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adopted by the General Assembly as the result of this discussion; all closely paralleled resolutions adopted in 1974.

U.S. Draft Resolution

Speaking for the United States on November 18, Ambassador Barbara M. White emphasized the seriousness of UNRWA's current financial crisis and pointed out that UNRWA's schools, the best hope for a better future for the refugees, would suffer most from the severe budget reductions the Agency faced. Emphasizing the responsibility of the world community as a whole to UNRWA, she said:

"It is our challenge, our commitment, and our responsibility to sustain the hope UNRWA has brought to those it serves. Let us, all of us, discharge that duty together."

Ambassador White introduced a draft resolution that (1) noted with deep regret that repatriation or compensation of the refugees as provided for in paragraph 11 of resolution 194 adopted by the General Assembly on December 11, 1948, had not been effected and that no progress had been made in the program of reintegrating the refugees either by repatriation or resettlement, as called for by the Assembly in 1952; (2) thanked the Commissioner General and his staff, the specialized agencies, and private organizations for their work in assisting the refugees; (3) requested the PCC to continue its efforts to achieve progress in the implementation of paragraph 11 of resolution 194 and to report thereon not later than October 1, 1976; (4) directed attention to the continued seriousness of UNRWA's financial position; (5) noted with profound concern that UNRWA's income continued to fall short of the funds needed to cover essential budget requirements, despite the successful efforts of the Commissioner General to collect additional contributions; and (6) called upon all governments urgently "to make the most generous efforts possible" to meet UNRWA's needs in light of the deficit projected in the Commissioner General's report.

The Committee approved the resolution on November 20 by a vote of 79 (U.S.) to 0, with 2 abstentions, and the Assembly adopted it on December 8 by a recorded vote of 121 (U.S.) to 0, with 1 abstention (Israel).

Assistance to Refugees Displaced in 1967

Sweden introduced a resolution eventually sponsored by 20 states from all areas, more than half of them from Western Europe. Continuing a series of essentially similar resolutions beginning in 1967, it endorsed the temporary emergency relief provided by UNRWA to persons displaced as the result of the 1967 hostilities in the

area and strongly appealed to governments, organizations, and individuals to contribute to UNRWA to enable it to continue this work. The Committee approved the resolution by consensus on November 20, and the Assembly adopted it on December 8 without vote.

Israeli Actions Toward 1967 Refugees

The Special Political Committee had for its consideration a report by the Secretary General on Israeli compliance with a 1973 resolution calling for the return of persons displaced in 1967 and calling upon Israel to facilitate that return. The report essentially reprinted a note verbale from the Permanent Representative of Israel, dated September 8, 1975, and related information from the Commissioner General of UNRWA. The Israeli note stated that the security situation did not permit a large-scale return of the 1967 refugees, in large part because of the activities of the PLO, but that an exception had been made for certain cases of hardship and of family reunion to which Israel had lent its assistance. It reported the total of displaced persons who had returned to their homes. since 1967 as 55,000. The note also asserted that demolition in the Gaza camps was necessary in order to improve security against terrorist activities. It further stated that military actions against refugee camps in Lebanon were directed at the PLO which had taken control of these areas.

UNRWA reported Israeli acts of demolition in Gaza since its previous report, UNRWA protests against punitive demolition, and Israeli provision of alternate, though sometimes inadequate, housing. UNRWA's figures on the return of persons displaced in 1967 were 8,000 through 1974, plus a few hundred more in 1975. UNRWA also provided data on civilian injuries and deaths and damage to its buildings from Israeli military actions against refugee areas in Lebanon.

On November 20, Jordan introduced a draft resolution eventually sponsored by 19 states, mostly from Asia and Africa. It reaffirmed the right of refugees displaced in 1967 to return to their homes and camps; again called on Israel to take immediate steps for the return of the displaced persons and to desist from further displacement and the destruction of shelters; and condemned Israeli military attacks on refugee camps. This resolution was approved by the Special Political Committee on November 21 by a rollcall vote of 84 to 3 (U.S.), with 18 abstentions. It was adopted by the Assembly on December 8 by a vote of 97 to 3 (U.S.), with 28 abstentions. Ambassador Albert W. Sherer, Jr., explained after the vote in the Committee that the United States had opposed the resolution because, by condemning only Israeli military attacks on refugee

camps without mentioning the acts of provocation, it treated in a one-sided manner one of the complex and tragic problems arising from the conflict in the Middle East.

UNRWA Finances

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The Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA was established by the 25th General Assembly in 1970 and has been continued annually by each successive General Assembly session. On June 10, 1976, both the Chairman of the Working Group and the UN Secretary General issued statements calling attention to UNRWA's financial crisis and asking for special donations to meet it. The Working Group made a special report on September 25, 1975, appealing for extra contributions to offset a deficit at that date of $13.2 million (out of a budget of $121.6 million) which could otherwise only be met by drastic reductions in services. On November 5, the Working Group submitted its regular report, in which it stated that a deficit of $8.3 million remained in UNRWA's 1975 budget and warned that "A deficit of this magnitude cannot be met from working capital and UNRWA is therefore near collapse.

