Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

No. 770
Revised Joint Draft Resolution Submitted to the Security Council by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, January 20, 1954¹

New York, January 20, 1954

The Security Council,

1. Recalling its previous resolutions on the Palestine question;

2. Taking into consideration the statements of the representatives of Syria and Israel and the reports of the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization on the Syrian complaint (S/3108/Rev. 1);

3. Notes that the Chief of Staff requested the Government of Israel on 23 September 1953 “to ensure that the authority which started work in the demilitarized zone on 2 September 1953 is instructed to cease working in the zone so long as an agreement is not arranged”;

4. Endorses this action of the Chief of Staff;

5. Recalls its resolution of 27 October 1953, taking note of the statement by the representative of the Government of Israel that the work started by Israel in the demilitarized zone would be suspended pending urgent examination of the question by the Council;

6. Declares that, in order to promote the return of permanent peace in Palestine, it is essential that the General Armistice Agreement of 20 July 1949 between Syria and Israel be strictly and faithfully observed by the parties;

7. Reminds the parties that, under article VII, paragraph 8, of the Armistice Agreement, where the interpretation of the meaning of a particular provision of the Agreement other than the preamble and articles I and II is at issue, the Mixed Armistice Commission’s interpretation shall prevail;

8. Notes that article V of the General Armistice Agreement between Syria and Israel gives to the Chief of Staff, as Chairman of the Syrian-Israeli Mixed Armistice Commission, responsibility for the general supervision of the demilitarized zone;

9. Calls upon the parties to comply with all his decisions and requests in the exercise of his authority under the Armistice Agreement;

10. Requests and authorizes the Chief of Staff to explore possibilities of reconciling the Israeli and Syrian interests involved in the dispute over the diversion of Jordan waters at Banat Ya’coub, including full satisfaction of existing irrigation rights at all seasons, while safeguarding the rights of individuals in the demilitarized zone, and to take such steps in accordance with the Armistice Agreement as he may deem appropriate to effect a reconciliation;

11. Calls upon the Governments of Israel and Syria to co-operate with the Chief of Staff to this end and to refrain from any unilateral action which would prejudice it;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to place at the disposal of the Chief of Staff a sufficient number of experts, in particular hydraulic engineers, to supply him on the technical level with the necessary data for a complete appreciation of the project in question and of its effect upon the demilitarized zone;

13. Affirms that nothing in this resolution shall be deemed to supersede the Armistice Agreement or to change the legal status of the demilitarized zone thereunder;

14. Directs the Chief of Staff to report to the Security Council within ninety days on the measures taken to give effect to this resolution.

1. Source: U.N. doc. S/3151/Rev. 2; voted on by the Security Council at its 656th meeting on Jan. 22. There were 7 votes in favor, 2 against (the Soviet Union and Lebanon) and 2 abstentions (China and Brazil). The resolution was not adopted because of the negative vote of the Soviet Union, one of the permanent members of the Council. (U.N. doc. S/PV.656)