The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the resolutions of its tenth emergency special session,
namely, ES-10/2 of 25 April 1997, ES-10/3 of 15 July 1997, ES-10/4 of 13
November 1997 and ES-10/5 of 17 March 1998,
Determined to uphold the purposes and principles embodied in the
Charter of the United Nations, international humanitarian law and all other
instruments of international law, as well as relevant General Assembly and
Security Council resolutions,
Reiterating the permanent responsibility of the United Nations
towards the question of Palestine until it is solved in all its aspects,
Aware that Israel, the occupying Power, has not heeded the demands
made in the resolutions of the tenth emergency special session and that it
continues to carry out illegal actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the
rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular settlement
activity, including the construction of the new Israeli settlement at Jebel
Abu Ghneim, the building of other new settlements and the expansion of
existing settlements, the construction of bypass roads and the confiscation
of lands,
Reaffirming that all illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East
Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially
settlement activities and the practical results thereof, remain contrary to
international law and cannot be recognized, irrespective of the passage of
time,
Expressing its appreciation to the Government of Switzerland,
in its capacity as depositary of the four Geneva Conventions, 1/ and
to the International Committee of the Red Cross for their efforts to uphold
the integrity of the Conventions,
Increasingly concerned about the persistent violations by Israel,
the occupying Power, of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention
relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August
1949, 2/
Conscious of the serious dangers arising from persistent violations
and grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the responsibilities
arising therefrom,
Aware of the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of the four Geneva
Conventions, which is an occasion for renewed determination to promote
international humanitarian law further and to reaffirm the undertaking by
the High Contracting Parties to respect and to ensure respect for the
Conventions in all circumstances in accordance with common article 1,
Taking note of the measure taken by the Government of Switzerland to
organize a meeting between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, in the
presence of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was held at
Geneva from 9 to 11 June 1998 and was aimed at examining ways to contribute
to the effective application of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, and expressing disappointment that Israeli
violations of the Convention continued unabated in spite of such a measure,
Taking note also of the meeting of experts of the High Contracting
Parties, convened from 27 to 29 October 1998 at the invitation of the
Government of Switzerland, in its capacity as the depositary of the
Convention, on general problems concerning the Convention, in particular in
occupied territories, as well as of the Chairmans report of the proceedings
of that meeting,
Gravely concerned at the suspension, on 20 December 1998, by the
Government of Israel of the implementation of the Wye River Memorandum,
signed at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 23 October 1998,
including the negotiations on the final settlement, which should be
concluded by 4 May 1999,
Determined to persist in its work to bring about compliance by
Israel, the occupying Power, with the terms of resolutions adopted by the
tenth emergency special session,
Aware that, under the circumstances, it should continue to consider
the situation with a view to making appropriate recommendations to the
States Members of the United Nations in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 377 A (V) of 3 November 1950,
1. Reiterates its condemnation of the failure of the Government of
Israel to comply with the provisions of resolutions ES-10/2, ES-10/3,
ES-10/4 and ES-10/5;
2. Expresses its grave concern at the adoption by the Knesset of the
law of 26 January 1999 and the legislation of 27 January 1999, and
reaffirms that all legislative and administrative measures and actions
taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to
alter the character, legal status and demographic composition of Occupied
East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, are all
null and void and have no validity whatsoever;
3. Reiterates in the strongest terms all the demands made of Israel,
the occupying Power, in the above-mentioned resolutions of the tenth
emergency special session, including the immediate and full cessation of
the construction at Jebel Abu Ghneim and of all other Israeli settlement
activities, as well as of all illegal measures and actions in Occupied East
Jerusalem, the acceptance of the de jure applicability of the Fourth
Geneva Convention and compliance with relevant Security Council
resolutions, the cessation and reversal of all actions taken illegally
against Palestinian Jerusalemites and the provision of information about
goods produced or manufactured in the settlements;
4. Reiterates also its previous recommendations to Member
States for the cessation of all forms of assistance and support for illegal
Israeli activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including
Jerusalem, in particular settlement activities and actively to discourage
activities that directly contribute to any construction or development of
those settlements;
5. Affirms that, in spite of the actual deterioration of the Middle
East peace process as a result of the lack of compliance by the Government
of Israel with the existing agreements, increased efforts must be exerted
to bring the peace process back on track and to continue the process
towards the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the
region on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338
(1973) and the principle of land for peace, as well as Security Council
resolution 425 (1978);
6. Reiterates its recommendation that the High Contracting Parties
to the Fourth Geneva Convention convene a conference on measures to enforce
the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem,
and to ensure respect thereof in accordance with common article 1, and
further recommends that the High Contracting Parties convene the said
conference on 15 July 1999 at the United Nations Office at Geneva;
7. Invites the Government of Switzerland, in its capacity as the
depositary of the Geneva Convention, to undertake whatever preparations are
necessary prior to the conference;
8. Requests the Secretary-General to make the necessary facilities
available to enable the High Contracting Parties to convene the conference;
9. Expresses its confidence that Palestine, as a party
directly concerned, will participate in the above-mentioned conference;
10. Decides to adjourn the tenth emergency special session
temporarily and to authorize the President of the most recent General
Assembly to resume its meeting upon request from Member States.
1/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970-973.
2 / Ibid., No. 973.