October 2017 Volume XL, Bulletin No. 10 Contents Page I. UN Special Coordinator encouraged by the commitment to return Gaza to the full control of the Palestinian Authority 1 II. UNESCO Executive Board adopts decision on the question of Palestine 1 III. UN Secretary-General encouraged by progress in allowing the Palestinian government to take up its responsibilities in Gaza 3 IV. UN Special Coordinator and Palestinian Prime Minister discuss implementation of the intra- Palestinian agreement 4 V. Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs briefs the Security Council 4 VI. Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People submits report 7 VII. UN Special Coordinator condemns Hamas statements calling for the destruction of the State of Israel 9 VIII. UN Special Rapporteur Lynk issues report addressing the illegality of Israeli occupation 10 The Bulletin can be found in the United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine (UNISPAL) on the Internet at: http://unispal.un.org Disclaimer: The texts cited in this Monthly Bulletin have been reproduced in their original form. The Division for Palestinian Rights is consequently not responsible for the views, positions or discrepancies contained in these texts. I. UN SPECIAL COORDINATOR ENCOURAGED BY THE COMMITMENT TO RETURN GAZA TO THE FULL CONTROL OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY On 3 October 2017, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov issued the following statement: This morning I met with Palestinian the implementation of the Cairo Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Gaza. I understandings. was encouraged by the firm commitment of President Abbas and the Government to The United Nations stands ready to return to Gaza under the full control of the continue working with the legitimate legitimate Palestinian Authority. This is Palestinian authorities and the region in essential for resolving the humanitarian support of the Government in taking up its situation as soon as possible, most notably responsibilities in Gaza. the crippling electricity and health crises, and should facilitate the lifting of the movement I reiterate the call of the Middle East and access restrictions on Gaza, in line with Quartet to end the militant activities in Gaza UN Security Council Resolution 1860. and ensure that peace with Israel is achieved on the basis of negotiations. I am encouraged by the continuing engagement of Egypt with all sides to ensure Gaza is and must be an integral part of the future Palestinian state. II. UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD ADOPTS DECISIONS RELATED TO QUESTION OF PALESTINE During its meeting in Paris on 6 October 2017 the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted the following draft decisions related to the question of Palestine: 1. Having examined document 202 Jordan on the World Heritage List (1981) and EX/38, on the List of World Heritage in Danger (1982), and the recommendations, resolutions 2. Recalling the provisions of the four and decisions of UNESCO on the protection Geneva Conventions (1949) and their of cultural heritage, as well as resolutions and additional Protocols (1977), the 1907 Hague decisions of UNESCO relating to Jerusalem, Regulations on Land Warfare, the Hague also recalling previous UNESCO decisions Convention for the Protection of Cultural relating to the reconstruction and Property in the Event of Armed Conflict development of Gaza as well as UNESCO (1954) and its additional Protocols, the decisions on the two Palestinian sites in Al- Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Khalil/Hebron and in Bethlehem, Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 3. Affirming that nothing in the current (1970) and the Convention for the Protection decision, which aims, inter alia, at the of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage safeguarding of the cultural heritage of (1972), the inscription of the Old City of Palestine and the distinctive character of East Jerusalem and its Walls at the request of Jerusalem, shall in any way affect the 1 relevant Security Council and United Nations implement the UNESCO request to the resolutions and decisions on the legal status Director-General to appoint a permanent of Palestine and Jerusalem, including United representative to be stationed in East Nations Security Council resolution 2334 Jerusalem to report on a regular basis about (2016), all aspects covering the fields of competence of UNESCO in East Jerusalem, and reiterates 30.1 Jerusalem its request to the Director-General to appoint, as soon as possible, the above-mentioned 4. Reaffirming the importance of the representative; Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheistic religions, 9. Stresses again the urgent need to implement the UNESCO reactive monitoring 5. Bearing in mind that all legislative mission to the Old City of Jerusalem and its and administrative measures and actions Walls, and invites the