UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution ES-10/16

The General Assembly,

Recalling its relevant resolutions, including resolutions of the tenth emergency special session,

Reaffirming Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, 446 (1979) of 22 March 1979, 1322 (2000) of 7 October 2000, 1397 (2002) of 12 March 2002, 1402 (2002) of 30 March 2002, 1403 (2002) of 4 April 2002, 1405 (2002) of 19 April 2002, 1435 (2002) of 24 September 2002, 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003 and 1544 (2004) of 19 May 2004,

Reaffirming also the applicability of the rules and principles of international law, including humanitarian and human rights laws, in particular the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,1 to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,

Expressing grave concern at the continued deterioration of the situation on the ground in the Palestinian Territory occupied by Israel since 1967 during the recent period, particularly as a result of the use of force by Israel, the occupying Power, which has caused extensive loss of civilian Palestinian life and injuries, including among children and women,

Deeply deploring the military actions being carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Gaza Strip, which have caused loss of life and extensive destruction of Palestinian property and vital infrastructure,

Deeply deploring also the killing of many Palestinian civilians, including children and women, by Israel, the occupying Power, that took place in Beit Hanoun on 8 November 2006,

Deeply deploring further the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel,

Emphasizing the importance of the safety and well-being of all civilians and condemning all attacks against civilians on both sides, and stressing that the parties must respect their obligations, including by putting an end to violence,

1. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately cease its military operations that endanger the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and to immediately withdraw its forces from within the Gaza Strip to positions held prior to 28 June 2006;

2. Calls for the immediate cessation of military operations and all acts of violence, terror, provocation, incitement and destruction between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, including extrajudicial executions, bombardment against civilian areas, air raids and the firing of rockets, as was agreed in the Sharm el-Sheikh understandings of 8 February 2005;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a fact-finding mission on the attack that took place in Beit Hanoun on 8 November 2006 and to report thereon to the General Assembly within thirty days;

4. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to scrupulously abide by its obligations and responsibilities under the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,1 in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem;

5. Calls upon the Palestinian Authority to take immediate and sustained action to bring an end to violence, including the firing of rockets on Israeli territory;

6. Emphasizes the need to preserve Palestinian institutions, infrastructure and properties;

7. Expresses grave concern about the dire humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, and calls for the provision of emergency assistance to them;

8. Emphasizes the urgency of ensuring that medical and humanitarian organizations are granted unhindered access to the Palestinian civilian population at all times and of allowing the severely injured a speedy exit outside the Occupied Palestinian Territory for needed treatment, and emphasizes also the importance of the implementation of the Agreement of Movement and Access of November 2005;

9. Calls upon the Quartet, together with the international community, to take immediate steps to stabilize the situation and restart the peace process, including through the possible establishment of an international mechanism for the protection of civilian populations;

10. Calls upon the parties, with the support of the international community, to take immediate steps, including confidence-building measures, aimed at the early resumption of direct peace negotiations towards the conclusion of a final peaceful settlement;

11. Stresses the importance of and the need to achieve a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and 1515 (2003), the Madrid terms of reference, the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the League of Arab States at its fourteenth session, held in Beirut on 27 and 28 March 2002,2 and the road map;3

12. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the present resolution in a timely manner;

13. Decides to adjourn the tenth emergency special session temporarily and to authorize the President of the General Assembly at its most recent session to resume its meeting upon request from Member States.

Sources: The United Nations