UN Press Release 7 October 2000
SC/6934
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SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES 28 SEPTEMBER PROVOCATION IN JERUSALEM, ADOPTING
RESOLUTION 1322 (2000) BY 14-0-1 (UNITED STATES)
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The Security Council this evening deplored the provocation carried out at
Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem on 28 September, and subsequent violence
there and throughout the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, which
had resulted in more than 80 Palestinian deaths.
Adopting resolution 1322 (2000) by 14 votes in favour to none against, with
1 abstention (United States), the Council condemned acts of violence,
especially the excessive use of force against Palestinians. Deeply
concerned by the tragic events that had taken place since 28 September,
which had led to numerous deaths and injuries, mostly among Palestinians,
the Council called for the immediate end of violence, avoidance of new
provocative actions and a return to normality in a way that would promote
prospects for the Middle East peace process.
Further, the Council stressed the importance of establishing a mechanism
for a speedy and objective inquiry into the tragic events of the last few
days with the aim of preventing their repetition. It called upon Israel to
abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and its responsibilities under
the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian
Persons in Time of War.
The meeting began at 7:50 p.m. and adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
Resolution
The full text of resolution 1322 (2000) reads as follows:
"The Security Council,
"Recalling its resolutions 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980, 478 (1980) of 20
August 1980, 672 (1990) of 12 October 1990, and 1073 (1996) of 28 September
1996, and all its other relevant resolutions,
"Deeply concerned by the tragic events that have taken place since 28
September 2000, that have led to numerous deaths and injuries, mostly among
Palestinians,
"Reaffirming that a just and lasting solution to the Arab and Israeli
conflict must be based on its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967
and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, through an active negotiating process,
"Expressing its support for the Middle East peace process and the efforts
to reach a final settlement between the Israeli and Palestinian sides and
urging the two sides to cooperate in these efforts,
"Reaffirming the need for full respect by all of the Holy Places of the
City of Jerusalem, and condemning any behaviour to the contrary,
"1. Deplores the provocation carried out at Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem
on 28 September 2000, and the subsequent violence there and at other Holy
Places, as well as in other areas throughout the territories occupied by
Israel since 1967, resulting in over 80 Palestinian deaths and many other
casualties;
"2. Condemns acts of violence, especially the excessive use of force
against Palestinians, resulting in injury and loss of human life;
"3. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its
legal obligations and its responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva
Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of
12 August 1949;
"4. Calls for the immediate cessation of violence, and for all necessary
steps to be taken to ensure that violence ceases, that new provocative
actions are avoided, and that the situation returns to normality in a way
which promotes the prospects for the Middle East peace process;
"5. Stresses the importance of establishing a mechanism for a speedy and
objective inquiry into the tragic events of the last few days with the aim
of preventing their repetition, and welcomes any efforts in this regard;
"6. Calls for the immediate resumption of negotiations within the Middle
East peace process on its agreed basis with the aim of achieving an early
final settlement between the Israeli and Palestinian sides;
"7. Invites the Secretary-General to continue to follow the situation and
to keep the Council informed;
"8. Decides to follow closely the situation and to remain seized of the
matter."
* *** *
UN condemns Israeli violence - US abstains
UNITED NATIONS: Oct 7 (South News) - With the United States abstaining, the
Security Council approved a non-aligned nations resolution Saturday
condemning the ''excessive use of force'' that has left over 80
Palestinians dead.
In the bitterly fought-over resolution demanded by the Palestinians, 14
council members voted in favor of calling for an immediate resumption of
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and backed ''a speedy and objective
inquiry'' into the fighting.
Washington has traditionally tried to stop motions condemning Israel but
the Palestinians persisted, and on Thursday the council began negotiating a
draft resolution submitted by Malaysia on behalf of the Non-aligned
Movment.
Council members belonging to the 114-member Non-aligned Movement of
developing nations had been pressing for condemnation of Israel for the
past week at the urging of Palestinian U.N. observer Nasser al-Kidwa.
The resolution condemns the ``excessive use of force against the
Palestinians, resulting in injury and loss of human life.'' It indirectly
blames Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon, for provoking the week-long
rioting after his Sept. 28 visit to a shrine in Jerusalem's Old City, holy
to both Muslims and Jews.
Neither Israel nor Sharon are mentioned by name, a concession to the United
States, but its implication is clear and one reason Washington abstained,
diplomats said.
``The United States does not think it was a very good resolution, to put it
mildly,'' U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke told reporters after the vote.
``We decided in the end, because of certain changes and improvements in it,
that it was no longer clearly in veto land. We were prepared to veto it.''
Holbrooke said he would have preferred the equivalent of a line-item veto
but one sponsor of the resolution,namely the mover Malaysia,would not allow
it. Other sponsors were Bangladesh, Jamaica, Mali, Namibia, Tunisia and
Ukraine.
The document, initiated by the Palestinians, also called for an immediate
resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and supported ``a speedy and
objective inquiry'' into the violence, without saying who should conduct
the probe.
Fears mounted that a U.S. veto on the resolution would only exacerbate the
violence among the Palestinians and their supporters in Lebanon and
elsewhere.
But Nasser al-Kidwa, the Palestinian U.N. observer, said ''We think that
the resolution contains extremely important elements. It could help
alleviate the gravity on the ground and hopefully help bring the situation
under control.''
The United States had tried to head off the resolution, saying council
action would interfere with efforts to try to end the bloodshed and salvage
the Middle East peace process.
The resolution also says Israel should ``abide scrupulously'' by its
obligations under the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, which deals with
protection of civilians in time of war. But it no longer specifies that the
convention is applicable to all the territories occupied by Israel since
1967.
Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza
Strip from Egypt during the 1967 Middle East war.
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South Movement website : http://southmovement.alphalink.com.au/
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