UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 48/158
(December 20, 1993)
Question of Palestine
A
Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 3236 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974, 3375 (XXX) and 3376 (XXX) of 10 November 1975, 31/20 of 24 November 1976, 32/40 A of 2 December 1977, 33/28 A and B of 7 December 1978, 34/65 A of 29 November 1979 and 34/65 C of 12 December 1979, ES-7/2 of 29 July 1980, 35/169 A and C of 15 December 1980, 36/120 A and C of 10 December 1981, ES-7/4 of 28 April 1982, 37/86 A of 10 December 1982, 38/58 A of 13 December 1983, 39/49 A of 11 December 1984, 40/96 A of 12 December 1985, 41/43 A of 2 December 1986, 42/66 A of 2 December 1987, 43/175 A of 15 December 1988, 44/41 A of 6 December 1989, 45/67 A of 6 December 1990, 46/74 A of 11 December 1991 and 47/64 A of 11 December 1992,
Having considered the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,
Welcoming the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, including its Annexes and Agreed Minutes, by the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization on 13 September 1993 in Washington, D.C.,
Reaffirming that the United Nations has a permanent responsibility with respect to the question of Palestine until the question is resolved in all its aspects in a satisfactory manner in accordance with international legitimacy,
1. Expresses its appreciation to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for its efforts in performing the tasks assigned to it by the General Assembly;
2. Considers that the Committee can make a valuable and positive contribution to international efforts to promote the effective implementation of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements and to mobilize international support for and assistance to the Palestinian people during the transitional period;
3. Endorses the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 85 to 96 of its report;
4. Requests the Committee to continue to keep under review the situation relating to the question of Palestine and to report and make suggestions to the General Assembly or the Security Council, as appropriate;
5. Authorizes the Committee to continue to exert all efforts to promote the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, to make such adjustments in its approved programme of work as it may consider appropriate and necessary in light of developments, to give special emphasis to the need to mobilize support for and assistance to the Palestinian people and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session and thereafter;
6. Also requests the Committee to continue to extend its cooperation to non-governmental organizations in their contribution towards heightening international awareness of the facts relating to the question of Palestine and promoting support and assistance to meet the needs of the Palestinian people, and to take the necessary steps to involve additional non-governmental organizations in its work;
7. Requests the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, established under General Assembly resolution 194 (III), as well as other United Nations bodies associated with the question of Palestine, to continue to cooperate fully with the Committee and to make available to it, at its request, the relevant information and documentation which they have at their disposal;
8. Requests the Secretary-General to circulate the report of the Committee to all the competent bodies of the United Nations, and urges them to take the necessary action, as appropriate;
9. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide the Committee with all the necessary facilities for the performance of its tasks.
B
Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat
The General Assembly,
Having considered the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,
Taking note, in particular, of the relevant information contained in paragraphs 46 to 68 of that report,
Recalling its resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977, 33/28 C of 7 December 1978, 34/65 D of 12 December 1979, 35/169 D of 15 December 1980, 36/120 B of 10 December 1981, 37/86 B of 10 December 1982, 38/58 B of 13 December 1983, 39/49 B of 11 December 1984, 40/96 B of 12 December 1985, 41/43 B of 2 December 1986, 42/66 B of 2 December 1987, 43/175 B of 15 December 1988, 44/41 B of 6 December 1989, 45/67 B of 6 December 1990, 46/74 B of 11 December 1991 and 47/64 B of 11 December 1992,
1. Notes with appreciation the action taken by the Secretary-General in compliance with its resolution 47/64 B;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat with the resources it requires, including the continuing development of the computer-based information system on the question of Palestine, and to ensure that it continues to discharge the tasks detailed in paragraph 1 of resolution 32/40 B, paragraph 2 (b) of resolution 34/65 D, paragraph 3 of resolution 40/96 B, paragraph 2 of resolution 42/66 B, paragraph 2 of resolution 44/41 B and paragraph 2 of resolution 46/74 B, in consultation with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and under its guidance;
3. Also requests the Secretary-General to ensure the continued cooperation of the Department of Public Information and other units of the Secretariat in enabling the Division to perform its tasks and in covering adequately the various aspects of the question of Palestine;
4. Invites all Governments and organizations to lend their cooperation to the Committee and the Division in the performance of their tasks;
5. Notes with appreciation the action taken by Member States to observe annually on 29 November the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and requests them to continue to give the widest possible publicity to the observance, and requests the Committee to continue to organize, as part of the observance of the Day of Solidarity, an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights in cooperation with the Office of the Permanent Observer for Palestine to the United Nations.
