United Nations Security Council Resolution 1402

Resolution 1435 (2002)

24 September, 2002:

"The Security Council,

"Reaffirming its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, 1397 (2002) of 12 March 2002, 1402 (2002) of 30 March 2002 and 1403 (2002) of 4 April 2002, as well as the statements of its President, of 10 April 2002 and 18 July 2002,

"Reiterating its grave concern at the tragic and violent events that have taken place since September 2000 and the continuous deterioration of the situation,

"Condemning all terrorist attacks against any civilians, including the terrorist bombings in Israel on 18 and 19 September 2002 and in a Palestinian school in Hebron on 17 September 2002,

"Gravely concerned at the reoccupation of the headquarters of the President of the Palestinian Authority in the City of Ramallah that took place on 19 September 2002 and demanding its immediate end,

"Alarmed at the reoccupation of Palestinian cities as well as the severe restrictions imposed on the freedom of movement of persons and goods, and gravely concerned at the humanitarian crisis being faced by the Palestinian people,

"Reiterating the need for respect in all circumstances of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949,

"1.Reiterates its demand for the complete cessation of all acts of violence, including all acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction;

"2.Demands that Israel immediately cease measures in and around Ramallah including the destruction of Palestinian civilian and security infrastructure;

"3.Demands also the expeditious withdrawal of the Israeli occupying forces from Palestinian cities towards the return to the positions held prior to September 2000;

"4.Calls on the Palestinian Authority to meet its expressed commitment to ensure that those responsible for terrorist acts are brought to justice by it;

"5.Expresses its full support for the efforts of the Quartet and calls upon the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and all States in the region to cooperate with these efforts and recognizes in this context the continuing importance of the initiative endorsed at the Arab League Beirut Summit;

"6.Decides to remain seized of the matter."

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[IMRA: The UN Security Council passed a resolution hours after a Jewish father was murdered while visiting Hebron in celebration of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. But instead of citing this incident and other incidents in which Israelis were murdered beyond the Green Line, the resolution carefully cites two bombings within the Green Line. The resolution does mention an attack in the Hebron area - an unsolved explosion that took place by a Palestinian school near Hebron.

It is noteworthy that while the resolution has a "demand for the complete cessation of all acts of violence, including all acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction" it does not demand that the PA act on this. Instead, it limits the call to the "Palestinian Authority to meet its expressed commitment to ensure that those responsible for terrorist acts are brought to justice by it". In the best of circumstances, this means that the PA should arrest terrorists AFTER they carry out attacks. But when one takes into account that it is the position of the Arab world that murdering Israelis cannot be considered "terror" (at worse bad under certain circumstances because it may not serve Palestinian interests) the resolution is actually a message to Arafat that he is not expected to do anything.]

See Abstaining is Not Good Enough

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