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."
[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