Resolution 58/113
(December 12, 2003)
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 57/147 of 16 December
2002, as well as previous resolutions on the question,
Recalling also the signing of the Declaration
of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements in Washington,
D.C., on 13 September 1993, by the Government of the State of Israel
and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the
Palestinian people, 1/ and the subsequent implementation agreements
concluded by the two sides,
Gravely concerned at the deterioration in the
living conditions of the Palestinian people throughout the occupied
territory, which constitutes a mounting humanitarian crisis,
Conscious of the urgent need for improvement
in the economic and social infrastructure of the occupied territory,
Aware that development is difficult under occupation
and is best promoted in circumstances of peace and stability,
Noting the great economic and social challenges
facing the Palestinian people and their leadership,
Conscious of the urgent necessity for international
assistance to the Palestinian people, taking into account the Palestinian
priorities,
Welcoming the results of the Conference to Support
Middle East Peace, convened in Washington, D.C., on 1 October 1993,
the establishment of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee and the work being
done by the World Bank as its secretariat and the establishment of the
Consultative Group, as well as all follow-up meetings and international
mechanisms established to provide assistance to the Palestinian people,
Welcoming also the work of the Joint Liaison
Committee, which provides a forum in which economic policy and practical
matters related to donor assistance are discussed with the Palestinian
Authority,
Stressing the continued importance of the work
of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in the coordination of assistance to
the Palestinian people,
Noting the convening of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee
meeting, held in London on 18 and 19 February 2003, to review the state
of the Palestinian economy,
Stressing the need for the full engagement of
the United Nations in the process of building Palestinian institutions
and in providing broad assistance to the Palestinian people, and welcoming
in this regard the support to the Palestinian Authority by the Task
Force on Palestinian Reform established by the Quartet in 2002,
Noting in this regard the active participation
of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace
Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the
Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority in the
activities of the Special Envoys of the Quartet,
Welcoming the endorsement by the Security Council,
in its resolution 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003, of the performance-based
road map to a permanent two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, 2/ and stressing the need for its implementation and
compliance with its provisions,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General,3
Expressing grave concern at the continuation
of the recent tragic and violent events that have led to many deaths
and injuries,
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 3/
2. Also takes note of the report of the Personal
Humanitarian Envoy of the Secretary-General on the humanitarian conditions
and needs of the Palestinian people; 4/
3. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General
for his rapid response and efforts regarding assistance to the Palestinian
people;
4. Also expresses its appreciation to the Member
States, United Nations bodies and intergovernmental, regional and non-governmental
organizations that have provided and continue to provide assistance
to the Palestinian people;
5. Stresses the importance of the work of the
United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine
Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority and of the steps
taken under the auspices of the Secretary-General to ensure the achievement
of a coordinated mechanism for United Nations activities throughout
the occupied territories;
6. Urges Member States, international financial
institutions of the United Nations system, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and regional and interregional organizations to extend,
as rapidly and as generously as possible, economic and social assistance
to the Palestinian people, in close cooperation with the Palestine Liberation
Organization and through official Palestinian institutions;
7. Calls upon relevant organizations and agencies
of the United Nations system to intensify their assistance in response
to the urgent needs of the Palestinian people in accordance with Palestinian
priorities set forth by the Palestinian Authority;
8. Urges Member States to open their markets
to exports of Palestinian products on the most favourable terms, consistent
with appropriate trading rules, and to implement fully existing trade
and cooperation agreements;
9. Calls upon the international donor community
to expedite the delivery of pledged assistance to the Palestinian people
to meet their urgent needs;
10. Stresses in this context the importance
of ensuring the free passage of aid to the Palestinian people and the
free movement of persons and goods;
11. Urges the international donor community,
United Nations agencies and organizations and non-governmental organizations
to extend as rapidly as possible emergency economic and humanitarian
assistance to the Palestinian people to counter the impact of the current
crisis;
12. Stresses the need to implement the Paris
Protocol on Economic Relations of 29 April 1994, fifth annex to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip, signed in Washington, D.C., on 28 September 1995, 5/ in
particular with regard to the full and prompt clearance of Palestinian
indirect tax revenues, and welcomes the progress made in this regard;
13. Suggests the convening in 2004 of a United
Nations-sponsored seminar on assistance to the Palestinian people;
14. Requests the Secretary-General to submit
a report to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session, through
the Economic and Social Council, on the implementation of the present
resolution, containing:
(a) An assessment of the assistance actually received
by the Palestinian people;
(b) An assessment of the needs still unmet and specific
proposals for responding effectively to them;
15. Decides to include in the provisional agenda
of its fifty-ninth session the sub-item entitled "Assistance to the
Palestinian people".
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1/ A/48/486-S/26560, annex.
2/ See S/2003/529, annex.
3/ A/58/88 and Corr. 1-E/2003/84 and Corr.1.
4/ Available on the Internet at http://domino.un.org/bertini_
rpt.htm.
5/ A/51/889-S/1997/357, annex.
Sources: The United Nations |