{"id":208177,"date":"1979-12-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T19:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=208177"},"modified":"2019-03-12T19:31:31","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T19:31:31","slug":"auto-insert-208177","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-208177\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East situation – Yearbook of the United Nations 1979 (excerpts)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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YEARBOOK<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n OF THE<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n UNITED<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n NATIONS<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 1979<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Volume 33<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Department of Public Information<\/strong><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n United Nations, New York<\/strong><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n \n Questions relating to the Middle East<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n In 1979, as in previous years, aspects of the situation in the Middle East occupied the attention of the Security Council, the General Assembly and several other United Nations bodies. A number of communications were also received, including charges and countercharges, as events in the region evolved.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Following a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel that entered into force on 25 April, several withdrawals were made from the Sinai peninsula by Israel. The mandate of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), deployed in the zone of disengagement between Egyptian and Israeli forces in the Sinai, lapsed on 24 July and was not renewed by the Security Council. The Council in May and November renewed six-month mandates for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which continued to supervise a 1974 disengagement agreement between Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights area, noting that, despite the quiet prevailing in the sector, the over-all situation in the Middle East remained potentially dangerous.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>At the beginning of 1979, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had been operational for 10 months. The Force had been established to confirm withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its authority to the southern part of the country.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The mandate was largely unimplemented in 1979. Lebanese de facto <\/i>forces, composed of Christian and allied militias, continued to occupy the border area turned over to them by Israeli forces after their withdrawal in June 1978. The de facto <\/i>forces, alone or supported by Israeli forces, continued to encroach on the UNIFIL area of operation, and incursions by Israeli forces continued to be reported. Efforts by UNIFIL to control infiltration by other armed elements, which included the Palestine Liberation Organization as well as the Lebanese national movement and other Lebanese groups, also led to incidents. Heavy exchanges of fire over and across UNIFIL's area of operation were frequent. Following a cease-fire arranged by UNIFIL on 26 August, the situation remained generally quiet, despite isolated cases of firing.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Security Council extended UNIFIL's mandate three times during 1979: in January, for a period of five months; in June, for the following six months; and in December, for a further six months until 19 June 1980 (resolutions 444 (1979), 450 (1979) and 459 (1979)).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The General Assembly discussed several aspects of the situation in the Middle East during the year. Financing for UNDOF was arranged by the Assembly at its regular session on 25 October and on 3 and 17 December. At the last two meetings, the Assembly also arranged financing for the liquidation of UNEF. Financing for UNIFIL was arranged by the Assembly on 1 November and 17 December.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>At the end of October, the Secretary-General submitted a comprehensive report on the situation in the Middle East which was discussed by the Assembly. The report dealt with: the status of the cease-fire and the activities of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the area; United Nations efforts concerning the situation in the occupied territories and the question of Jerusalem; the Palestine refugee problem, the question of the rights of the Palestinian people; and developments in connexion with the search for a peaceful settlement. The Secretary-General said that the general situation was unstable and would remain so without a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects<\/p><\/div>\n of the Middle East problem.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Throughout the year, Lieutenant-General Ensio P. H. Siilasvuo continued as Chief Coordinator of United Nations Peace-keeping Missions in the Middle East.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Having considered the question of the situation in the Middle East at its regular 1979 session, the Assembly on 6 December adopted resolution 34\/70, by which it condemned continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories, declared that a just and lasting settlement of the Middle East question must be based on a comprehensive solution, and called anew for the early convening of the Geneva Peace Conference on the Middle East under United Nations auspices.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>On 29 November and 12 December, the Assembly adopted four resolutions – 34\/65 A-D – on the question of Palestine. By these texts, the Assembly: expressed its regret and concern that the recommendations drawn up in 1976 by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, to be applied in efforts to establish peace in the Middle East, had not been implemented; declared that the 1978 Camp David accords, and other agreements concluded outside the framework of the United Nations purporting to determine the future of the Palestinian people and occupied territories, had no validity; authorized the Palestinian Rights Committee to continue promoting implementation of its recommendations and asked for co-operation in this regard from other United Nations bodies; and requested the Secretary-General to ensure the co-operation of the Secretariat in an expanded programme of information on the subject.