74/13. Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 73/20 of 30 November 2018,
Recalling also its resolutions 73/102 A, entitled “Information in the service of humanity”, and 73/102 B, entitled “United Nations public information policies and activities”, of 7 December 2018,
Taking note of the report of the Committee on Information on its forty-first session,1
Having considered the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People,2
Convinced that the worldwide dissemination of accurate and comprehensive information and the role of civil society organizations and institutions remain of vital importance in heightening awareness of and support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and independence, and for the efforts to achieve a just, lasting and peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine,
Recalling the mutual recognition between the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people, as well as the existing agreements between the two sides,
Affirming its support for a comprehensive, just, lasting and peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference, including the pri nciple of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States at its fourteenth session,3 and the Quartet road map to a permanent two State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,4 endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003 and recalled by the Council in its resolution 2334 (2016) of 23 December 2016,
Recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of the construction of a wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,5
Taking note of its resolution 67/19 of 29 November 2012,
Reaffirming that the United Nations has a permanent responsibility towards the question of Palestine until the question is resolved in all its aspects in a satisfactory manner in accordance with international legitimacy,
- Notes with appreciation the action taken by the Department of Global Communications of the Secretariat in compliance with its resolution 73/20;
- Considers that the special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department is very useful in raising the awareness of the international community concerning the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East and that the programme is contributing effectively to an atmosphere conducive to dialogue and supportive of peace efforts and should receive the necessary support for the fulfilment of its tasks;
- Requests the Department, in full cooperation and coordination with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, to continue, with the necessary flexibility as may be required by developments affecting the question of Palestine, its special information programme for 2020–2021, in particular, inter alia:
- To disseminate information on all the activities of the United Nations system relating to the question of Palestine and peace efforts, including reports on the work carried out by the relevant United Nations organizations, as well as on the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy vis-à-vis the objective of peace;
- To continue to issue, update and modernize publications and audiovisual and online materials on the various aspects of the question of Palestine in all fields, including materials concerning relevant recent developments, in particular the efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine;
- To expand its collection of audiovisual material on the question of Palestine, to continue the production and preservation of such material and to update, on a periodic basis, the public exhibit on the question of Palestine displayed in the General Assembly Building as well as at United Nations headquarters in Geneva and Vienna;
- To organize and promote fact-finding news missions for journalists to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel;
- To organize international, regional and national seminars or encounters for journalists aimed, in particular, at sensitizing public opinion to the question of Palestine and peace efforts and at enhancing dialogue and understanding between Palestinians and Israelis for the promotion of a peaceful settlement to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, including by fostering and encouraging the contribution of the media in support of peace between the two sides;
- To continue to provide assistance to the Palestinian people in the field of media development, in particular through its annual training programme for Palestinian broadcasters and journalists, and recommends that arrangements be made for the provision of such training in the region;
- Encourages the Department to continue organizing encounters for the media and representatives of civil society to engage in open and positive discussion s to explore means for encouraging people-to-people dialogue and promoting peace and mutual understanding in the region.
38th plenary meeting
3 December 2019
1 Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-fourth Session, Supplement No. 21 (A/74/21).
2 Ibid., Supplement No. 35 (A/74/35).
3 A/56/1026-S/2002/932, annex II, resolution 14/221.
4 S/2003/529, annex.
5 See A/ES-10/273 and A/ES-10/273/Corr.1.