Three points conducive to settle Palestinian question

Egypt has identified three points as conducive to the settlement of the Palestinian question.

In a statement to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Egypt's Chief Delegate to the UN Ahmed Abu Gheit said that the first point lies in the fact that East Jerusalem is occupied land and is part of the occupied Palestinian territories in all of the West Bank and Gaza from which Israel must withdraw in full.

This is an enshrined fact that is spelt out in the relevant UN resolutions, especially Security Council resolutions 465 and 478 and the resolutions of the General Assembly as the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The second is that the colonialist Israeli settlements in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, had and continue to have devastating effects on the situation of the Palestinians, their security, rights, national aspirations and hopes of establishing their own independent state on their land.

The support by the Israeli government of these settlers and their aggressive and provocative behaviour is in violation of Israel's obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

In this context, Egypt expresses its satisfaction with the decision taken by the States Parties to the Convention to resume their conference on December 5 to examine Israel's grave violations of its obligations.

The third point is that the question of the Palestinian refugees should find its way to settlement based on justice in accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 194, and other subsequent resolutions, that all clearly stipulates the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and their right to compensation should they choose not to return.

Abul Gheit said that Israel's disregard for the centrality of these points and their direct impact on the attainment of a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question will only result in prolonging the conflict and exacerbating the violence with more casualties on both sides, without the attainment of a peaceful solution.