Summary of Security Council Resolutions on Jerusalem 

1. SC Resolution 49 (1948) of 22 May 1948 [Adopted at 302^nd meeting (8-0-3) (3 abstentions were Syria, Ukrainian S.S.R., U.S.S.R.)]

   Calls for abstention from any hostile military action in Palestine; calls upon the Truce Commission and upon all parties concerned to give the highest priority to the negotiation and maintenance of a truce in the City of Jerusalem; and calls upon the parties to facilitate the task of the U.N. Mediator for Palestine.

2. SC Resolution 50 (1948) of 29 May 1948 [Adopted at 310^th meeting (Draft was voted on in parts, no vote taken on text as a whole.)]

   Calls for a cessation of all military activities for four weeks; urges all governments and authorities concerned to take every possible precaution for the protection of the Holy Places and the City of Jerusalem; instructs the U.N. Mediator for Palestine in concert with the Truce Commission to supervise the observance of these provisions; and decides that they should be provided with a sufficient number of military observers. Decides that if the resolution is rejected by either party or both, the situation in Palestine will be considered with a view to action under Chapter 7 of the Charter of the U.N.

3. SC Resolution 54 (1948) of 15 July 1948 [Adopted at 338^th meeting (7-1-3) (1 against was Syria, 3 abstentions were Argentina, Ukrainian S.S.R., U.S.S.R.)]

Determines that the situation in Palestine constitutes a threat to the peace within the meaning of Article 39 of the Charter of the U.N.; orders all governments and concerned authorities to desist from further military action; declares that failure to do so would lead to further action under Chapter 7; orders as a matter of urgent necessity an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Jerusalem; and instructs Mediator to continue efforts towards the demilitarization of Jerusalem.

4. SC Resolution 60 (1948) of 29 October 1948 [Adopted at 375^th meeting (without a vote)]

Resolves to establish a subcommittee, consisting of the representatives of the U.K., China, France, Belgium and the Ukrainian S.S.R. to consider all amendments and revisions to the second revised draft resolution on the statute of Jerusalem.

5. SC Resolution 127 (1958) of 22 January 1958 [Adopted at 810^th meeting – unanimously]

Recalling its consideration of the complaint of Jordan concerning activities conducted by Israel in the zone between the armistice demarcation lines in the area of Government House in Jerusalem and noting that the status of the zone is affected by the provisions of the Israel-Jordan General Armistice Agreements and that neither Israel nor Jordan enjoys sovereignty over any part of the zone, directs the Chief of Staff of UNTSO in Palestine to regulate activities in the zone.

6. SC Resolution 162 (1961) of 11 April 1961 [Adopted at 949^th meeting (8-0-3) (3 abstentions were Ceylon, U.S.S.R., United Arab Republic)

Endorses the decision of the Mixed Armistice Commission of 20 March 1961, relating to the military parade contemplated for 20 April 1961 in the Israeli-occupied part of Jerusalem, and urges Israel to comply with this decision. (The decision of the Commission was to call upon Israel to refrain from holding this parade.)

7. SC Resolution 250 (1968) of 27 April 1968 [Adopted at 1417^th meeting - unanimously]

Calls upon Israel to refrain from holding the military parade in Jerusalem which is contemplated for 2 May 1968.

8. SC Resolution 251 (1968) of 2 May 1968 [Adopted at 1420^th meeting - unanimously]

Deeply deplores the holding by Israel of the military parade in Jerusalem on 2 May 1968 in disregard of the unanimous decision adopted by the Council on 27 April 1968.

9. SC Resolution 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968 [Adopted at 1426^th meeting (13-0-2) (2 abstentions were Canada, U.S.)]

Deplores the failure of Israel to comply with General Assembly resolutions 2253 (ES-V) and 2254 (ES-V) of 4 and 14 July 1967; considers that all legislative and administrative measures taken by Israel, including the expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem are invalid and cannot change the status; and urgently calls upon Israel to rescind all such measures taken and to desist from further actions changing the status of Jerusalem.

10. SC Resolution 267 (1969) of 3 July 1969 [Adopted at 1485^th meeting - unanimously]

Reaffirming the established principle that the acquisition of territory by military conquest is inadmissible, deplores the failure of Israel to show any regard for the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council; censures in the strongest terms all measures taken to change the status of the city of Jerusalem; and urgently calls once more on Israel to rescind all measures taken by it to change the status of Jerusalem and in the future to refrain from all actions likely to have such an effect. Determines that in the event of a negative response or no response from Israel, the Security Council shall reconvene without delay to consider what further action should be taken in this matter.

