CM/Res. 596 (XXX)
RESOLUTION ON THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Thirtieth Ordinary Session in Tripoli, Libya from 20 to 28 February, 1978,
Recalling the resolutions adopted at the previous sessions of the conference of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and the Council of Ministers in respects of the Palestinian issue and in particular resolution 77 adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government (XII) as well as the Council of Ministers resolutions CM/460 (XXVI) 482 (XXVII) and 529 (XXVIII);
Recalling also the report of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People which confirms a new legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to its national home-land in Palestine and their right to establish their independent sovereign State;
Inspired by the principles and objectives of the OAU and United Nations Charted, and in keeping with the common Destiny of African and Arab Peoples and their joint and continuous struggle to exercise their rights for the sake of freedom, peace, self-determination and independence,
Having noted the statements made on the developments of the Palestinian problem and the dangerous situation currently prevailing as a result of the continued Israeli occupation of Arab territories and the Israeli usurpation of the Palestinian land, in addition to the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, as well as the refusal of Israel to abide by the United Nations General Assembly resolutions;
Expressing its great concern over the reconfirmation of the aggressive designs and expansionist policy that were and are being repeatedly expressed by all the past Israeli Governments as well as the new Israeli Government, particularly as regards their evil and expansionist designs and their refusal to recognize the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people and their rights to national sovereignty over their territory;
Aware that the Palestinian problem constitutes the core of the struggle of the Middle East Problem and that it is an Afro-Arab cause,
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the struggle that is being waged by the Palestinian people, under the leadership of the PLO, with a view to restoring all their national rights;
Reaffirming also that a just and permanent peace can only be achieved on the basis of Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland, as well as their rights to sovereignty, national independence self-determination, in addition to their right to establish an independent State on their national soil;
Noting with concern that the alliance between Israeli and the racist regimes in Rhodesia and South Africa aim at perpetuating the policy of terrorism and genocide of Palestinians and Arabs in the occupied Arab territories, and of African peoples in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, and that Israel and the racist regimes are carrying out similar manoeuvres and adopting similar methods;
REAFFIRMS all the previous resolutions adopted by the Council as a reiteration of its full and effective assistance to the Palestinian People led by the PLO which is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people;
REAFFIRMS its total support to the Arab Front-line States and to the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to recover by every means their occupied territories and usurped rights;
DECLARES its total support for the PLO as the sole lawful representative of the Palestinian people in their heroic struggle against Zionism and Racism, also declares that no State is entitled to speak in its name without the consent of the PLO;
VIGOROUSLY CONDEMNS Israeli aggressive designs and expansionist policy which are being repeatedly expressed in the statement of the new Israeli Government;
FIRMLY condemns once again the alliance between Israeli and the racist regimes of South Africa and Rhodesia, and calls on all Member States to be vigilant as regards the dangers of such an alliance, while affirming that armed struggle against the racists in South Africa and occupied Palestine is the most effective means of crushing those enemies;
DECLARES that direct negotiations and consultations with the racist and zionist regimes in Southern Africa and occupied Palestine should not serve as a substitute for the legitimate armed struggle being waged by the oppresses people in Southern African and Palestine;
APPEALS to the International Community to further increase Israeli’s isolation in the diplomatic, economic, political and military domains, and to support the just cause of the Palestinian People, until the Racist Regimes respect the will of the International Community;
ADOPTS the recommendations issued by the United Nations Committee on the exercising by the Palestinian People of their inalienable national rights, particularly with regards to the Palestinians’ inalienable and legitimate rights, to return to their national homeland and to establish their independent State in Palestine, and requests the United Nations General Assembly to take all necessary measures for the implementation of these recommendations;
CALLS ON the Security Council re reconsider its stand in respect of the recommendations of the Committee on the inalienable rights of the Pa lestinian People, and take the necessary measures for their implementation since they have become identified with the will of the international community as expressed in the relevant resolution adopted by the Thirty First Session of the United National Gen eral Assembly;
REQUESTS the Administrative Secretary-General to follow up the developments of the Palestinian issue and submit a report in this regard to the forthcoming session of the OAU Council of Ministers.