REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL



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|OIC/ICFM-33/2006/PAL/SG.REP |

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|REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL |

|ON THE CAUSE OF PALESTINE |

|AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT |

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|SUBMITTED TO |

|THE THIRTY-THIRD ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS |

|BAKU, REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN |

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|23-25 JUMADAl AWWAL 1427H |

|(19-21 June 2006) |

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THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE

This report covers activities and developments on the issue of Palestine as at March 2006.

Following the Palestinian legislative elections and the subsequent reactions to them as well as continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, important developments have occurred on the Palestinian issue in recent times. The present report summarizes those developments.

The Palestinians Legislative Elections:

The Palestinian legislative elections were the most outstanding development on the Palestinian scene. These elections were undoubtedly carried out in a transparent democratic and calm atmosphere under a large international monitoring. The Organization of the Islamic Conference participated with a delegation of 2 election monitors. The elections resulted in the victory of Hamas with 74 seats, followed by Fatah with 45 seats out of the 132 seats of the Legislative Council.

The Palestinian Authority and the ruling party, Fatah, have dealt with a high sense of responsibility with the results of the elections. President Mahmoud Abbas mandated Hamas’ Ismail Haniya to form the government. Undoubtedly, this change has generated international reactions and will have implications for the future. It is our hope that cooperation will continue between the new government and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in the interest of the Palestinian people.

I addressed a message of congratulation to President Mahmoud Abbas on the success of the democratic elections, for the civilized approach and transparency which was recognized by the entire world. Also, I issued a statement in this regard congratulating Hamas for its democratic gains and calling on it to adopt a realistic approach in dealing with international politics in such a way that serves the national goals of the Palestinian people.

The Israeli Violations:

Israel persists in its aggressions against different Palestinian areas. Its forces continue to carry out their deliberate killings targeting scores of Palestinian citizens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This has been accompanied by invasions of the different Palestinian cities and villages by the Israeli occupation army. Besides, Israel has persisted in imposing a tough siege around the Palestinian territories that have been severed by hundreds of military roadblocks, thus hampering the movement of citizens and goods between the various regions.

The Humanitarian dangers resulting from the Israeli measures

The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories has witnessed a severe deterioration since the Palestinian elections as a result of the harsh Israeli measures against the Palestinians. The Israeli measures and the ensuing humanitarian dangers can be summarized in the following points:

• Israel has closed the Mintar crossing, the only one used for the exportation and importation of commodities and humanitarian goods from and to Gaza Strip. The closure has caused losses exceeding 10 million dollars.

• The number of Palestinian martyrs and injured has significantly increased in the Palestinian territories during the month following the Palestinian elections.

• The different Palestinian reports have shown that 4,000 Palestinians have died since the beginning of Intifada on 28 December 2000, and that 35,000 more have been arrested over the same period. The number of children held in Israeli prisons has reached 360 last February, increasing by 13% compared with last December.

• A report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian territories said that the number of Israeli roadblocks severing the Palestinian territories has witnessed a 25% increase, reaching 471 in February and 376 last August.

• Israel has started to expand the plan for the isolation of the Palestinian road network by preventing the passage of Palestinian vehicles on the roads used by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. This plan involves the confiscation of huge areas of Palestinian territories in order to build on them roads, bridges and tunnels, and also to establish roadblocks on these roads so as to prevent Palestinians from using them.

The recent Israeli measures, including the refusal to transfer of tax returns to the Palestinian Authority, and the ensuing threats of stopping subsidies to Palestinians, have constituted a threat to the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. The aforementioned UN report has predicted that the cutting of subsidies and the Israeli measures may cause serious damage to various aspects of the Palestinian life:

1. Services will deteriorate if the Palestinian National Authority fails to pay the monthly salaries. The Palestinian Authority is the major employer in Palestine with 152,000 employees receiving their salaries from the Palestinian treasury. Of these, 11,000 work in the health sector, 29,000 in education, and 73,000 in security organs. The failure to pay salaries to these employees will make large categories of the Palestinian society unable to afford the fundamental services of education and health. It is worthy of note that the Palestinian Ministry of Health has launched an appeal for the provision of 4.5 million dollars each month in order to meet the basic health needs in Palestine as regards the immunization of children and the provision of medicines and other serious needs.