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Security Council met in March to discuss the accelerating erosion of the status of Jerusalem and the rest of the Arab territories occupied by Israel, as a result of the Israeli settlement and colonization of those territories. On 22 March, it adopted a resolution by which it determined that the Israeli settlement policy had no legal validity and constituted a serious obstruction to achieving a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. It called again on Israel to abide scrupulously by the 1949 fourth Geneva Convention, to rescind its measures and to desist from changing the legal status, geographical nature or demographic composition of the occupied Arab territories. The Council also set up a three-member Commission to examine the situation. The Assembly, by resolution 34\/133, endorsed a decision of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme concerning assistance to the Palestinian people and called on United Nations organizations to intensify efforts to improve their social and economic conditions.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Assembly also adopted three resolutions – 34\/90 A-C – on the treatment of the civilian population in the occupied territories, based on the findings of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories. In a related action – resolution 34\/29 – it called on Israel to rescind a decision to deport the Mayor of Nablus, a West Bank city. Decisions were also taken declaring illegal Israeli measures to exploit resources, wealth and economic activities in those territories (resolution 34\/136) and asking for a comprehensive report on living conditions of the Palestinian people (resolution 34\/113).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>By six resolutions – 34\/52 A-F – on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), adopted on 23 November, the Assembly took decisions dealing with assistance to Palestine refugees and other persons in the area displaced as a result of the June 1967 hostilities, Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced inhabitants, offers of grants and scholarships for Palestine refugees, and the financing of UNRWA. It also urged Governments to make the most generous efforts possible to meet the needs of UNRWA, in the light of the Agency's budgetary deficit, and asked that UNRWA's headquarters be relocated within its area of operations as soon as possible. Also considered were the health needs of Palestinian refugee children.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In September, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of a Co-ordinator of Assistance for the Reconstruction and Development of Lebanon.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Details of these and other related actions on Middle Eastern questions are described in the following pages.<\/p><\/div>\n Situation in the Middle East: status of the cease-fire<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Egypt-Israel sector: United Nations Emergency Force <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Reports of the Secretary-General<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The mandate of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) had been renewed in 1978 until 24 July 1979. 1<\/u>\/ On 19 July, the Secretary-General submitted to the Security Council a report on the activities of the Force for the period from 18 October 1978 to 19 July 1979. He observed that during that period the situation in the Egypt-Israel sector had remained quiet and there had been no incidents of a serious nature. The Force had continued to man and control a buffer zone in the western part of the Sinai, carrying out periodic inspections of the area of limited forces and armaments on both sides of the zone, supervising the cease-fire and assisting in the implementation of the Agreement between Egypt and Israel of 4 September 1975 and the Protocol of 22 September 1975. 2<\/u>\/ A peace treaty signed on 26 March between Egypt and Israel entered into force on 25 April (see p. 355). On 25 May, Israeli forces withdrew from a northern coastal area in the Sinai to the east of El Arish, and Egyptian authorities took over that area.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>However, despite the recent developments in the sector, the situation in the Middle East as a whole continued to be unstable and potentially dangerous and was likely to remain so without a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Secretary-General noted that, as before, UNEF was composed of contingents from Australia, Canada, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Poland and Sweden. On 15 March, part of the Finnish contingent had been detached to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, reducing UNEF's total strength as at 16 July to 4,031. The Force was assisted by 120 military observers of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In concluding his report, the Secretary-General pointed out that the original context in which UNEF was created and had functioned had changed during the period under review. The Governments of Egypt and Israel favoured an extension of its mandate, but others opposed that course. The Secretary-General recalled that UNEF's continued operation was to be referred to the Security Council for decision, according to guidelines approved by the Council in its resolution of<\/p><\/div>\n 27 October 1973. 3<\/u>\/<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Council did not renew UNEF's mandate upon its expiration.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a further comprehensive report on the situation in the Middle East, of 24 October 1979, the Secretary-General recalled the observations he had made on UNEF in his July report and noted that two further Israeli withdrawals had taken place from other Sinai areas on 25 July and 25 September.<\/p><\/div>\n Communications<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>By a letter of 24 July to the President of the Security Council, the Secretary-General took note of recent Council consultations on UNEF and understood that it had been agreed that there should be no extension of the UNEF mandate, which would lapse at midnight on 24 July. Accordingly, he intended to make the necessary arrangements for an orderly withdrawal of UNEF.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 24 July to the Council President, Kuwait dissociated itself from the Council's inaction on the continued presence of UNTSO in the Egypt-Israel sector, because it regarded United Nations involvement within the framework of the bilateral treaty as unacceptable. In a further letter of 31 July to the Secretary-General, Kuwait stated that its position represented also that of the Arab group of Member States at the United Nations.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>By a letter of 27 July, Egypt asked that a letter to the Secretary-General of the previous day be circulated as a Council document. It expressed the Egyptian Government's appreciation of the exemplary manner in which UNEF had carried out its functions, assuring the Secretary-General of full co-operation in facilitating the orderly withdrawal of the Force and reaffirming its acceptance of the UNTSO military observers on Egyptian territory.