes with concern that, despite the commendable and successful efforts of the Commissioner-General to collect additional contributions to help relieve the serious budget deficit of the past year, contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East continue to fall short of the funds needed to cover essential budget requirements;

6. Calls upon all Governments as a matter of urgency to make the most generous efforts possible to meet the anticipated needs of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, particularly in the light of the budgetary deficit projected in the Commissioner-General's report, and therefore urges non-contributing Governments to contribute and contributing Governments to consider increasing their contributions.

B

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 2252 (ES-V) of 4 July 1967, 2341 B (XXII) of 19 December 1967, 2452 C (XXIII) of 19 December 1968, 2535 C (XXIV) of 10 December 1969, 2672 B (XXV) of 8 December 1970 and 2792 B (XXVI) of 6 December 1971,

Taking note of the annual report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, covering the period from 1 July 1971 to 30 June 1972,3/

Taking note also of the appeal made by the Secretary- General on 20 March 1972,4/

Concerned about the continued human suffering resulting from the June 1967 hostilities in the Middle East,

1 . Reaffirms its resolutions 2252 (ES-V), 2341 B (XXII), 2452 C (XXIII), 2535 C (XXIV), 2672 B (XXV) and 2792 B (XXVI);

2. Endorses, bearing in mind the objectives of those resolutions, the efforts of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East to continue to provide humanitarian assistance, as far as practicable, on an emergency basis and as a temporary measure, to other persons in the area who are at present displaced and in serious need of continued assistance as a result of the June 1967 hostilities;

3. Strongly appeals to all Governments and to organizations and individuals to contribute generously for the above purposes to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and to the other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned.

C

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 15 September 1972 5/ regarding the effect on the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip of the continued Israeli policies and measures in the Strip,

Noting that both the Secretary-General and the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East have expressed great concern about the effect on Palestine refugees of these operations in which shelters in refugee camps were demolished and thousands of persons displaced, some of them to places outside the Gaza Strip,

Noting with regret the failure of Israel to comply with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 2792 C (XXVI) of 6 December 1971,

Deeply concerned at the continued measures by Israel which prejudice the rights of the population and the demographic composition and the status of the Gaza Strip,

1. Declares that such measures involving the physical and demographic structure of the Gaza Strip, including the destruction of refugee shelters and the forcible transfer of population, contravene the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,6/ as well as paragraph 7 of General Assembly resolution 2675 (XXV) of 9 December 1970, entitled "Basic principles for the protection of civilian populations in armed conflicts";

2. Strongly deplores these actions by Israel;

3. Calls upon Israel to desist forthwith from all measures that affect the physical structure and the demographic composition of the Gaza Strip;

4. Calls upon Israel to take immediate and effective steps for the return of the refugees concerned to the camps from which they were removed and to provide adequate shelters for their accommodation;

5. Requests the Secretary-General, after consulting with the Commissioner- General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to report as soon as possible and whenever appropriate thereafter, but in any case not later than the opening date of the twenty-eighth session of the General Assembly, on Israel's compliance with and implementation of the present resolution.

 

D

The General Assembly,

Recalling Security Council resolution 237 (1967) of 14 June 1967,

Recalling also its resolutions 2252 (ES-V) of 4 July 1967, 2452 A (XXIII) of 19 December 1968, 2535 B (XXIV) of 10 December 1969, 2672 D (XXV) of 8 December 1970 and 2792 E (XXVI) of 6 December 1971, calling upon the Government of Israel to take effective and immediate steps for the return without delay of those inhabitants who had fled the areas since the outbreak of hostilities,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 13 September 1972 7/ concerning the implementation of resolution 2792 E (XXVI),

Noting that the Israeli occupation authorities have persisted in changing the physical, geographic and demographic structure of the occupied territories, by the displacement of inhabitants, the destruction of towns, villages and homes, and the establishment of settlements in violation of the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,8/ as well as the pertinent United Nations resolutions,

Gravely concerned about the plight of the displaced inhabitants,

Convinced that the plight of the displaced inhabitants could be relieved only by their speedy return to their homes and to the camps which they formerly occupied,

Emphasizing the necessity of full implementation of the above-mentioned resolutions;

1. Affirms the right of the displaced inhabitants to return to their homes and camps;

2. Considers that the plight of the displaced inhabitants continues since they have not yet returned to their homes and camps;

3. Expresses its grave concern over the failure of the Israeli authorities to take steps for the return of the displaced inhabitants in accordance with the above-mentioned resolutions;

4. Calls once more upon Israel immediately to take steps for the return of the displaced inhabitants;

5. Calls again upon Israel to desist forthwith from all measures affecting the physical, geographic and demographic structure of the occupied territories;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the implementation of the present resolution and to report in detail thereon to the General Assembly.

E

The General Assembly,

Recognizing that the problem of the Palestinian Arab refugees has arisen from the denial of their inalienable rights under the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Recalling its resolution 2535 B (XXIV) of 10 December 1969, in which it reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine, its resolutions 2672 C (XXV) of 8 December 1970 and 2792 D (XXVI) of 6 December 1971, in which it recognized that the people of Palestine are entitled to equal rights and self determination in accordance with the Charter, and its resolutions 2649 (XXV) of 30 November 1970 and 2787 (XXVI) of 6 December 1971, in which it recognized that the people of Palestine are entitled to the right of self-determination,

Bearing in mind the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples enshrined in Articles 1 and 55 of the Charter and more recently reaffirmed in the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations 9/ and in the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security,10/

1. Affirms that the people of Palestine are entitled to equal rights and self-determination, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;

2. Expresses once more its grave concern that the people of Palestine have not been permitted to enjoy their inalienable rights and to exercise their right to self-determination;

3. Recognizes that full respect for and realization of the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine are indispensable for the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

F

The General Assembly,

Having noted that the present membership of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, established pursuant to its resolutions 302 (IV) of 8 December 1953, is composed of Belgium, Egypt, France, Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America,

Noting further that it is in the general interest that other contributing countries join the advisory Commission,

Decides to include Japan in the membership of the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

____________________

1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 13 (A/8713 and Corr.1 and 2).

2/ A/8672.

3/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 13 (A/8713 and Corr.1 and 2).

4/ A/8672.

5/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Annexes, agenda item 40, document A/8814.

6/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973, p. 287.

7/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-seventh Session, Annexes, agenda item 40, document A/8786.

8/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, No. 973, p. 287.

9/ Resolution 2625 (XXV), annex.

10/ Resolution 2734 (XXV).

 


Sources: The United Nations