2. Rising poverty

The poverty rate which currently stands at 64% is expected to rise if the Palestinian Authority is unable to pay its staff salaries. Officers working in the service of the Palestinian authority represent 37% of the total workforce in the Gaza Strip and 14% of the total manpower in the West Bank. The number of Palestinian citizens whose livelihood is directly dependent on the salaries distributed by the Palestinian Authority is 942,000 or 25% of the overall population. The rate of poverty within the society will rise even further as more family members come to depend on the salary of one employee of the Authority. It is worth noting that the Palestinian private sector has been severely affected by the Israeli measures that have made it incapable of absorbing the jobless. Hence the Palestinians’ increased need for international support, given the fact that 1.4 million Palestinians (more than 1/3 of all Palestinian citizens) depend on food assistance from international relief agencies.

Isolation of the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank

It was recently revealed that Israel has completed the isolation of the eastern part of the West Bank thus barring two million Palestinians from entering that zone which actually cuts off a third of the West Bank and includes the areas of the Valley, the coast of the Dead Sea as well as the eastern side at the foot of the West Bank Mountain Chain. Many sources have considered this exercise a new isolation case in the West Bank. Israel has attempted to make the world believe that this exercise in the Valley was being carried out for security reasons, whereas the obvious reality is that the Israeli design is to prevent the emergence of a viable and geographically contiguous state. This isolation exercise results in the usurpation of one third of the West Bank territories, not to mention the fact that this area represents the food-basket for Palestinians on account of its agricultural character and of it being among the principal water sources in the West Bank. The Jordan Valley represents one of the areas where new townships could be built to absorb the increase in the Palestinian population.

Unilateral Disengagement Plan

The Acting Israeli Prime Minister has announced his intention to embark on a unilateral separation plan in the occupied West Bank if he wins the next election. The scheme involves a number of unilateral steps that would effect a total separation of the West Bank from Gaza Strip in a manner that fits in with the Israeli settlement designs. The plan includes the disconnection of all services from the Gaza Strip and banning the movement of Palestinians between the West Bank and Gaza and preventing the Palestinian labourers from entering Israel. As for the West Bank, the Isolation plan seeks to tighten the Israeli control over the strategic points at the mountain heights and at the Jordan Valley belt which extends from the South of the Dead Sea down to Tiberias Lake. At the same time a number of insignificant settlements may be transferred with settlements being defined according to many topographic parameters including control over water resources.

The plan aims quite unambiguously to draw borders on a demographic basis that would establish a Jewish majority and ensure that the Road Map is fully sidelined and that the Israeli Isolation plan becomes the basis for any international initiative such as to deny the Palestinians their right to establish their own, geographically contiguous, State according to the Road Map and such as to impose full control over Al Quds/Jerusalem and the Valley area and bolster the key settlements in the West Bank.

In this regard, the Israel has taken measures aimed at isolating the City of Al Quds and its environs by declaring on 26/3/2006 the Qalandiyah Crossing as an international border crossing. This represents a dangerous escalation that requires joint effort with international parties and the international community to reject these unilateral Israeli measures. It is also a violation of resolutions of international legality, the international law and the Road Map.

The Wall and Settlements

Israel has continued with the construction of the Separation Wall in the occupied Palestinian territories .The Israeli army is in the process of building a new section of the Wall in the provinces of Al Quds, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron in the West Bank. The Wall denies the Palestinians any movement except through the crossing points established by Israel at the entrances of the Palestinian villages and townships such as to have transformed these areas into real isolated ghettos.

At the level of settlement activities, the Israeli occupation forces have confiscated even more Palestinian territories in different parts of the West Bank for the construction of roads that are destined to serve the settlers and for the construction of sections of the Apartheid-like Separation Wall .At the same time Israel is continuing with its settlement activities particularly the construction of new housing units in the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim, East of the occupied city of Al Quds.

