Draft Resolution on UN Observers
Force in West Bank, Gaza

(March 27, 2001)

The United States vetoed the following resolution.

"The Security Council,

"Reaffirming the need for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973 and reaffirming also all its previous relevant resolutions, including its resolution 1322 (2000) of 7 October 2000,

"Expressing its grave concern at the continuation of the tragic and violent events that have taken place since September 2000, resulting in many deaths and injuries, mostly among Palestinians,

"Reiterating the need for protection of all civilians as expressed in its resolutions 1265 (1999) and 1296 (2000),

"Expressing its determination to contribute to ending the violence, protecting Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories and promoting dialogue between the Israeli and Palestinian sides,

"Expressing its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process,

"Reiterating the need for 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,

"Expressing grave concern at the dire economic and humanitarian situation as a result of the closures of the occupied Palestinian territories and towns and villages within them,

"1. Calls for the immediate cessation of all acts of violence, provocation and collective punishment, as well as the return to the positions and arrangements which existed prior to September 2000;

"2. Calls upon the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to implement promptly and without preconditions the understandings reached at the Summit convened at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, of 17 October 2000;

"3. Urges a resumption of negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis taking into account the previous positive developments in the negotiations between the two sides and calls on them to reach a final agreement on all issues, on the basis of their previous agreements, with the objective of implementing its resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973);

"4. Expresses grave concern at recent settlement activities, in particular the recent decision to expand the settlement at Jabal Abu Ghneim and calls for full cessation of settlement activities;

"5. Calls on the parties to take the following immediate steps:

"(a) resumption of contacts at all levels on implementation of reciprocal commitments including in the field of security previously made by both sides;

"(b) an end to the closures of the occupied Palestinian territories to permit resumption of full normal activities of daily life;

"(c) the transfer by Israel to the Palestinian Authority of all revenues due, in accordance with the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations of 29 April 1994;

"(d) additional confidence-building measures by both sides including unequivocal public statements in support of all commitments made at Sharm El-Sheikh and of this resolution;

"6. Expresses full support for the work of the Fact-Finding Committee established at Sharm El-Sheikh, calls upon all parties to cooperate fully with it, and looks forward to its report;

"7. Appeals to the international donor community to extend, as rapidly and as generously as possible, economic and financial assistance to the Palestinian people, and stresses in this regard the importance of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee;

"8. Requests the Secretary-General to consult the parties on immediate and substantive steps to implement this resolution and to report to the Council within one month of the adoption of this resolution and expresses the readiness of the Council to act upon receipt of the report to set up an appropriate mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians, including through the establishment of a United Nations observer force;

"9. Decides to remains actively seized of the matter."

Source: UN