Jerusalem-forum@wanadoo.jo

Peace Proposals

Suggestions for the calling of an international conference for the settlement of the Palestine Question and the Arab-Israeli conflict were made on several occasions by the UN General Assembly, by the Soviet Union and also by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Arab States. A call for the convening of a UN sponsored peace conference was also formulated on September 7, 1983 by an international conference on the Question of Palestine held at Geneva under UN sponsorship. It was proposed that such a conference be convened under the auspices of the UN on the basis of the principles of the Charter and relevant UN resolutions with the aim of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict-- an essential element of which would be the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in Palestine.

On December 13, 1983, the General Assembly endorsed in its resolution 38/58C the call made at the Geneva Conference on September 7, 1983 for an international peace conference on the Middle East with the following guidelines: 

1. The attainment by the Palestinian people of their legitimate inalienable rights, including the right of return, the right of self-determination, and the right to establish their own independent state in Palestine.

2. The right of the PLO, the representative of the Palestinian people, to participate therein.

3. The need to put an end to Israel’s occupation of Arab territories, in accordance with the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, and consequently, the need to secure Israel’s withdrawal from the territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem.

4. The need to reject such Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territories, including Jerusalem, and any de facto situation created by Israel as are contrary to international law, particularly the establishment of settlements.

5. The need to reaffirm as null and void all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel which have altered the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular, the so-called “Basic Law” which declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel. the Basic Law No. 5740 1980 stated the following: (1) Jerusalem united in its entirety is the capital of Israel, (2) Jerusalem is the seat of the President of the state, the Knesset, the Government, and the Supreme Court.

6. The right of all states in the region to existence within secure and internationally recognized boundaries, with justice and security for all the people, the sine qua non of which is the recognition and attainment of the legitimate inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

The General Assembly invited all parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the PLO, the USA, the Soviet Union and other concerned states, to participate in the conference on an equal footing and with equal rights and, requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Security Council, to undertake measures to convene the conference. The resolution was adopted by 124 votes against the negative votes of Australia, Canada, Israel, and the US. The Western countries abstained.

The US opposed the convening of the conference, objected to PLO participation and stated its determination to confine peace talks to the sphere of the Camp David Accords. This was in conformity with Israel’s attitude. The four other permanent members of the Security Council were evasive concerning their participation. On December 12, 1985 the General Assembly by its resolution 40/96 reaffirmed again its endorsement of the call for convening the International Peace Conference on the Middle East in conformity with the provisions of General Assembly Resolution 38/58C of December 13, 1983, but the conference was not held.

Reliance on negotiations with Israel to secure its voluntary abandonment of Palestinian territories wrongly seized and annexed, or the repatriation of the Palestine refugees, or generally the implementation of UN resolutions is wishful thinking. In the absence of a clear directive to the conference to seek a solution based on justice, international law and UN resolutions and, in the absence of a provision for the recourse to coercive measures-- in case of need-- to implement such a solution, the attainment of a fair and equitable settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and in particular the Palestine Question, will remain a distant mirage.

July 11, 1999

Professor Dr. Ahmad Tell, of Jordanian origin, is Dean of Zarka Private National Community College in Zarka, Jordan. In 1980 he received an Award of Distinction from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. He is the author of several books and publications: Higher Education in Jordan , published in 1997, including Abdullah Tell, the Hero and Why Did the Arabs Fail?, both of which are currently under print. Dr.Tell also wrote a research paper about the former Prime Minister Samir Rifai and the Palestinian cause in 1997.

Dr.Tell was an officer in the Arab Legion from 1946-1950 and fought in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948.

References:
Cattan, Henry. The Palestine Question. Croom Helm Ltd., London, New York, 1988.