Resolution 59/120
(December 10, 2004)
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December
1948, 36/146 C of 16 December 1981 and all its subsequent resolutions
on the question, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General
submitted in pursuance of its resolution 58/94 of 9 December 2003,1
Taking note also of the report of the United Nations
Conciliation Commission for Palestine for the period from 1 September
2003 to 31 August 2004,2 Recalling that the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights3 and the principles of international law uphold the principle
that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property,
Recalling in particular its resolution 394 (V) of 14
December 1950, in which it directed the Conciliation Commission, in
consultation with the parties concerned, to prescribe measures for the
protection of the rights, property and interests of the Palestine refugees,
Noting the completion of the programme of identification
and evaluation of Arab property, as announced by the Conciliation Commission
in its twenty-second progress report,4 and the fact that the Land Office
had a schedule of Arab owners and file of documents defining the location,
area and other particulars of Arab property,
Expressing its appreciation for the work done to preserve
and modernize the existing records, including the land records, of the
Conciliation Commission and the importance of such records for a just
resolution of the plight of the Palestine refugees in conformity with
resolution 194 (III),
Recalling that, within the framework of the Middle
East peace process, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Government
of Israel agreed, in the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements of 13 September 1993, 5 to commence negotiations on permanent
status issues, including the important issue of the refugees,
1. Reaffirms that the Palestine refugees are entitled
to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity
with the principles of equity and justice;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to take all appropriate
steps, in consultation with the United Nations Conciliation Commission
for Palestine, for the protection of Arab property, assets and property
rights in Israel;
3. Calls once again upon Israel to render all facilities
and assistance to the Secretary-General in the implementation of the
present resolution;
4. Calls upon all the parties concerned to provide
the Secretary-General with any pertinent information in their possession
concerning Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel that
would assist him in the implementation of the present resolution;
5. Urges the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as agreed
between them, to deal with the important issue of Palestine refugees’
properties and their revenues within the framework of the final status
negotiations of the Middle East peace process;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the
General Assembly at its sixtieth session on the implementation of the
present resolution.
71st plenary meeting
10 December 2004
_______________
1 A/59/279.
2 A/59/260, annex.
3 Resolution 217 A (III).
4 Official Records of the General Assembly, Nineteenth
Session, Annexes, Annex No. 11, document A/5700.
5 A/48/486-S/26560, annex.
Sources: The United Nations |