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 27 September, Qatar, as current Chairman of the Arab group, informed the Secretary-General that the group was opposed to any action or undertaking by any organ of the United Nations, including UNTSO, which could facilitate the recognition, endorsement, approval and implementation of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.<\/p><\/div>\n Documentary references<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Reports of the Secretary-General<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n S\/l3460 and Corr.1. Report of Secretary-General on UNEF (for period 18 October 1978-19 July 1979).<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13578 (A\/34\/584). Report of Secretary-General, Chapter II A and D.\t<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Communications<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n S\/13467. Letter of 24 July from Kuwait.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13468. Letter of 24 July from Secretary-General to President of Security Council.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13475. Letter of 27 July from Egypt (circulating letter of 26 July 1979).<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13478 (A\/34\/392).Letter of 31 July from Kuwait.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13559 (A\/34\/520).Letter of 27 September from Qatar.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Other documents<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n A\/35\/2. Report of Security Council, 16 June 1979-15 June 1980, Chapter 1D.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Israel-Syria sector: United Nations<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Disengagement Observer Force<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Communications and reports<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 13 March 1979, the Secretary-General informed the Security Council that in accordance with a decision of the Government of Iran the Iranian contingent would be repatriated from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). He proposed to transfer a company of the Finnish contingent of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to UNDOF as a temporary measure. In a letter of 14 March, the Council President informed him that following informal consultations on that day the Council members had agreed with his proposal, adding that China had dissociated itself from the matter.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 26 July to the Council President, the Secretary-General, noting that with the termination of UNEF's mandate on 24 July the logistic support provided to UNDOF by UNEF was no longer available, proposed, subject to the usual consultations, that the logistic component of UNDOF be increased by 200 men, bringing its over-all 200 men, bringing its over-all strength to about 1,450. Replying on 1 August the Council President informed him that Council members had agreed with his proposal. China, however, had dissociated itself from the matter.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a note verbale of 9 August, the Secretary-General informed the Council that, subject to the usual consultations, he intended to accept an offer from Finland to bring the strength of its UNDOF contingent to 390, to equal that of the Iranian battalion which it had replaced in March. In a reply dated 16 August, the Council President informed the Secretary-General that the Council members agreed with his proposal, with China again dissociating itself from the matter.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>With the mandate of UNDOF due to expire on 31 May, the Secretary-General submitted a report, dated 24 May, giving an account of the activities of the Force to date from 25 November 1978. The Secretary-General observed that UNDOF had continued to supervise the cease-fire between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic the area of separation – to ensure that there were no military forces there – and the areas of limitation of armaments and forces, in accordance with a 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces 4<\/u>\/ in the Golan Heights area.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>During the period under review, the cease-fire had been maintained, no complaints having been lodged by either side in this regard. The Secretary-General noted, however, that restrictions on contingents' freedom of movement still existed, and efforts to correct that situation were continuing.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>As at 18 May, the strength of the Force was 1,025, with contingents drawn from Austria, Canada, Finland and Poland and including 91 military observers detailed from the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (UNTSO). On 21 April, Colonel Guenther G. Greindl of the Austrian contingent was designated Officer-in-Charge, pending appointment of a new Force Commander to replace Major-General Hannes Philipp, whose term of duty had ended. <\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Secretary-General noted that, despite the prevailing quiet in the sector, the situation in the Middle East as a whole continued to be potentially dangerous and was likely to remain so without a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem. He expressed the hope that determined efforts would be made by all concerned to achieve a just and durable peace settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem. He expressed the hope that determined efforts would be made by all concerned to achieve a just and durable peace settlement, as called for by the Security Council in its resolution 338 (1973). 5<\/u>\/<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>He considered the continued presence of UNDOF in the area to be essential and recommended that the Council extended its mandate for a further six months, until 30 November. He added that Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic had agreed to the proposed extension. The Council, by resolution 449 (1979) of 30 May, renewed UNDOF's mandate for six months (see section below).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Before the mandate expired on 30 November, the Secretary-General, on 23 November, submitted a report on the activities of the Force for the period from 25 May to that date. He stated that UNDOF had continued, with the co-operation of the parties, to fulfil the tasks entrusted to it. The situation in the sector had remained quiet and there had been no serious incidents. The strength of the Force as at 23 November was 1,260, made up of contingents from Austria (538), Canada (210), Finland (389) and Poland (101), with 22 United Nations military observers detailed from UNTSO.