Several reports have revealed that the number of Jewish settlers has increased in the West Bank over the past year. This number has reached 254 thousand living in 121 settlements in the West Bank, in addition to a quarter of a million other settlers living in the occupied Eastern City of Al Quds.

Also reports have revealed that, against the nine thousand settlers that have been removed, Israel has brought in over ten thousand others and has established them in the West Bank over the past few months. Israel also completed the construction of more than one thousand new housing units in 2005 with a 27% increase compared to 2004.The Israeli acting Prime Minister Olmert declared that if his party (Kadema) wins the elections he will construct 3500 new housing units in the area between Ma’aleh Adumim settlement and the occupied City of Al Quds.

The City of Al Quds Al Sharif

Israel has pressed ahead with the isolation of the occupied city of Al Quds by means of military barriers and the segregationist Separation Wall. By the end of March, Israel has completed the full isolation of the City from the rest of the occupied West Bank with the Zaem barrier, East of the Holy City, turned into a crossing point with several alleys and check points .Israel has in this way completed the construction of 11 crossings around the City, thus cutting off a number of villages that are part of the City.

Parallel to the activities aimed at isolating the City of Al Quds from its natural environment, Israel has continued with its attempts to link up the settlement conglomerations with Al Quds through the use of an underground passage network, highways and railway lines. Within the framework of this attempt, Israel has concluded a contract with two French companies, namely Connex and Alstomi for the construction of an underground railway network to link up the settlements of Gilo, Pisgal Zaef and Ma’aleh Adumim in the West Bank with Al Quds/Jerusalem, which represents a breach of the Geneva Agreements and a violation of international law.

Israel has, on the other hand, continued to bring its pressure to bear on the inhabitants of Al Quds to force them to leave the City. It has thus continued to demolish homes and has recently earmarked an amount of 600 thousand US Dollars for the demolition of homes belonging to Palestinians. Also Israel is continuing with its policy of Judaization of the Holy City. In this respect there is an urgent need for the implementation of the Islamic Summit resolutions to extend support to the resistance of the inhabitants of Al Quds and to ensure the preservation of the sacred sites, foremost of which the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque. We therefore appeal to all Member States to carry through the provisions of the Final Declaration on supporting the Waqf of Al Quds Fund.

The Occupied Syrian Golan

Israel continues to occupy and boost its settlements on the Syrian Golan. It also persists in rejecting international initiatives for a resumption of negotiation at a time when Syria has expressed its readiness to resume the talks to implement the principle of land for peace, the relevant United Nations resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.

The Syrian Arab Republic has taken further steps to support the steadfastness of the Syrians on the Golan by purchasing their apples in coordination with the International Red Cross and the international peacekeeping forces.

The Occupied Lebanese Territories

Israel still occupies the Lebanese Sheba Farms and continues to hold on to the remaining Lebanese citizens in its prisons. It also sustains its violation of Lebanon’s land and air space, bombing surrounding villages and towns of the occupied Sheba Farms region with airplanes and missiles under the pretext of preventing the resistance from attacking the occupied Lebanese territories. Israel refuses to release the maps showing locations of landmines it had planted during occupation, which constitutes danger on the lives of Lebanese citizens and prevents them from undergoing their normal activities.

Efforts of the General Secretariat

-The Secretary General has, whenever he met with international leaders, laid stress on the need to respect the democratic choice of the Palestinian people, and called for the continuation of assistance to the Palestinian people.

-The General Secretariat has participated, through a delegation of its own, in the Palestinian legislative elections. The said delegation submitted a report in which it paid tribute to these transparent elections.

-The Secretary General addressed a message of congratulation to President Mahmoud Abbas and to the Palestinian people on the success of the elections and issued a press release in which he invited Hamas to follow a realistic approach in dealing with the international political dynamics for the better interest of the Palestinian people.

- The Secretary General issued several press releases in which he condemned Israel’s continued aggression against the Palestinian people, its failure to respect resolutions of international legality and its non abidance by the provisions of the scheduled steps of the Road Map. He reiterated that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a full withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied since 1967, the establishment of the independent State of Palestine with Al Quds/Jerusalem as it capital, and the implementation of the relevant UN resolutions.

