Resolution 56/57
(December 10, 2001)
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December
1948, 36/146 C of 16 December 1981 and all its subsequent resolutions
on the question,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General
submitted in pursuance of resolution 55/128 of 8 December 2000,1
Taking note also of the report of the United
Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine for the period from 1
September 2000 to 31 August 2001,2
Recalling that the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights 3 and the principles of international
law uphold the principle that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of
his or her property,
Recalling in particular its resolution 394 (V)
of 14 December 1950, in which it directed the Conciliation Commission,
in consultation with the parties concerned, to prescribe measures for
the protection of the rights, property and interests of the Palestine
Arab refugees,
Noting the completion of the programme of identification
and evaluation of Arab property, as announced by the Conciliation Commission
in its twenty-second progress report,4 and the fact
that the Land Office had a schedule of Arab owners and file of documents
defining the location, area and other particulars of Arab property,
Recalling that, in the framework of the Middle
East peace process, the Palestine
Liberation Organization and the Government of Israel agreed, in
the Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements of 13 September 1993, to commence negotiations
on permanent status issues, including the important issue of the refugees,
1. Reaffirms that the Palestine Arab refugees
are entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom,
in conformity with the principles of justice and equity;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to take all
appropriate steps, in consultation with the United Nations Conciliation
Commission for Palestine, for the protection of Arab property, assets
and property rights in Israel;
3. Expresses its appreciation for the work done
to preserve and modernize the existing records of the Conciliation Commission;
4. Calls once again upon Israel to render all
facilities and assistance to the Secretary-General in the implementation
of the present resolution;
5. Calls upon all the parties concerned to provide
the Secretary-General with any pertinent information in their possession
concerning Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel that
would assist him in the implementation of the present resolution;
6. Urges the Palestinian and Israeli sides,
as agreed between them, to deal with the important issue of Palestine
refugees' properties and their revenues in the framework of the final
status negotiations of the Middle East peace process;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to report
to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session on the implementation
of the present resolution.
82nd plenary meeting
10 December 2001
Notes:
1.A/56/420.
2.A/56/290, annex.
3.Resolution 217 A (III).
4.Official Records of the General Assembly, Nineteenth
Session, Annexes, Annex No. 11, document A/5700.
Sources: The United Nations |