ANNEXATION INSTEAD OF WITHDRAWAL
The results of the 1997-annual referendum of Tel Aviv University’s Center of Strategic Studies showed that 31% of Israelis objected returning the Golan to Syria, which was the lowest percentage scored hitherto, whereas the National Mefdal Religious Party confirmed its previous positions rejecting any withdrawal from the Golan. In a speech delivered on 7 July 1997 in commemorating the 25th anniversary of settlement commencement in the Golan, Rabbi "Yizhak Levi" , the then Israeli Minister of Communication, said that his party had joined the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu because it was confident of the government’s policy in rejecting the withdrawal from the Golan and enforcing Israeli settlement therein.
Illegitimacy, and international condemn, of the Israeli Settlement
The international community has repeatedly and frequently expressed , through its legal foundations, the illegitimacy of the settlement in the territories occupied by force. International conventions and agreements condemn the Israeli procedures in the territories occupied in June 1967 aggression regarding the confiscation of Arab territories, and setting up settlements it rejects annexation of the regions and acquisition of land by force. The foremost of such agreements and conventions are the Hague Agreement of 1907, Geneva Convention of 1949, besides many rulings of international courts and the UN and the Security Council Resolutions. One of the most important Security Council Resolutions is N° 242 of 22 November 1967, in which the Council confirmed the illegitimacy of seizing the territories occupied during the last fight, guaranteeing non-invasion and political independence of every State in the Region". The Council further confirmed under its Resolution N° 338 of 22 March 1973 the illegitimacy of confiscating Territories and settlements construction in the Arab occupied Territories. A similar Resolution numbered 452 was issued by the Council on 20 July 1979. The UN issued many Resolutions which confirm the repeated infringements by "Israel" of Geneva Convention as regards settlement in the Arab occupied Territories and violating of human rights accord in these Territories occupied by "Israel", besides denouncing the policy and procedures of "Israel" in the Arab occupied Territories describing them as illegitimate.
Golan Annexation Decision
On 14 December 1981, the Israeli Knesset ratified the decision taken by Rabin’s extremist government to annex the Golan Occupied to the Israeli territory. Begin stood on the eve of 1 December 1981 to impudently announce that "The Occupied Golan were in the past a part of the Palestine Territory and that those who established the borders of the States in the Region during the First World War drew arbitrary borders with Syria. Such situation is rectified as of now on, and only those who are unrealistically optimistic believe that Israel will withdraw from the Golan".
It is odd that Begin did not have any kind connection with Palestine during the First World War other than the Zionist Schemes to usurp it. Throughout and after the Second World War, Begin and the other Zionist terrorists perpetrated many massacres to expel Palestinians from their HOMEland. Then he was defending the re-establishment of Palestine’s borders which he had usurped together with its adjacent territories in order to devour more lands and expel more Arabs from the Golan, West bank and Gaza Strip. He was very much like the burglar who steals a house and then claims that the next house was once a part of the house he had stolen and seized by force. Despite that stupid demagogy, he quoted falsified historical facts; Palestine had wholly and always constituted the southern part of Syria, and a part of the Natural Syria.
In the speech he delivered on the eve of 14 December 1981, Begin said, "Syrians have terrorized the Israeli areas dominated on the Heights through shelling the Israeli inhabitants living at the foot of the Heights ".
The following is the text of the Annexation Decision:
• The Israeli State Law, its jurisdiction and administration shall be applied to the Occupied Golan.
• This Law shall be implemented immediately upon being ratified by the Knesset.
• The Interior Minister is required to implement this Law.
SYRIAN ARAB ATTITUDE AGAINST THE DECISION
Hereunder is the text of the Syrian Arab Statement of 14 December 1981:
Within the framework of the Zionist Enemy aggressive expansionist policy, starting with judaization operations, settlements building, displacing and oppressing, Arab inhabitants the Israeli Enemy Government has taken a decision imposing the Israeli laws in the occupied Syrian Arab territories.
The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, while drawing the attention of the Arab public opinion and the world community to the risk of such procedure and its negative reflections on security and peace in the region and all over the world, would indicate the following:
1. Syria reserves its right to take the appropriate measures against this flagrant infringement of the UN Charter and Resolutions, including Resolution N° 338.
1. Such Israeli decision implies the annexation of the occupied Syrian territories, waging war against Syria and cancellation the cease fire agreement.
