SAFEGUARDING THE STATUS OF THE HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM AND UTILISING ALL POSSIBLE MEANS LIKELY TO THWART MANOEUVRES WHICH ARE PREJUDICIAL TO ITS IDENTITY AND GRAVELY ENDANGER SECURITY AND THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE AREA

Resolution adopted without a vote by the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Conference
(Seoul, 14 April 1997)^*

The 97th Inter-Parliamentary Conference,

Reaffirming its support for the Middle East peace process and all its achievements,

Recalling once more the resolutions adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union to bolster efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East,

Also recalling United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions calling for the revocation of any and all Israeli measures and actions designed to alter the legal status, the demographic composition and geographical structure of Jerusalem and considering such measures invalid,

Expressing deep concern at the new settlement activities in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, and in particular at the construction of a settlement at the Jebel Abu Ghneim area in East Jerusalem,

Stressing that these settlements are illegal, in breach of international law and a major obstacle to peace,

Concerned about the difficulties facing the Middle East peace process and their negative impact on the living conditions of all peoples of the region, and more especially the Palestinian people,

Deploring the increasing recourse to violence since the dangerous stalling of the peace process,

Reaffirming resolutions adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, particularly at the 77th, 81st, 84th and 90th Conferences, on bolstering efforts to give impetus to peace moves in the Middle East,

1. Denounces the Israeli settlement policy in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem;

2. Calls upon the Israeli authorities to refrain from all actions or measures, including settlement activities, which alter the facts on the ground, pre-empting the final status negotiations, and have negative implications for the Middle East peace process;

3. Calls upon Israel, as the occupying power, to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations under the Hague Convention of 1907 and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949;

4. Calls upon all parties, and especially Israelis and Palestinians, to continue and speed up, in the interests of peace and security, their negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed bases, and Israel in particular to implement within the prescribed time-limits the agreements concluded, and in particular the Oslo Agreements;

5. Calls upon the Israeli government to desist from confiscating the identity cards of the Palestinian citizens of Jerusalem and to revoke the policy that prevents them from repairing their homes or building new ones to meet their urgent housing needs;

6. Urgently appeals, as part of the peace process, for an end to acts of violence and terrorism, whatever their source;

7. Appeals to the United Nations to bring its influence to bear forthwith in order to protect all citizens, all institutions and all historical monuments in Jerusalem, and particularly the Palestinian institutions pending the implementation of Security Council resolution 242 and the achievement of peace;

8. Recommends that the situation in Jerusalem be monitored through the IPU Committee on Middle East Questions, which will report to the Inter-Parliamentary Council in Cairo (September 1997).