The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Established amidst the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, its primary task was initially to provide the military command structure to the peacekeeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peacekeepers to observe and maintain the ceasefire, and in assisting the parties to the Armistice Agreements in the supervision of the application and observance of the terms of those Agreements. The organization's structure and role has evolved over time as a result of the various conflicts in the region and at times UNTSO personnel have been used to rapidly deploy to other areas of the Middle East in support of other United Nations operations. The command structure of the UNTSO was maintained to cover the later peacekeeping organisations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to which UNTSO continues to provide military observers.
A United Nations General Assembly resolution is a decision or declaration voted on by all member states of the United Nations in the General Assembly.
The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 is a resolution adopted near the end of the 1947–1949 Palestine war. The Resolution defines principles for reaching a final settlement and returning Palestine refugees to their homes. Article 11 of the resolution resolves that
refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.
The United Nations General Assembly has granted observer status to international organizations, entities, and non-member states, to enable them to participate in the work of the United Nations General Assembly, though with limitations. The General Assembly determines the privileges it will grant to each observer, beyond those laid down in a 1986 Conference on treaties between states and international organizations. Exceptionally, the European Union (EU) was in 2011 granted the right to speak in debates, to submit proposals and amendments, the right of reply, to raise points of order and to circulate documents, etc. As of May 2011, the EU is the only international organization to hold these enhanced rights, which has been likened to the rights of full membership, short of the right to vote.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 44, adopted on 1 April 1948, having received the reports requested in United Nations Security Council Resolution 42, the Council requested the Secretary-General convoke a special session of the General Assembly to consider further the question of the future government of Palestine.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 54, adopted on 15 July 1948, determined that the situation in Palestine constitutes a threat to the peace within the meaning of Article 39 of the Charter of the United Nations. The resolution ordered all governments and authorities concerned to desist from further military action and to issue a cease-fire to their military and paramilitary forces to take effect at a time to be determined by the mediator in the next three days. It also declared that failure to comply with these orders would demonstrate the existence of a breach of the peace within the meaning of article 39 of the Charter and would require immediate consideration by the Council.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 61, adopted on November 4, 1948, decided that the truce established in United Nations Security Council Resolution 54 shall remain in effect until a peaceful adjustment of the future situation of Palestine is reached. To that end the Council ordered the withdraw of the forces in the area back to the positions held on the 14th of October with the Acting Mediator being authorized to establish provisional lines beyond which no movement of troops was to take place. The Council also decreed that neutral zones shall be established through negotiations between the parties, or failing that, by the decision of the Acting Mediator.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 66, adopted on December 29, 1948, in response to a report by the Acting Mediator regarding hostilities which broke out in southern Palestine on December 22 despite UN calls for a cease-fire, the Council demanded the immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 61. The Resolution instructs the Acting Mediator to facilitate the complete supervision of the truce by the UN observers. The Resolution further instructs the committee appointed in UNSC Resolution 61 to meet at Lake Success, New York on January 7 to consider the situation in southern Palestine and to report to the Council on the extent to which governments have or have not complied with UNSC Resolutions 61 and 62. The Resolution also invited Cuba and Norway to replace the two retiring member of the committee on January 1.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 111, adopted unanimously on January 19, 1956, noted that according to the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine, Israel was in direct violation of the General Armistice Agreement and that there was interference by the Syrian Authorities with Israeli activities on Lake Tiberias. The Council held that this interference in no way justified Israel’s actions and condemned her for them.
Issues relating to the State of Palestine and aspects of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict occupy continuous debates, resolutions, and resources at the United Nations. Since its founding in 1948, the United Nations Security Council, as of January 2010, has adopted 79 resolutions directly related to the Arab–Israeli conflict.
United Nations Security Council resolution 517, adopted on 4 August 1982, after recalling resolutions 508 (1982), 509 (1982), 512 (1982), 513 (1982), 515 (1982) and 516 (1982), the council again demanded an immediate cessation of military activities between Israel and Lebanon, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
United Nations Security Council resolution 611, adopted on 25 April 1988, after recalling Resolution 573 (1985) and noting a complaint from Tunisia against Israel, the Council condemned an attack on Tunisia on 16 April 1988, in which Khalil al-Wazir, an affiliate of the Palestine Liberation Organization and founder of the Fatah political party, was assassinated.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1024, adopted unanimously on 28 November 1995, after considering a report by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali regarding the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the Council noted its efforts to establish a durable and just peace in the Middle East.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1057, adopted unanimously on 30 May 1996, after considering a report by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali regarding the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the Council noted its efforts to establish a durable and just peace in the Middle East.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1402, adopted on 30 March 2002, after recalling resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and the Madrid principles, the Council called for an immediate and meaningful ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian during Operation Defensive Shield. It was adopted after 12 hours of consultations.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1403, adopted unanimously on 4 April 2002, after recalling resolutions 1397 (2002) and 1402 (2002), the Council demanded the implementation of Resolution 1402 by the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1515, adopted unanimously on 19 November 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East, particularly resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and the Madrid Principles, the Council endorsed the Road map for peace proposed by the Middle East Quartet in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The resolution, proposed by Russia, envisaged a Palestinian state by 2005 in return for security guarantees for Israel.
The Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally established the State of Palestine, and was written by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and proclaimed by Yasser Arafat on 15 November 1988 in Algiers, Algeria. It had previously been adopted by the Palestinian National Council (PNC), the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), by a vote of 253 in favour, 46 against, and 10 abstaining. It was read at the closing session of the 19th PNC to a standing ovation. Upon completing the reading of the declaration, Arafat, as Chairman of the PLO, assumed the title of President of Palestine. In April 1989, the PLO Central Council elected Arafat as the first President of the State of Palestine.