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On November 20, Yugoslavia introduced a draft resolution eventually sponsored by 13 states, most of them from Asia and Western Europe. After expressing grave concern at UNRWA's alarming financial situation and emphasizing the urgent need for extraordinary efforts to maintain UNRWA's present minimum level of activities, the resolution commended the Working Group and extended it for another year. The resolution was adopted unanimously on November 21 by the Committee and on December 8 by the Assembly in plenary session.

Pledging Conference

The annual pledging conference for UNRWA took place on November 26, 1975. A total of $61,768,900 was pledged in cash and kind by some 44 countries.

Ambassador Moynihan, in announcing a U.S. pledge of $26,700,000 for 1976, noted that the United States had made special contributions of $16 million in 1975 in addition to its regular pledge, in response to the appeals made during that year. He also expressed the profound admiration of the U.S. Government for the Commissioner General of UNRWA and his staff.

The U.S. pledge was subject to Congressional approval and to two conditions: (1) that UNRWA comply

2/ France, Ghana, Japan, Lebanon, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey (Chairman), United Kingdom, United States.

with the conditions imposed by Section 301 (c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, which states it should "take all possible measures to assure that no part of the United States contribution shall be used to furnish assistance to any refugee who is receiving military training as a member of the so-called Palestine Liberation Army or any other guerrilla-type organization or who has engaged in any act of terrorism"; and (2) that the U.S. contribution not exceed 70% of all contributions from governments.

UN Conciliation Commission for Palestine

The 29th General Assembly had asked the PCC3/to exert continued efforts toward the implementation of paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (concerning the repatriation or compensation of Palestine refugees) and to report thereon to the 30th General Assembly. The PCC reported on September 30, 1975. In its report the PCC concluded, as it had in previous years, that substantial changes in the complex situation in the Middle East, which had been further complicated by the events of 1967 and thereafter, would be necessary to permit implementation of resolution 194. However, recent developments encouraged the PCC to believe that prospects for these changes might have improved. It hoped that these developments would enable it to carry forward its work vigorously.

The U.S.-sponsored resolution adopted by the 30th General Assembly (see above, p. 13) asked the PCC to report again to the 31st Assembly.

Human Rights in Occupied Territories

In seven meetings between November 26 and December 5, 33 states discussed in the Special Political Committee the 1975 report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories.

The 23rd General Assembly, in a resolution adopted on December 19, 1968, which the United States had opposed, established the three-member Special Committee which, however, was not constituted until September 1969 when the Secretary General announced that Sri Lanka, Somalia, and Yugoslavia would be the members. The Special Committee has never been permitted to visit either Israel or the occupied territories because Israel considers it and its mandate biased and because none of

3/ Established by General Assembly resolution 194 adopted by the third General Assembly on Dec. 11, 1948, and consisting of France, Turkey, and the United States.

its members have diplomatic relations with Israel. In 1972 the 27th General Assembly called upon Israel to implement the recommendations of the Special Committee, increased the number of issues that the Committee was to investigate, and decided to inscribe the Committee's report on the agenda of the 28th Assembly. The 28th and 29th sessions of the General Assembly each asked the Committee to continue its work and placed its report on the agenda of the following session. In April 1974 Senegal replaced Somalia on the Special Committee.

Special Committee's Report

In the absence of visits to the occupied territories, the Special Committee, as in previous years, examined documents and newspaper material, received testimony in person and by letter, and held hearings in Geneva and New York.

The Special Committee's report had three main parts. The first consisted of its analysis of the information available to it on (1) "Evidence relating to the policy of annexation and settlement," (2) "The abnormal situation of the civilian population living under military occupation," (3) "Evidence relating to a policy of reprisal against civilians," and (4) "Other allegations" concerning the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and ill-treatment of detainees. The second part contained the Special Committee's report on its further investigation of Quneitra, a Syrian town alleged to have been deliberately destroyed by Israeli forces in 1974 before their withdrawal under the agreement on disengagement of forces. The third part was a statement of the Special Committee's conclusions.

With respect to Quneitra, the Special Committee reported it had, as requested by the General Assembly in 1974, retained an expert to examine the destruction in that area, but the expert had not completed his investigations in time for them to be included in the

report.

The Special Committee concluded that, based on the evidence it had examined, Israel continued to be in violation of a number of provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention. / The Special Committee stressed 4/ the damaging effect of the prolonged occupation on the morale, social arrangements, and economy of the occupied territories. It was particularly concerned about an alleged Israeli policy on annexation and settlement of the occupied territories and Jerusalem. The Special

4/ 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

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