26 July 1989

35th plenary meeting

Assistance to the Palestinian people

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 43/178 of 20 December 1988,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/54 of 26 July 1988,

Taking into account the intifadah of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory against the Israeli occupation, including its economic and social policies and practices,

Affirming that the Palestinian people cannot develop their national economy as long as the Israeli occupation persists,

Gravely concerned at the serious repercussions, especially for Palestinian children, of Israeli practices, in particular the prolonged blanket closure in the West Bank of Palestinian institutions of learning, including kindergartens, schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and other schools,

Rejecting Israeli restrictions on external economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory,

Aware of the increasing need to provide economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people,

Noting with regret that a full report on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 43/178 has not been prepared,

1. Expresses its appreciation to the States, United Nations bodies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations that have provided assistance to the Palestinian people;

2. Requests the international community, the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to sustain and increase their assistance to the Palestinian people, in close co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organization;

3. Requests the United Nations Children's Fund and other appropriate United Nations bodies to address the special needs of Palestinian children suffering from Israeli practices and their repercussions;

4. Calls for the immediate reopening of all Palestinian institutions of learning;

5. Also calls for the immediate lifting of Israeli restrictions and obstacles hindering the implementation of assistance projects by the United Nations Development Programme, other United Nations bodies and others providing economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory;

6. Further calls for the implementation of development projects in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the facilitation by all concerned of the establishment of the cement plant referred to in General Assembly resolution 39/223 of 18 December 1984;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to report in full on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 43/178 and the present resolution to the Assembly at its forty-fourth session.