Israeli-Jordan peace treaty welcomed: progress in other areas hoped for.

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on 26 October congratulated King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel on the signing earlier that day of the peace treaty between their countries, ending years of a state of belligerence. Mr. Boutros-Ghali expressed the hope that the historic event would be followed by "full implementation of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles, and by new progress in the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian negotiations, leading to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East".

At the 17 October initialling of the treaty, the Secretary-General had said the agreement on the "difficult issues of water-sharing and borders" represented "another milestone in the Middle East peace process".

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Israeli Prime Minister Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and to Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The Secretary-General on 14 October, in renewing his commitment to support their efforts, commended them on their "courage, dedication and imagination" in pursuing the peace process which had already achieved important results.

Tension escalates

On 19 October, a bomb attack on an Israeli bus in Tel Aviv claimed more than 20 civilian lives, with dozens more wounded. In a statement, the Secretary-General condemned "in the strongest possible terms this savage act of terrorism".

On 21 October, the Secretary-General also expressed deep concern at the escalation of tension along the Israeli-Lebanese border, particularly at a report by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) of Israeli shelling of a Lebanese village that resulted in several civilian deaths. In his statement, he condemned all violence against civilians and called for restraint on all sides.

At a meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on 29 November, commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the Secretary-General in a message called for prompt delivery of assistance already pledged. He said it would be "tragic indeed if the failure of the international community to match its words with deeds were to jeopardize the peace process for which so many have given so much" at a time when a lasting and comprehensive peace was finally within sight.

Assembly acts

The forty-ninth General Assembly adopted more than 20 texts related to Palestine and the Middle East, voicing strong support for the peace process and urging implementation of agreements reached so far.

Among other things, the Assembly encouraged (49/21 B) Member States to contribute funds to finance a Palestinian police force, and urged (49/21 N) extension of economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in the development of the West Bank and Gaza.

In adopting four texts on the question of Palestine (49/62 A-D), the world body reaffirmed the UN's "permanent responsibility" concerning that issue until a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement was reached.

On the situation in the Middle East, the Assembly adopted resolution 49/88 by 149 votes to 4 (Iran, Lebanon, Libya and Syria), with 2 abstentions, stressing the need for rapid progress on the other tracks of Arab-Israeli negotiations. It also demanded (49/87 B) Israeli withdrawal from the "occupied Syrian Golan", stating that its de facto annexation constituted a stumbling block to peace.

Acting on Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) recommendations, the Assembly adopted seven texts related to the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Among other things, it asked for steps to protect Arab property in Israel and endorsed the decision to transfer UNRWA headquarters from Vienna to the Gaza Strip.

RELATED APTICLE: UNDOF mandate renewed until May

The Security Council on 29 November, by resolution 962 (1994), renewed the mandate of the 20-year-old UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months until 31 May 1995. The situation in the Middle East continued to be "potentially dangerous", until a comprehensive settlement could be reached, the Secretary-General reported (S/1994/1311).

On 19 December, it was announced that Major-General Johannes Kosters of the Netherlands would succeed Major-General Roman Misztal of Poland as UNDOF Force Commander, effective mid-January.