Director-General and taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which the World Heritage Centre to exert all have altered or purport to alter the character possible efforts, in line with their mandates and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and and in conformity with the provisions of the in particular the "basic law" on Jerusalem, are relevant UNESCO conventions, decisions null and void and must be rescinded and resolutions, to ensure the prompt forthwith, implementation of the mission and, in case of 6. Also recalling the twelve decisions of non-implementation, to propose possible the Executive Board: 185 EX/Decision 14, effective measures to ensure its 187 EX/Decision 11, 189 EX/Decision 8, 190 implementation; EX/Decision 13, 192 EX/Decision 11, 194 30.11 Reconstruction and development of EX/Decision 5.I.D, 195 EX/Decision 9, 196 Gaza EX/Decision 26, 197 EX/Decision 32, 199 EX/Dec.19.1, 200 EX/Decision 25 and 201 10. Deplores the military confrontations EX/Decision 30 and the eight World Heritage in and around the Gaza Strip and the civilian Committee decisions: 34 COM/7A.20, 35 casualties caused, as well as the continuous COM/7A.22, 36 COM/7A.23, 37 negative impact in the fields of competence COM/7A.26, 38 COM/7A.4, 39 of UNESCO, the attacks on schools and other COM/7A.27, 40 COM/7A.13, and 41 educational and cultural facilities, including COM/7A.36; breaches of the inviolability of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for 7. Regrets the failure of the Israeli Palestine Refugees in the Near East occupying authorities to cease the persistent (UNRWA) schools; excavations, tunneling, works and projects in East Jerusalem, particularly in and around the 11. Also deplores the continuous Israeli Old City of Jerusalem, which are illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which harmfully under international law and reiterates its affects the free and sustained movement of request to Israel, the occupying Power, to personnel, students and humanitarian relief prohibit all violations which are not in items and requests Israel to immediately ease conformity with the provisions of the this closure; relevant UNESCO conventions, resolutions and decisions; 12. Thanks the Director-General for initiatives that have already been 8. Also regrets the Israeli refusal to 2 implemented in Gaza in the fields of excavations, works, construction of private education, culture and youth and for the safety roads for settlers and of a Wall inside the Old of media professionals, calls upon her to City of Al-Khalil/Hebron which are illegal continue her active involvement in the under international law and harmfully affect reconstruction of Gaza's damaged educational the authenticity and integrity of the site, and and cultural components and reiterates, in this the subsequent denial of freedom of regard, its request to her to upgrade the movement and freedom of access to places of UNESCO Antenna in Gaza and to organize, worship and asks Israel, the occupying as soon as possible, an information meeting Power, to end all violations which are not in on the current situation in Gaza in the fields conformity with the provisions of relevant of competence of UNESCO and on the UNESCO conventions, resolutions and outcome of the projects conducted by decisions; UNESCO; 15. Regrets the visual impact of the Wall 30.111 The two Palestinian sites of Al- on the site of Bilal Ibn Rabah Haram Al-lbrahimi/Tomb of the Patriarchs Mosque/Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem as well in Al-Khalil/Hebron and the Bilal lbn as the strict ban on access of Palestinian Rabah Mosque/Rachel's Tomb in Christian and Muslim worshippers to the site, Bethlehem and demands that the Israeli authorities restore the original character of the landscape 13. Reaffirms that the two concerned around the site and lift the ban on access to it; sites located in Al-Khalil/Hebron and in Bethlehem are an integral part of the 30.1V Occupied Palestinian Territory, and shares the conviction affirmed by the international 16. Decides to include these matters under community that the two sites are of religious an item entitled "Occupied Palestine" in the significance for Judaism, Christianity and agenda at its 204th session, and invites the Islam; Director-General to submit to it a progress report thereon. 14. Deplores the ongoing Israeli III. UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS IN ALLOWING THE PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT TO TAKE UP RESPONSIBILITIES IN GAZA On 12 October 2017, UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke via telephone with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the State of Palestine. The following is a readout of their conversation: The Secretary-General spoke today with Palestinian Government to take up its H.E. Mr Mahmoud Abbas, the President of responsibilities in Gaza, and welcomed the the State of Palestine. The Secretary-General efforts of Egypt to achieve this goal.