General Assembly
Tenth emergency special session
Agenda item 5
Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the
rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory
I have the honour, in my capacity as the Chair of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Group, to enclose herewith the statement issued by the Ambassadorial Group of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in New York on 9 October 2009, regarding the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (see annex).
I kindly request that the present letter and its annex be circulated as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5.
(Signed) Bashar Ja'afari
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
Annex to the letter dated 13 October 2009 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
Statement issued by the Ambassadorial Group of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in New York on 9 October 2009, regarding the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
The Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference represented by the Ambassadors of their respective Permanent Missions (OIC Ambassadorial Group) to the United Nations in New York considered the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Recalling the relevant resolutions and decisions of the 11th Islamic Summit held in Dakar in March 2008 and the 36th Session of the OIC Council of Ministers (CFM) held in Damascus in May 2009, as well as the Final Communiqué of the Annual Coordination Meeting (ACM) of the OIC Foreign Ministers held in New York in September 2009, the OIC Ambassadorial Group expressed its serious concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as a result of continuing illegal actions by Israel, the occupying Power. In particular, the OIC Ambassadorial Group expressed grave concern about the ongoing illegal Israeli settlement colonization campaign being carried out in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with shocking intensity in and around Occupied East Jerusalem, and the inhumane, unlawful Israeli blockade that continues to be imposed on the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip and the resultant dire humanitarian crisis.
The OIC Ambassadorial Group expressed alarm at recent attacks carried out by the occupying forces, including extremist settlers, against Palestinian worshippers at Al-Haram Al-Sharif compound in Occupied East Jerusalem, and condemned Israel's continuing provocations, aggression and illegal actions against the City's holy sites and against its Palestinian inhabitants.
The OIC Ambassadorial Group reiterated its condemnation of all illegal Israeli actions and provocative measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, geographic nature, character and status of Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The OIC Ambassadorial Group expressed grave concern that, in defiance of the clear international consensus rejecting such colonization activities and in flagrant breach of international law, Israel continued to construct settlements and the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in and around East Jerusalem, where the occupying Power also continues, inter alia, to demolish Palestinian homes, to evict Palestinian families from their homes, to confiscate Palestinian land and properties and to carry out excavations in the City, including in the vicinity of Al-Haram Al-Sharif compound.
The OIC Ambassadorial Group reiterated the demand for the immediate cessation of all Israeli violations of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, including an end to its illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip and all settlement activities, which are deepening the suffering of the Palestinian people and undermining the prospects for peace. The OIC Ambassadorial Group called upon the international community, particularly the Security Council, to uphold its responsibilities and to take the necessary actions to compel Israel, the occupying Power, to comply with all of its legal obligations, including under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and with its commitments under the Quartet Road Map.
The OIC Ambassadorial Group called for a redoubling of efforts aimed at the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Road Map. In this regard, the OIC Ambassadorial Group reiterated the OIC's unwavering support for the realization by the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination, with the establishment of their contiguous, viable and independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a just solution for the plight of the Palestine refugees on the basis of General Assembly resolution 194 (III).