\n| \n Draft resolutions<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n A\/66\/L.19 and Add.1 and A\/66\/L.20 and Add.1<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| \n Plenary meeting<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n A\/66\/PV.69<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| \n Resolutions<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 66\/18 and 66\/19<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/strong><\/span>37. Question of Palestine<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n This item, which had been on the agenda of the second and third sessions of the General Assembly, was included in the agenda of the twenty-ninth session, in 1974, at the request of 55 Member States (A\/9742 and Corr.1 and Add.1-4). At that session, the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine, emphasizing that their realization was indispensable for the solution of the question of Palestine (resolution 3236 (XXIX)). The Assembly invited the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to participate, in the capacity of observer, in its sessions and its work and in all international conferences convened under its auspices, and considered that the PLO was similarly entitled with regard to all international conferences convened by other organs of the United Nations (resolution 3237 (XXIX)).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its thirtieth session, the General Assembly called for the invitation of the PLO to participate on an equal footing with other parties in all efforts, deliberations and conferences on the Middle East that were held under the auspices of the United Nations and to take part in the Geneva Peace Conference on the Middle East as well as in all other efforts for peace (resolution 3375 (XXX)). At the same session, the Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People; requested the Committee to consider and recommend to the Assembly a programme of implementation, designed to enable the Palestinian people to exercise the rights previously recognized; and requested the Security Council to consider the question of the exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights (resolution 3376 (XXX)).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its thirty-first session, the General Assembly endorsed the recommendations of the Committee (resolution 31\/20). The Assembly considered the item at its thirty-second to sixty-fourth sessions (resolutions 32\/40 A and B, 33\/28 A to C, 34\/65 A to D, 35\/169 A to E, 36\/120 A to F, 37\/86 A to E, 38\/58 A to E, 39\/49 A to D, 40\/96 A to D, 41\/43 A to D, 42\/66 A to D, 43\/175 A to C, 43\/176, 43\/177, 44\/2, 44\/41 A to C, 44\/42, 45\/67 A to C, 45\/68, 45\/69, 46\/74 A to C, 46\/75, 46\/76, 47\/64 A to E, 48\/158 A to D, 49\/62 A to D, 50\/84 A to D, 51\/23 to 51\/26, 52\/49 to 52\/52, 53\/39 to 53\/42, 54\/39 to 54\/42, 55\/52 to 55\/55, 56\/33 to 56\/36, 57\/107 to 57\/110, 58\/18 to 58\/21, 59\/28 to 59\/31, 60\/36 to 60\/39, 61\/22 to 61\/25, 62\/80 to 62\/83, 63\/26 to 63\/29 and 64\/16 to 64\/19).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its thirty-second session, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to establish within the Secretariat a Special Unit on Palestinian Rights, which would prepare, under the Committee’s guidance, studies and publications relating to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and would organize, in consultation with the Committee, commencing in 1978, the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32\/40 B). The Assembly, at its thirty-fourth session, requested the Secretary-General to redesignate the Special Unit as the Division for Palestinian Rights, with an expanded mandate of work (resolution 34\/65 D).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its forty-third session, the General Assembly acknowledged the proclamation of the State of Palestine by the Palestine National Council on 15 November 1988; and decided that, effective as at 15 December 1988, the designation “Palestine” should be used in place of the designation “Palestine Liberation Organization” in the United Nations system, without prejudice to the observer status and functions of the PLO within the United Nations system, in conformity with relevant United Nations resolutions and practice (resolution 43\/177).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its sixty-sixth session, the General Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to continue to exert all efforts to promote the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, to support the Middle East peace process for the achievement of the two-State solution on the basis of the pre-1967 borders and the just resolution of all final status issues and to mobilize international support for and assistance to the Palestinian people, and to report thereon to the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session and thereafter (resolution 66\/14).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At the same session, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to continue to provide the Division for Palestinian Rights with the necessary resources and to ensure that it continued to carry out its programme of work, in consultation with the Committee and under its guidance, including the monitoring of developments relevant to the question of Palestine, the organization of international meetings and conferences, liaison and cooperation with civil society and parliamentarians, the development and expansion of the “Question of Palestine” website and the documents collection of the United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine, the preparation and dissemination of information on various aspects of the question of Palestine and enhancement of the annual training programme for staff of the Palestinian Authority; and requested the Division, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations (resolution 66\/15). <\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Also at the same session, the General Assembly requested the Department of Public Information to organize and promote fact-finding news missions for journalists to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel; and to organize international, regional and national seminars or encounters for journalists (resolution 66\/16) <\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Also at its sixty-sixth session, the General Assembly called upon both parties to act on the basis of international law and their previous agreements and obligations, in particular adherence to the road map, irrespective of reciprocity; called upon the parties themselves, with the support of the Quartet and other interested bodies, to exert all efforts necessary to halt the deterioration of the situation and to reverse all unilateral and unlawful measures taken on the ground since 28 September 2000; underscored the need for the parties to take confidence-building measures aimed at improving the situation on the ground, promoting stability and fostering the peace process, including the need for the further release of prisoners following the exchange of prisoners in October 2011; stressed the need for the removal of checkpoints and other obstructions to the movement of persons and goods throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the need for respect and preservation of the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; stressed the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all acts of violence; reiterated its demand for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1860 (2009); reiterated the need for the full implementation by both parties of the Agreement on Movement and Access and of the Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing, and the need to allow for the sustained opening of all crossings into and out of the Gaza Strip for humanitarian supplies, movement and access, as well as for commercial flows and all necessary construction materials; stressed the urgent necessity for the advancement of reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, including through the completion of numerous suspended projects managed by the United Nations and the accelerated