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Resolution 783 (1982)
Lebanese crisis
The Assembly,
A.
1. Recalling its Resolution 728 (1980), on the situation in the Middle East, and Resolution 776 (1982), on the Lebanese crisis, as well as resolutions adopted by the parliaments of member states of the Council of Europe ;
2. Welcoming the Statement on the Lebanon adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 23 September 1982
3. Expressing shock and revulsion at the massacre of defenceless civilians during the occupation of West Beirut by Israeli forces ;
4. Deploring the spiral of violence, manifested in terrorist attacks, notably in Paris and Brussels, directed against Jewish communities, and the risk of a revival of anti-semitic feelings taking the tragic events in the Lebanon as a pretext ;
5. Wholly endorsing the decision of the governments of the United States of America, of France and of Italy to send immediately a multinational force to Beirut again, in response to appeals by the Lebanese Government, to ensure that atrocities do not recur ;
6. Expressing the wish that the multinational peace-keeping force will remain in place until such time as the Lebanese army is in a position to take the situation in hand ;
7. Noting that, under Article 43 of the regulation appended to the 1907 Hague Convention, and under Article 27 of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, on the Protection of Civilian Populations in Wartime, it is the responsibility of the armed forces in control of the territory to take all measures to assure order and public life, and to protect civilians against all acts of violence in the territories under their control ;
8. Welcoming the wave of public protest in Israel over the Lebanese crisis, more particularly following the news of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, and which led, inter alia, to the establishment of an official committee of inquiry, and noting with satisfaction the increasing support in Israel for peace ;
9. Supporting United Nations Security Council Resolution 521, calling unanimously for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Beirut, and condemning the fact that Israeli troops, by entering the western districts of Beirut, in full violation of an international agreement, assumed full responsibility for law and order in the area, and consequently must share responsibility for the massacre of innocent people at Sabra and Shatila ;
10. Considering that continued failure of all uninvited foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon, which is a prerequisite for the establishment of full independence and government authority extending over all the national territory, should prompt consideration by the international community of recourse to Article 41 of the United Nations Charter, which envisages sanctions not involving the use of force ;
11. Shocked at the assassination, on 14 September 1982, of President-elect Beshir Gemayel, while expressing the hope that the election of Amin Gemayel, in accordance with the Lebanese Constitution, will pave the way for success in the efforts, which he has stated he intends making, to bring about national reconciliation ;
12. Looking forward to the day when all communities of the Lebanon will, by rapidly disbanding their private militias, once again become associated exclusively with the religious, human and cultural values which gave Lebanon its variety and pluralism, in the context of a functioning parliamentary democracy with traditional close ties with Europe ;
13. Recalling the link between the Lebanese crisis and the general situation in the Middle East, and stressing the importance of restoring peace in Lebanon while seeking an overall solution to regional conflicts ;
14. Underlining the necessity of a peaceful negotiated solution to the problem of the Palestinian people, whose legitimate representatives should, like Arab states, recognise Israel, and vice versa, as a prelude to self-determination, which must not be allowed to threaten the security and integrity of any country in the region ;
15. Convinced that lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved by the attainment of self-determination and by the Palestinian people embracing their inalienable and legitimate right to a homeland of their own ;
16. Welcoming President Reagan's proposals of 1 September 1982 aimed, while expressly referring to the Camp David Accords, at moving towards resolution of the root causes of conflict between Israelis and Arabs ;
17. Noting also the outcome of the important Arab Summit Conference in Fez, which indicates welcome elements of realism on the part of participating leaders of Arab countries and of the PLO,
18. Urges member governments to intensify their efforts to give the Lebanese Government every assistance with the restoration of its political and economic authority (including the reopening of harbours and airports) throughout the territory, whose reconstruction will call for the concerted efforts of the international community ;
19. Resolves to resume contacts with all democratic forces in the Lebanon, and to offer the Assembly's support in promoting the early organisation of free elections of an effective civilian authority, which can ensure the protection of human rights ;
B.
20. Further recalling its Recommendations 520 (1968), 566 (1969), 658 (1972) and 901 (1980), on the position of Palestinian refugees ;
21. Appalled by the deterioration of the already bad conditions in which Palestinian refugees have lived in the last decades and the conditions in which the Lebanese population finds itself ;
22. Expressing its high appreciation for the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organisation, as well as the other organisations which have rendered humanitarian aid to the Palestinian refugees and to all displaced persons in Lebanon ;
23. Noting with alarm the grave financial situation of the United Nations agencies, as well as of other agencies involved in the humanitarian task of assisting the Palestinian refugees and the suffering Lebanese population, and that in particular :
a. UNRWA's plans to assist 175 000 Palestinian refugees for the last six months of 1982 cost $39 million, of which only $11 million had been obtained by the end of August - the agency is now proceeding with the assessment of its budgetary needs for 1983 ;
b. UNICEF assessed its two-year programme to take up its services for children in Lebanon at a total cost of $60 million, of which $28 million will be granted by the Lebanese Government, another $4 million have already been donated to UNICEF and $28 million still remain to be found ;
c. the International Committee of the Red Cross has spent, during the period from 1 June to 31 August 1982, 46 794 804 SF ($21 534 654) and has assessed its budgetary programme for 1 September to 31 December 1982 at 38 209 000 SF ($17 607 834) ;
d. WHO assessed its health reconstruction and assistance programme at $ 150 million,
24. Invites the governments of the member states :
a. to so frame their Middle East policies as to contribute towards a political solution of the question of Palestinian refugees ;
b. to study the possibility of offering refuge, permanent or temporary, to some Palestinian refugees, for example orphaned children ;
c. to continue to give financial support to UNRWA, UNICEF, WHO, the International Committee of the Red Cross and to other agencies engaged in assisting Palestinian refugees and displaced persons in Lebanon, in order to enable them to continue their activities until a global solution to the Palestinian question has been found ;
d. to make special donations at once to these agencies according to their needs referred to in paragraph 23.c above, to help meet the present dramatic crisis ;
e. to appeal to the USSR and other Eastern European states to give their full contribution to the above-mentioned agencies, in view of the humanitarian and non-political nature of their work in Lebanon ;
f. to appeal to the Arab countries, in particular the oil-producing countries, to increase their contributions to the budgets of the agencies mentioned above.