United Nations Security Council Resolution 89 – The Palestine Question

89 (1950). Resolution of 17 November 1950

The Security Council,

Recalling its resolution 7 3 (1949) of 11 August I 949 wherein it noted with satisfaction the several Armistice Agreements concluded by means of negotiations between the parties involved in the conflict in Palestine; expressed the hope that the Governments and authorities concerned would at an early date achieve agreement on the final settlement of all questions outstanding between them; noted that the various Armistice Agreements provided that the execution of the Agreements would be supervised by mixed armistice commissions whose chairman in each case would be the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine or his designated representative; and, bearing in mind that the several Armistice Agreements include firm pledges against any further acts of hostility between the parties and also provide for their supervision by the parties themselves, relied upon the parties to ensure the continued application and observance of those Agreements.

Taking into consideration the views expressed and the data given by the representatives of Egypt, Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and by the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization on the complaints 16 submitted to the Council,

1. Notes that, with regard to the implementation of article VIII of the Israel-Jordan General Armistice Agreement, 17 the Special Committee has been formed and has convened, and hopes that it will proceed expeditiously to carry out the functions contemplated in paragraphs 2 and 3 of that article;

2. Calls upon the parties to the present complaints to consent to the handling of complaints according to the procedures established in the Armistice Agreements for the handling of complaints and the settlement of points at issue;

3. Requests the Egyptian-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission to give urgent attention to the Egyptian complaint of expulsion of thousands of Palestine Arabs;

4. Calls upon both parties to give effect to any finding of the Egyptian-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission regarding the repatriation of any such Arabs who in the Commission’s opinion are entitled to return:

5. Authorizes the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization, with regard to the movement of nomadic Arabs, to recommend to Israel, Egypt and such other Arab States as may be appropriate such steps as he may consider necessary to control the movement of such nomadic Arabs across international frontiers or armistice lines by mutual agreement;

6. Calls upon the Governments concerned to take in the future no action involving the transfer of persons across international frontiers or armistice lines without prior consultation through the Mixed Armistice Commissions;

7. Takes note of the statement of the Government of Israel that Israel armed forces will evacuate Bir Qattar pursuant to the 20 March 1950 decision of the Special Committee provided for in article X, paragraph 4, of the Egyptian-Israel General Armistice Agreement, and that the Israel armed forces will withdraw to position authorized by the Armistice Agreement;

8. Reminds Egypt and Israel as States Members of the United Nations of their obligations under the Charter to settle their outstanding differences, and further reminds Egypt, Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that the Armistice Agreements to which they are parties contemplate “the return of permanent peace in Palestine”, and, therefore, urges them and the other States in the area to take all such steps as will lead to the settlement of the issues between them;

9. Requests the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization to report to the Security Council at the end of ninety days, or before if he deems it necessary, on the compliance given to this resolution and upon the status of the operations of the various Mixed Armistice Commissions, and further requests that he submit periodically to the Security Council reports of all decisions made by the various Mixed Armistice Commissions and the Special Committee provided for m article X, paragraph 4, of the Egyptian-Israel General Armistice Agreement.

Adopted at the 524th meeting by 9 votes to none, with 2 abstentions (Egypt, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).