1. Such Israeli decision asserts the aggressive and expansionist policy of the offensive Israeli entity and reveals the kind of peace it wants.
The Syrian Government’s political statement on 16 December 1981 included the following:
It is on the Fourteenth Day of this Month that the Israeli Enemy has taken a decision to impose the Israeli laws on the occupied Syrian Arab territories within the framework of its expansionist policy which aims to establish the ‘Great Israel" from the Nile to the Euphrates. Such decision has been taken, following a series of procedures and resolutions taken within the rest of the occupied Arab territories, building of settlements, oppressing and constricting Arab inhabitants to displace them and judaize the occupied regions, right up to declaring Jerusalem as a unified capital of the Hebrew State and applying the civil administration as comprehended for Palestinians autonomy in implementation of the two Camp David Accords. In the light of such events the Leadership has discussed this question within the framework of our comprehensive vision of the Arab-Israeli struggle and all the surrounding circumstances, and resolved how to confront this national question. In the light of the President’s directives, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has:
1. Called for an urgent meeting of the Security Council in order to discuss the perilous situation and to take a resolution to delete the Israeli decision, apply the UN charter and penalize the Israeli Enemy.
2. Contacted all the Security Council members to explain the results and potential problems of the risky situation and requested them all to assume their responsibilities in the field of world peace keeping in accordance with the Charter.
3. Contacted all world states in order to explain such situation and how perilous it is, requested their support and backing. Messages have been addressed to the Non-Alliance Movement, Islamic Conference and African Unity Organization.
4. Has contacted Arab States via their Ambassadors in Damascus and the Secretary General of the Arab League.
Communications with sister Arab Countries will be continued in order to unify the Arab stand, and in order to confront such perilous development. The Government and Leadership are both following with great concern these developments.
The 17 December 1981 Declaration of the late Ahmad Iskandar Ahmad, then the Minister of Information:
The late Minister of Information, Mr. Ahmad Iskandar Ahmad, declared on Thursday 17 December 1981 that Syria was still committed to, and abiding by, the Agreement of Force Dissociation in the Golan reached in 1974; but it would nevertheless take necessary precautions to confront any further potential results. Syria considers that Golan annexation, Israeli decision a violation of the cease fire resolution between itself and Israel. In a press conference, held on the situation following the Syrian occupied Golan annexation, Mr. Ahmad added that Syria would do its utmost and would spare no effort in order to defend its right in the Territory and liberate the occupied Arab Territories. He said, "We, in Syria, have not once endeavored to initiate a war, because war is not a hobby of ours; we have always been forced to defend ourselves and safeguard our children against killing. The last Israeli decision of the Golan annexation and continuous aggressive expansionist Israeli spirit will newly push the Region to the edge of war".
The Zionist Enemy government of decision to annex the occupied Syrian Golan to Israel was confronted by all the citizens with complete rejection and denunciation. Inhabitants of the occupied villages, backed by the Arab citizens of the occupied West Bank, attacked the Israeli military vehicles, decried the Israeli expansionist policy. Syrian Arab national personalities of Majdal Shams and Mas’adeh denounced Israel’s expansionist policy; Sheik Soulayman Abou Saleh said in Majdal Shams, his alert village, "We are and will be, for ever, Syrian Citizens; a few decisions enacted by the Israeli Knesset won’t change our belonging to Syria, our mother HOMEland". All citizens responded to the comprehensive strike call on 16 December 1981 to protest against the decision of the Golan annexation; schools from all villages went on strike; teachers, pupils and students refrained from attending their schools despite the Israeli Enemy’s threats. Public struggle is still on to this every day.
The Israeli heinous decision to annex the occupied Syrian Golan was also confronted with comprehensive Arab censure and condemnation on all public and political levels. Statements issued by the Arab States asserted that such new aggressive act against Arab Nation was a violation of the international law and revealed the Israeli expansionist schemes. The statements confirmed that all Arab, people and governments are to back Syria in order to restore its right to its national Territory.
For its part, the Security Council unanimously adopted the its following Resolution N° 497 early on 19 December 1981 after many consultations and meetings:
"The Security Council has reviewed the Syrian Arab Republic’s Permanent Representative’s message dated 11 December 1981, and, while reiterating that acquisition of territories by force is rejected as stipulated under the UN Charter, principles of International Law and its express Resolutions, IT:
• Decides that the decision, taken by Israel, to impose its laws, legislations, administrative regulations on the occupied Golan is null and void, and of no legal effect on the international level.
