CM/Res.1523 (LX)
RESOLUTION ON THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Sixtieth Ordinary Session in Tunis, Tunisia, from 6 to 11 June, 1994,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity on the Question as contained in Document CM/1835 (LX),
Recalling the relevant resolutions adopted by previous sessions of the Council of Ministers and the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the question of Palestine,
Reaffirming the legitimacy of the struggle being waged by the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation organization, their sole legitimate representative, to recover their occupied territories and exercise their inalienable national rights, including the right to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital,
Reaffirming that the attainment of a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the conflict in the Middle East and the Palestinian question which are the root causes of the problem, would greatly contribute to the consolidation of international peace and security,
Welcoming the Declaration of Principles on the arrangements pertaining to Israeli withdrawal and formation of a National Palestinian Authority as well as the Interim Palestinian Autonomous Government, which was signed in both Washington and Cairo by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and is now at the initial stage of its implementation,
REAFFIRMS that the Palestinian Question is at the core of the Middle East conflict and that a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East calls for:
withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and recognition of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to return, to self-determination and to establish their independent Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions;
cessation of all acts of violence against the Palestinian people and the release of all prisoners and detainees in accordance with the agreement between Israel and the PLO, and the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949;
the necessity to consider Jerusalem as an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and to consider its annexation by Israel as illegal, null and void;
the cessation of the establishment of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.
REAFFIRMS the need to solve the problem of Palestinian refugees based on the principles of human rights and in accordance with the provisions of the relevant UN resolutions, particularly General Assembly resolution 194 and Security Council resolution 237;
EXPRESSES ITS APPRECIATION of the efforts exerted by the Palestine Liberation Organization, Israel and all he other parties in the bilateral and multilateral talks and encourage them to persevere in their efforts to reach a just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian Question;
EXPRESSES ITS SUPPORT and endorsement of the Declaration of Principles signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization; and the agreement signed by them in Cairo, on 4 May 1994, regarding Israeli withdrawal and arrangements for the National Palestinian Authority and the establishment of an interim autonomous government, as a first step towards the implementation of the principle of Land for Peace, which should be speedily followed by similar measures through Palestinian and other Arab channels;
ENCOURAGES Israel and the PLO to continue the peace process and CALLS ON Israel to take prompt measures to implement the agreements it concluded with the Palestine Liberation organization within the time frame included in the Declaration of Principle signed in Washington and the Agreement signed in Cairo on 4 May 1994;
WELCOMES the formation of the National Palestinian Authority and the interim Palestinian government and calls upon all States and international organizations to help the Palestinian people set up their infrastructure and develop their own economy;
REQUESTS the OAU Secretary-General to monitor developments regarding the question of Palestine and report therein to the next session of the OAU Council of Ministers.