Respect for and implementation of human rights in occupied territories

XXIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
2443. Respect for and implementation of human rights in occupied territories

The General Assembly, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Bearing in mind the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949,[1] Mindful of the principle embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights regarding the right of everyone to return to his own country, and recalling Security Council resolution 237 (1967) of 14 June 1967, General Assembly resolutions 2252 (ES-V) of 4 July 1967 and 2341 B (XXII) of 19 December 1967, Commission on Human Rights resolution 6 (XXIV) of 27 February 1968[2] and Economic and Social Council resolution 1336 (XLIV) of 31 May 1968, in which those United Nations organs called upon the Government of Israel, inter alia, to facilitate the return of those inhabitants who have fled the area of military operations since the outbreak of hostilities, Recalling the telegram dispatched by the Commission on Human Rights on 8 March 1968, calling upon the Government of Israel to desist forthwith from acts of destroying homes of the Arab civilian population in areas occupied by Israel,[3] Recalling also Security Council resolution 259 (1968) of 27 September 1968, in which the Council expressed its concern for the safety, welfare and security of the inhabitants of the Arab territories under military occupation by Israel, and deplored the delay in the implementation of Council resolution 237 (1967), Noting resolution I on respect for and implementation of human rights in occupied territories, adopted by the International Conference on Human Rights on 7 May 1968,[4] in which the Conference, inter alia:

(a) Expressed its grave concern at the violation of human rights in Arab territories occupied by Israel,

(b) Drew the attention of the Government of Israel to the grave consequences resulting from the disregard of fundamental freedoms and human rights in occupied territories,

(c) Called upon the Government of Israel to desist forthwith from acts of destroying homes of the Arab civilian population inhabiting areas occupied by Israel and to respect and implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949[5] in occupied territories,

(d) Affirmed the inalienable rights of all inhabitants who have left their homes as a result of the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East to return home, resume their normal life, recover their property and homes, and rejoin their families according to the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

1. Decides to establish a Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories, composed of three Member States;

2. Requests the President of the General Assembly to appoint the members of the Special Committee;

3. Requests the Government of Israel to receive the Special Committee, co-operate with it and facilitate its work;

4. Requests the Special Committee to report to the Secretary-General as soon as possible and whenever the need arises thereafter;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Committee with all the necessary facilities for the performance of its task.

1748th plenary meeting,
19 December 1968.

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[1] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75 (1950), No. 973. [2] See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Forty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 4 (E/4475), chapter XVIII [3] Ibid., para. 400. [4] See Final Act of the International Conference on Human Rights (United Nations publication, Sales No.: E.68XIV.2), P. 5. [5] United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75 (1950), Nos. 970-973.