implementation of United Nations-led civilian reconstruction activities; called upon Israel to comply strictly with its obligations under international law and to cease all of its measures that were contrary to international law and unilateral actions aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Territory; reiterated its demand for the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in the Territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan, and called for the full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions; stressed the need for Israel forthwith to abide by its road map obligation to freeze all settlement activity, including so-called “natural growth”, and to dismantle settlement outposts erected since March 2001; called for the cessation of all provocations, including by Israeli settlers, in East Jerusalem, including in and around religious sites; demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with its legal obligations under international law, as mentioned in the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the International Court of Justice and as demanded in Assembly resolutions ES-10\/13 and ES-10\/15, and that it immediately cease its construction of the wall in the Territory, and called upon all States Members of the United Nations to comply with their legal obligations; reaffirmed its commitment, in accordance with international law, to the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, based on the pre-1967 borders; stressed the need for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 and for the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent State; stressed the need for a just resolution of the problem of Palestine refugees in conformity with its resolution 194 (III); called upon the parties to resume and accelerate direct peace negotiations towards the conclusion of a final peaceful settlement on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference, the road map and the Arab Peace Initiative; urged Member States to expedite the provision of economic, humanitarian and technical assistance to the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority in order to help to alleviate the serious humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, which is critical in the Gaza Strip, to rehabilitate the Palestinian economy and infrastructure and to support the development and strengthening of Palestinian institutions and Palestinian State-building efforts in preparation for independence; and requested the Secretary-General to continue his efforts with the parties concerned, and in consultation with the Security Council, towards the attainment of a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the promotion of peace in the region and to submit to the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session a report on those efforts and on developments on the matter (resolution 66\/17).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n Documents<\/i><\/span>:<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n (a) Report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People: Supplement No. 35 (A\/67\/35);<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n (b) Report of the Secretary-General (resolution 66\/17).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n References for the sixty-sixth session (agenda item 37)<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n| \n Report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People: Supplement No. 35 (A\/66\/35)<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| \n Report of the Secretary-General A\/66\/367-S\/2011\/585 (also relates to item 36)<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n \n\n| \n Draft resolutions<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n A\/66\/L.15 and Add.1, A\/66\/L.16 and Add.1, A\/66\/L.17 and Add.1, A\/66\/L.18 and Add.1 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| \n Plenary meeting<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n A\/66\/PV.69<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| \n Resolutions<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 66\/14 to 66\/17<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n \n \/…<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n 52. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East<\/strong> <\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n At its third session, in 1948, the General Assembly initiated United Nations assistance to Palestine refugees (resolution 212 (III)). At that session, the Assembly established the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, composed of France, Turkey and the United States (resolution 194 (III)).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its fourth session, the General Assembly established the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA) (resolution 302 (IV)). Since May 1950, the Agency, which is supported by voluntary contributions, has been providing education, training, health, relief and other services to Arab refugees from Palestine. In 1967 and 1982, the functions of the Agency were widened to include humanitarian assistance, as far as practicable, on an emergency basis and as a temporary measure, to other displaced persons in serious need of immediate assistance as a result of the 1967 and subsequent hostilities (resolutions 2252 (ES-V) and 37\/120 B). The Agency’s mandate has been extended several times, most recently until 30 June 2014 (resolution 65\/98).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n By its resolution 302 (IV), the General Assembly established an Advisory Commission to advise and assist the Director (now Commissioner-General) of the Agency in the execution of its programme, and requested the Commissioner-General to submit to the Assembly an annual report on the work of the Agency and to the Secretary-General such other reports as the Agency might wish to bring to the attention of the United Nations or its appropriate organs. At its sixtieth, sixty-third,<\/strong> sixty-fifth and sixty-sixth <\/strong>sessions, the Assembly decided to increase the membership of the Advisory Commission on Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA to 21, then to 23, then to 24 and then to 25 (decision 60\/522, resolutions 63\/91, 65\/98 and 66\/72); to invite Palestine to attend and fully participate in its meetings as an observer; to invite the European Community to attend its meetings; and to invite the League of Arab States to attend its meetings as an observer. The membership of the Advisory Commission is currently as follows: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, <\/strong>Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its twenty-fifth session, the General Assembly, in view of the Agency’s deteriorating financial situation, established the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to study all aspects of the financing of the Agency (resolution 2656 (XXV)). The Working Group submitted recommendations to the Assembly at its twenty-fifth session and every subsequent session, and the Assembly has annually extended the Working Group’s mandate. The Working Group is composed of the following nine Member States: France, Ghana, Japan, Lebanon, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States.<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n At its sixty-sixth session, the General Assembly adopted four resolutions under this item (resolutions 66\/72 to 66\/75).<\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n Assistance to Palestine refugees<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n The General Assembly reiterated its request to the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine to continue exerting efforts towards the implementation of paragraph 11 of Assembly resolution 194 (III) and to report to the Assembly no later than 1 September 2012 and affirmed the necessity for the continuation of the work of Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA and the importance of its unimpeded operation and its provision of services for the well-being and human development of the Palestine refugees and for the stability of the region (resolution 66\/72).<\/span> | | | | | | |