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>However, given the over-all situation in the Middle East, the Secretary-General considered the continued presence of UNDOF in the area to be essential and recommended that its mandate be extended until 31 May 1980, indicating that the Governments concerned had expressed agreement.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 29 November, the Secretary-General informed the Council that, if it decided to extend the mandate of UNDOF, he planned, subject to Council consent, to appoint Colonel Greindl Commander of UNDOF as from 1 December. He understood that Austria intended to confer on him the rank of Major-General upon appointment. Replying on 30 November, the Council President informed the Secretary-General that Council members had considered the matter in consultations and agreed with his proposal, adding that China had dissociated itself from the matter.<\/p><\/div>\n Decisions of the Security<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Council (May and November)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>On 30 May, the Council met to consider the report of the Secretary-General on UNDOF covering the period from 25 November 1978 to 24 May 1979 (see section above).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Council had before it a draft resolution prepared in the course of consultations among the members. The text was immediately put to the vote, without debate, and adopted by 14 votes to 0, with one member (China) not participating in the vote.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>By resolution 449 (1979), the Council, having considered the Secretary-General's report, decided to renew the mandate of UNDOF until 30 November 1979, to call on the parties concerned to implement immediately Council resolution 338 (1973), and to request the Secretary-General to report in six months on measures taken to implement that resolution and on developments in the situation. <\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Council President then made the following statement.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In connexion with the adoption of the resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, I have been authorized to make the following complementary statement on behalf of the Security Council regarding the resolution just adopted:<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>"As is known, the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force states in paragraph 28 that, 'Despite the present quiet in the Israel-Syria sector, the situation in the Middle East as a whole continues to be potentially dangerous and is likely to remain so unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached.' This statement of the Secretary-General reflects the view of the Security Council."<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Further, on behalf of the delegation of China, I wish to state that, as it has not participated in the vote on this resolution, it takes the same position with regard to the statement which I have just read out on behalf of the members of the Council.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In a letter of 30 May, Kuwait reaffirmed the views on UNDOF it had expressed during the Council's meeting of 30 November 1978, 6<\/u>\/ reiterating that it accepted the extension of the mandate only because the Syrian Arab Republic accepted it.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Council met again on 30 November to consider the Secretary-General's report on UNDOF covering the period from 25 May to 23 November 1979 (see section above), and a draft resolution on extension of UNDOF's mandate. The draft was adopted, without debate, by 14 votes to 0; China did not participate in the vote. By resolution 456 (1979), the Council renewed UNDOF's mandate until 31 May 1980, again called for implementation of resolution 338 (1973), and asked the Secretary-General to report at the end of six months on measures taken to implement it and on developments.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Council President then made the following statement.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>In connexion with the adoption of the resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, I have been authorized to make the following complementary statement on behalf of the Security Council regarding the resolution just adopted:<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Documentary references and texts of resolutions<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Communications and reports<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n S\/13166. Letter of 13 March from Secretary-General to President of Security Council. <\/p><\/div>\n S\/13167. Letter of 14 March from President of Security Council to Secretary-General.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13350. Report of Secretary-General on UNDOF (for period 25 November 1978-24 May 1979).<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13479. Letter of 26 July from Secretary-General to President of Security Council.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13480. Letter of 1 August from President of Security Council to Secretary-General.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13499. Note verbale of 9 August from Secretary-General to President of Security Council.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13500. Letter of 16 August from President of Security Council to Secretary-General.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13637. Report of Secretary-General on UNDOF (for period 25 May-23 November 1979).<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13665. Letter of 29 November from Secretary-General to President of Security Council.<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13666. Letter of 30 November from President of Security Council to Secretary-General.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Decisions of the Security<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n Council (May and November)<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Security Council, <\/i>meetings 2145, 2174. <\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n S\/13350. Report of Secretary-General on UNDOF (for period 25 November 1978-24 May 1979).<\/p><\/div>\n S\/13357. Draft resolution.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Resolution <\/i>449 (1979), as proposed in S\/13357, adopted by Council on 30 May 1979, meeting 2145, by 14 votes to 0 (China did not participate in voting).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>The Security Council, <\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>Having considered <\/i>the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force,<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t<\/span>
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