Resolution 58/93
(December 17, 2003)
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 212 (III) of 19 November
1948, 302(IV) of 8 December 1949 and all subsequent related resolutions,
including resolution 57/121 of 11 December 2002,
Recalling
also the relevant Security Council
resolutions,
Having considered the 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 2002 to 30 June 2003, 1
Taking note of the letter dated 25 September 2003 from the Chairperson of the Advisory
Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East addressed to the Commissioner-General, 2
Deeply
concerned about the continuing
critical financial situation of the Agency and its effect on the continuing
provision of necessary Agency services to the Palestine refugees, including
its emergency-related programmes and its development programmes,
Recalling Articles
100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention
on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 3
Affirming the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection
of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, 4 to the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem,
Aware of the continuing needs of Palestine refugees throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territory and in the other fields of operation, namely,
in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic,
Also
aware of the valuable work done
by the refugee affairs officers of the Agency in providing protection
to the Palestinian people, in particular Palestine refugees,
Gravely concerned about the increased suffering of the Palestine refugees, including the
loss of life, injury and destruction and damage to their shelters and
properties, during the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
including East Jerusalem,
Expressing grave concern about the continuing impact of the events that occurred in the Jenin
refugee camp in April 2002, including the loss of life, injury, destruction
and displacement inflicted on many of its civilian inhabitants,
Aware of the extraordinary efforts being undertaken by the Agency for the
repair and rebuilding of thousands of destroyed and damaged refugee
shelters,
Gravely
concerned about the safety of
the Agency's staff and about the damage caused to facilities of the
Agency as a result of Israeli military operations during the reporting
period,
Deploring the killing of six Agency staff members by the Israeli occupying forces
during the reporting period,
Expressing
deep concern about the continuing
policies of closure and severe restrictions, including the curfews,
that have been imposed on the movement of persons and goods throughout
the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and which
have had a grave impact on the socio-economic situation of the Palestine
refugees and have greatly contributed to the dire humanitarian crisis
facing the Palestinian people,
Deeply
concerned about the continuing
restrictions on the freedom of movement of the Agency staff, vehicles
and goods, including the harassment of personnel, which adversely affect
the ability of the Agency to provide its services, including its education,
health and relief and social services,
Recalling the signing, on 13 September 1993, of the Declaration of Principles
on Interim Self-Government Arrangements by the Government of Israel
and the Palestine Liberation Organization5 and the subsequent implementation agreements,
Aware of the agreement between the Agency and the Government of Israel,
Aware
also of the establishment of
a working relationship between the Advisory Commission of the Agency
and the Palestine Liberation Organization in accordance with General
Assembly decision 48/417 of 10 December 1993,
Taking note of the agreement reached on 24 June 1994, embodied in an exchange of
letters between the Agency and the Palestine Liberation Organization, 6
1. Expresses its appreciation to
the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as well as to all of the staff
of the Agency, for their tireless efforts and valuable work, particularly
in the light of the increasingly difficult conditions throughout the
past year;
2. Also
expresses its appreciation to
the Advisory Commission of the Agency, and requests it to continue its
efforts and to keep the General Assembly informed of its activities,
including the full implementation of decision 48/417;
3. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, 7 for its efforts to assist in ensuring the financial security of the
Agency, and requests the Secretary-General to provide the necessary
services and assistance to the Working Group for the conduct of its
work;
4. Commends the continuing efforts of the Commissioner-General to increase the budgetary
transparency and efficiency of the Agency, as reflected in the Agency's
programme budget for the biennium 2004-2005; 8
5. Acknowledges the support of the host Governments for the Agency in the discharge
of its duties;
6. Takes note of the functioning
of the headquarters of the Agency in Gaza City on the basis of the Headquarters
Agreement between the Agency and the Palestinian Authority;
7. Calls
upon Israel, the occupying Power,
to comply fully with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative
to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949; 4
8. Also
calls upon Israel to abide by
Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 3 with regard to the safety of the personnel of the Agency, the protection
of its institutions and the safeguarding of the security of its facilities
in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem;
9. Urges the Government of Israel to compensate the Agency for damage to its
property and facilities resulting from actions by the Israeli side,
particularly during the reporting period;
10. Calls
upon Israel particularly to
cease obstructing the movement of the personnel, vehicles and supplies
of the Agency and to cease the levying of extra fees and charges, which
have a detrimental effect on the Agency's operations;
11. Requests the Commissioner-General to
proceed with the issuance of identification cards for Palestine refugees
and their descendants in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
12. Affirms that the functioning
of the Agency remains essential in all fields of operation;
13. Notes the success of the Agency's
microfinance and microenterprise programme, and calls upon the Agency,
in close cooperation with the relevant agencies, to continue to contribute
towards the development of the economic and social stability of the
Palestine refugees;
14. Reiterates its request to the
Commissioner-General to proceed with the modernization of the archives
of the Agency through the Palestine Refugee Records Project, and to
indicate progress in his report to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth
session;
15. Reiterates its previous appeals to all States, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations
to continue and to augment the special allocations for grants and scholarships
for higher education to Palestine refugees in addition to their contributions
to the regular budget of the Agency and to contribute towards the establishment
of vocational training centres for Palestine refugees, and requests
the Agency to act as the recipient and trustee for the special allocations
for grants and scholarships;
16. Urges all States, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations
to continue and to increase their contributions to the Agency so as
to ease the ongoing financial constraints, exacerbated by the current
humanitarian situation on the ground, and to support the Agency's valuable
work in assistance to the Palestine refugees.
72nd plenary meeting
9 December 2003
Notes
1Official
Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-eighth Session, Supplement No.
13 and corrigendum and
addendum (A/58/13 and Corr.1 and Add.1).
2Ibid., Supplement No. 13 and corrigendum (A/58/13 and Corr.1), p. viii.
3Resolution
22 A (I).
4United
Nations, Treaty Series,
vol. 75, No. 973.
5A/48/486-S/26560,
annex.
6Official
Records of the General Assembly, Forty-ninth Session, Supplement No.
13 (A/49/13), annex I.
7A/58/450.
8Official
Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-eighth Session, Supplement No.
13, addendum (A/58/13/Add.1).
Sources: The United Nations |