• Requests Israel, the occupying Country, to immediately cancel, without any further delay, its decision.
• Declares that all provisions of Geneva Treaty, of 12 August 1949 relative to protecting civilians during war times, are still applicable on the Syrian Territory occupied by Israel in June 1967.
• Calls upon the Secretary General to report the implementation of this Resolution to the Security Council within two weeks from today. The Councils decides that, in case of Israeli negligence, it will hold an extraordinary meeting maximum not later than January 5th, 1982 to consider taking the appropriate procedures".
Many Arab Countries submitted to the Security Council a draft resolution which condemned Israeli decision of annexation, but the USA vetoed the decision after absolute majority of nine votes ( USSR, Spain, Guyana, Togo, Poland, Jordan, China, Za’eer and Uganda ), against the USA vote, and five (Britain, France, Ireland, Japan and Panama ) abstained. Thus, the USA asserted its attitude which opposed the Arabs and encouraged Israel to exercise more aggressiveness and further operations to newly annex occupied Arab territories. Abstention was allegedly attributed to a lack of provisions for negotiations and mentioning of Resolutions 242 and 338. The attitudes of the 5 abstaining members were unfair not only because the Golan annexation in a flagrant breach of international law, but also because of its inadequacy to confront Israel acts of continued aggression. The American veto used in the Security Council, to go by the international will to punish Israel, had actually protected it against the Security Council Resolution and roused broad Arab and international condemns and denouncement against the Israeli aggression and American protection of Israel.
The text of the UN Resolution:
The UN:
• Strictly condemns Israel for non-abiding by the Security Council Resolution N° 497 of 1981 and by the UN Resolution N° 226.
• Declares that Israel’s decision of 14 December 1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Occupied Golan constitutes an aggressive action as provided under stipulations of UN Charter’s Article 39 and UN Resolution N° 3314.
• Declares, once more, that Israel’s decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Occupied Golan is null and void, legally invalid and completely has no effect.
• Insists that all actions that Israel has taken to validate its decision of annexing the occupied Syrian Occupied Golan are illegal, null and must not be recognized.
• Reiterates that all provision of the Hague Agreement of 1907 and Geneva Agreement signed on 12 August 1949 for protection of civilians during the war times are still applicable on the Syrian territory which Israel occupied in June 1967. It calls upon all sides to respect and secure commitment to their obligations according to such Agreements under all circumstances.
• Insist that the continuous occupation of the Syrian Occupied Golan seized by Israel in June 1967 and continuity of their annexation by Israel since 14 December 1981 after its decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on such territory constitute a continuous threat to international peace and security.
• Strictly denounces the negative veto of the American Security Council permanent member which prevented the Council from taking suitable procedures, referred to in the Security Council Resolution N° 497 of 1981 unanimously adopted against Israel, as provided for under the Charter’s Chapter 7.
• Further condemns any political, economical and technological support to Israel which would encourage it to commit more aggression, enforce and prolong its occupation time, and annexation, of the occupied Arab territories.
• Firmly reiterates its request that Israel, the occupying force, should immediately cancel its decision of 14 December 1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Syrian Occupied Golan which has resulted from the actual annexation of such Territory.
• Reiterates the utmost necessity of an Israeli comprehensive unconditional withdrawal from all other Arab and Palestinian Territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, which is a basic condition for establishing a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East.
• Declares that Israel’s record and actions confirm that it is not a UN peace-wanting Member, for it does not carry out its obligations neither under the Charter nor under the General Assembly Resolution N° 373 dated 31 May 1949.
• Calls upon all State Members to apply the following procedures:
A. To abstain from providing Israel with any weapon or equipment, and to stop sending military aid.
B To abstain from owning any military weapons or equipment from Israel.
C. To stop all economical, financial and technological aids to Israel and cooperation with it.
D. To break diplomatic, commercial and cultural relations with Israel.
• To immediately stop all their individual and collective links with Israel in order to completely seclude it in all fields.
• Urges the State which are not UN Members to honour this Resolution.
• Calls upon all specialized UN Agencies and International Entities to have their relations with Israel conformed to this Resolution.
• Requests the Secretary General to implement of this Resolution and report accordingly to the State Members and Security Council within two months, and to report to the General Assembly 37th Session which will be held under the title "Situation in the Middle East".
COURTESY: NICE