- The Secretary General took part in the meetings of the Islamic Ministerial delegation on Al Quds with the Members of the Quartet at the UN headquarters last September. H.E had audiences with the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Anan, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergi Lavrov, and the European Union High Coordinator for Political and Security affairs, Mr. Javier Solana. In all these meetings particular stress was placed on the fact that Al Quds is a pivotal issue for the Islamic Ummah, and the delegation insisted on the call for action to put an end to the Israeli violations and illegal practices aimed at the Judaization of the Holy City and the alteration of its authentic features.

- On 13 February, the Secretary General held a meeting at the OIC General Secretariat headquarters with Mr. Javier Solana, the E.U. High Representative for Political and Security Affairs, and emphasized to him the need for the Palestinian people’s choices to be respected and for the E.U ‘s support and assistance to the Palestinians to be continued.

- On 18 March the Secretary General held a meeting in London with Mr. Jack Straw, UK Foreign Minister, and discussed with him the latest developments on the Palestinian issue after the legislative elections, and laid emphasis on the need for the Palestinians’ fully democratic choices to be respected and for assistance to the Palestinian people to be continued.

- Within the framework of the implementation of the Ten-year program of action adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit, the General Secretariat has initiated preliminary contacts with the IDB and the Palestinian National Authority for the adoption of the first steps for the establishment of Al Aqsa University.

- The Coordination meeting of the OIC affiliated institutions which was convened on 5th March 2006 discussed the implementation of the Islamic Summit resolution in favour of the establishment of Al Aqsa University and in support of IRCICA undertaking projects for the preservation of the Islamic identity of the City of Al Quds.

- On 14 March 2006, the Secretary General received a delegation of the Hamas Movement led by the Khaled Mashal. He exchanged views with them concerning developments on the Palestinian question, particularly after the legislative elections. He called on Hamas follow a realistic approach in dealing with the international political dynamics in order to preserve the security, gains and the national rights of the Palestinian people.

- On 14 March 2006, the Secretary General issued a statement condemning the invasion of the Jericho Prison and the killing of 3 people, the wounding of scores of others, and the arrest of Sadaat and his companions, in flagrant violation of the international humanitarian law and the agreement signed. He held Britain and the United States of America responsible and called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to release the people being held and hand them over to the Authority.

- On 19 March 2006, the Secretary General received the United Nations Secretary General’s envoy, Ambassador Terje Roed-Larsen, and held discussions with him on issues which included the situation in Palestine.

- During both high and technical level contacts, the Secretary General has always emphasized the supportive position of the OIC for the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and called for continued international support and assistance to them.

- The Secretary General appealed to countries of the Muslim world and civil society institutions to extend urgent material and food aids to the beleaguered Palestinian people to enable them face the economic and financial blockade imposed on them by the Israeli occupation authorities. He also appealed to the international community to intervene immediately to stop the illegal Israeli practices and condemned them as internationally prohibited.

- The Secretary General expressed his deep concern over the declaration by Israel of the Qalandiya Crossing in the Palestinian territory as an international border crossing with the aim of isolating the City of Al Quds and its environs and regarding it as part of the border unilaterally drawn by Israel. He regarded this measure as a dangerous escalation which threatens global security and peace and decreases any chance of achieving peace in the Middle East region. He called for the recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people and the implementation of the United Nations resolutions, and urged that the implementation of the Road map to ensure the creation of the State of Palestine on the totality of Palestine territories occupied since 1967, including East Al Quds, is the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East.

- On 19 April 2006, the Secretary General received Dr Mamoud Zahar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian national Authority, and held discussions with him on the situation in Palestine and how to support the Palestinian people.

- The General Secretariat participated in a seminar of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, held in Cairo on 26 and 27 April 2006, entitled: UN Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People.”

This report is submitted to the Thirty-third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers for consideration and appropriate decision.

M.ELKH/H.F

OIC/MMEL-1/2006/PAL.REP

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