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UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 3331

(December 17, 1974)

A

The General Assembly,

  Recalling its resolution 3089 B (XXVIII) of 7 December 1973 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 1973 to 30 June 1974,1/

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 has been 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 of that paragraph and to report as appropriate, but no later than 1 October 1975;

4. Directs attention to the unprecedented seriousness of the 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 which met the serious budget deficit of the past year, this increased level of income to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East will fall short of the funds needed to cover essential budget requirements in the coming year;

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;

7. Decides to extend until 30 June 1978, without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 194 (III), the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

B

The General Assembly,

Having recognized the continuing responsibility of the United Nations towards the Palestine refugees by extending the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East for a further period of three years from 1 July 1975,

Noting that in the critical financial situation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East the financing from voluntary contributions of the expenses for salary of international staff employed by the Agency limits the amount available for local costs,

Noting also that international staff are made available to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization on a non-reimbursable basis,

Decides that the expenses for salaries of international staff in the service of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East which would otherwise be a charge on voluntary contributions should with effect from 1 January 1975 be financed by the regular budget of the United Nations for the duration of the Agency's mandate.

C

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, 2792 B (XXVI) of 6 December 1971, 2963 B (XXVII) of 13 December 1972 and 3089 A (XXVIII) of 7 December 1973,

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 1973 to 30 June 1974,

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), 2792 B (XXVI), 2963 B (XXVII) and 3089 A (XXVIII);

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, 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.

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, 2792 E (XXVI) of 6 December 1971, 2963 C and D (XXVII) of 13 December 1972 and 3089 C (XXVIII) of 7 December 1973,

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

Having considered the report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East 1/ and the report of the Secretary-General of 17 September 1974,2/

Noting that the Israeli occupation authorities have persisted in adopting measures that obstruct the return of the displaced population to their homes and camps in the occupied territories--including changes in the physical and demographic structure of the occupied territories, by the displacement of inhabitants, the transfer of population, the destruction of towns, villages and homes, and the establishment of Israeli settlements--in violation of the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,3/ as well as the pertinent United Nations resolutions,

Reaffirming that it considers those measures null and void,

Noting also that the Israeli armed forces have repeatedly attacked refugee camps and that those raids have resulted in heavy loss of life and extensive damage to refugee shelters and installations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East,

1. Reaffirms the right of the displaced inhabitants to return to their homes and camps and deplores the refusal of the Israeli authorities to take steps for their return;

2. Calls once more upon Israel immediately:

(a) To take steps for the return of the displaced inhabitants;

(b) To desist from all measures that obstruct the return of the displaced inhabitants, including measures affecting the physical and demographic structure of the occupied territories;

3. Reiterates its call upon Israel immediately:

(a) To take effective steps for the return of the refugees concerned to the camps from which they were removed in the Gaza Strip and to provide adequate shelters for their accommodation;

(b) To desist from further removal of refugees and destruction of their shelters;

4. Deplores Israeli military attacks on refugee camps and calls upon Israel immediately to desist from such attacks;

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 thirtieth session of the General Assembly, on Israel's compliance with and implementation of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of the present resolution.


* * *


1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 13 (A/9613).

2/ Ibid., Twenty-ninth Session, Annexes, agenda item 38, document A/9740.

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


Sources: The United Nations