11. SC Resolution 271 (1969) of 15 September 1969 [Adopted at 1512^th meeting (11-0-4) (4 abstentions were Colombia, Finland, Paraguay, U.S.)]

Grieved at the extensive damage caused by arson to the Holy Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 21 August 1969 under the military occupation of Israel, recognizes that any act of destruction or profanation of the Holy Places, religious buildings and sites in Jerusalem or any encouragement of, or connivance at, any such act may seriously endanger international peace and security; and calls upon Israel to scrupulously observe the provisions of the Geneva Conventions and international law governing military occupation and to refrain from causing any hindrance to the discharge of the established functions of the Supreme Moslem Council of Jerusalem; condemns failure of Israel to comply with aforementioned resolutions.

12. SC Resolution 298 (1971) of 25 September 1971 [Adopted at 1582^nd meeting (14-0-1)(1 abstention was Syria)]

Deplores the failure of Israel to respect previous U.N. resolutions concerning measures and actions by Israel purporting to affect the status of the city of Jerusalem; confirms that all legislative and administrative actions taken by Israel to change the status of the city of Jerusalem, including expropriation of land and properties, transfer of populations and legislation aimed at the incorporation of the occupied section are totally invalid and cannot change that status. Urgently calls upon Israel to rescind all such measures and actions and to take no further steps in the occupied section of Jerusalem which may purport to change the status of the city or which would prejudice the rights of the inhabitants and the interests of the international community, or a just and lasting peace.

13. SC Resolution 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980 [Adopted at 2242^nd meeting (14-0-1) (1 abstention was U.S.)]

    Reaffirms the overriding necessity to end the prolonged occupation of Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem; strongly deplores the continued refusal of Israel, the occupying Power, to comply with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly; reiterates that all measures taken by Israel which have altered the geographic, demographic and historical character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council; and reaffirms its determination in the event of non-compliance by Israel to examine practical ways and means in accordance with relevant provisions of the U.N. Charter to secure full implementation of this resolution.

14. SC Resolution 478 (1980) of 20 August 1980 [Adopted at 2245^th meeting (14-0-1) (1 abstention was U.S.)]

Censures in the strongest terms the enactment by Israel of the "basic law" on Jerusalem and the refusal to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions; affirms that the enactment of the "basic law" by Israel constitutes a violation of international law and does not affect the continued application of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since June 1967, including Jerusalem; determines that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and the status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular, the recent "basic law" on Jerusalem, are null and void and must be rescinded forthwith. Decides not to recognize the "basic law" and such other actions by Israel that, as a result of this law, seek to alter the character and status of Jerusalem; calls upon all members of the United Nations (a) to accept this decision, (b) and upon those States that have established diplomatic Missions in Jerusalem to withdraw such Missions from the Holy City; and requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of this resolution before 15 November 1980.

15. SC Resolution 672 (1990) of 12 October 1990 [Adopted at 2948^th meeting-unanimously]

Reaffirming that a just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict must be based on its resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) through an active negotiating process which takes into account the right to security for all States in the region, including Israel, as well as the legitimate political rights of the Palestinian people; expresses alarm at the violence which took place on 8 October at Al-Haram Al-Sharif and other Holy Places of Jerusalem, resulting in over twenty Palestinian deaths and the injury of more than one hundred and fifty people, including Palestinian civilians and innocent worshippers. Condemns especially the acts of violence committed by the Israeli security forces, resulting in injuries and loss of human life; calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, which is applicable to all the territories occupied since 1967; and requests, in connection with the decision of the Secretary-General to send a mission to the region, that he submit a report to the Council, before the end of October 1990, containing his findings and conclusions. 

16. SC Resolution 1073 (1996) of 28 September 1996 [Adopted at 3698^th meeting (14-0-1) (1 abstention was U.S.)]

Having considered the letter dated 26 September 1996 from the representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the States Members of the League of Arab States that referred to the action by the Government of Israel to open an entrance to a tunnel in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its consequent results; expressing its deep concern about the tragic events in Jerusalem and the areas of Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem and the Gaza Strip, which resulted in a high number of deaths and injuries among the Palestinian civilians, and concerned also about the clashes between the Israeli army and the Palestinian police and the casualties on both sides; calls for the immediate cessation and reversal of all acts which have resulted in the aggravation of the situation and which have negative implications for the Middle East peace process; calls for the safety and protection of Palestinian civilians to be ensured; and calls for the immediate resumption of negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis and the timely implementation of the agreements reached. (The draft resolution was issued officially as a presidential text, which normally indicates unanimity prior to the vote.)

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