C
Department of Public Information of the Secretariat
The General Assembly,
Having considered the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,
Taking note, in particular, of the information contained in paragraphs 71 to 84 of that report,
Recalling its resolution 47/64 C of 11 December 1992,
Convinced that the world-wide dissemination of accurate and comprehensive information and the role of non-governmental organizations and institutions remain of vital importance in heightening awareness of and support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people,
Aware of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, signed in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993 by the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and of its positive implications,
1. Notes with appreciation the action taken by the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat in compliance with General Assembly resolution 47/64 C;
2. Requests the Department of Public Information, in full cooperation and coordination with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, to continue, with the necessary flexibility as may be required by developments affecting the question of Palestine, its special information programme on the question of Palestine for the biennium 1994-1995, with particular emphasis on public opinion in Europe and North America, and in particular:
(a) To disseminate information on all the activities of the United Nations system relating to the question of Palestine, including reports of the work carried out by the relevant United Nations organizations;
(b) To continue to issue and update publications on the various aspects of the question of Palestine in all fields, including all information relating to the recent events concerning this question;
(c) To expand its audiovisual material on the question of Palestine, including the production of such material;
(d) To organize and promote fact-finding news missions for journalists to the area, including the occupied territories;
(e) To organize international, regional and national encounters for journalists;
(f) To provide, in cooperation with specialized agencies of the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, assistance to the Palestinian people in the field of media development.
D
Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine
The General Assembly,
Recalling its relevant resolutions, the most recent of which was resolution 47/64 D of 11 December 1992,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 19 November 1993,
Stressing that achieving a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict, the core of which is the question of Palestine, will constitute a significant contribution to international peace and security,
Noting the convening at Madrid, on 30 October 1991, of the Peace Conference on the Middle East and the subsequent bilateral negotiations, as well as meetings of the multilateral working groups,
Noting also that the United Nations has participated as a full, extraregional participant in the work of the multilateral working groups,
Aware of the mutual recognition between the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the representative of the Palestinian people, and the signing between the two parties of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, as well as their subsequent negotiations,
Welcoming the convening of the Conference to Support Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C., on 1 October 1993,
1. Reaffirms the need to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, in all its aspects;
2. Expresses its support for the ongoing peace process, which began in Madrid, and the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, and expresses the hope that the process will lead to the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
3. Stresses the need for the United Nations to play a more active and expanded role in the current peace process and in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles;
4. Urges Member States to provide economic and technical assistance to the Palestinian people;
5. Also stresses the upcoming negotiations on the final settlement, and reaffirms the following principles for the achievement of a final settlement and comprehensive peace:
(a) The realization of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination;
(b) The withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and from the other occupied Arab territories;
(c) Guaranteeing arrangements for peace and security of all States in the region, including those named in resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, within secure and internationally recognized boundaries;
(d) Resolving the problem of the Palestine refugees in conformity with General Assembly resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, and subsequent relevant resolutions;
(e) Resolving the problem of the Israeli settlements, which are illegal and an obstacle to peace, in conformity with relevant United Nations resolutions;
(f) Guaranteeing freedom of access to Holy Places and religious buildings and sites;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts with the parties concerned, and in consultation with the Security Council, for the promotion of peace in the region and to submit progress reports on developments in this matter.
Sources: The United Nations