16. Letter from the Acting Permanent Representative of Israel to the President of the Security Council, S/3883, 5 September 1957.
In spite of repeated efforts by the Secretary-General to bring about a conference under his chairmanship, Jordan continued to shirk fulfilment of its obligations. In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Israel asked for relief from this intolerable situation. Text:
I have the honour, on instructions from the Government of Israel, to request that the Security Council at its forthcoming meeting consider the following complaint of Israel against Jordan:
"Violations by Jordan of the provisions of the General Armistice Agreement, and in particular of Article VIII thereof".
Article VIll of the General Armistice Agreement between Israel and Jordan provides for the establishment of a Special Committee composed of two representatives of each Party, for the purpose of formulating agreed plans and arrangements designed to enlarge the scope of the Agreement and to effect improvements in its application.
Paragraph 2 of Article VIII requires that such plans and arrangements should include the following matters, on which agreement in principle already existed at the time that Armistice Agreement was signed on 3 April 1949: free movement of traffic on vital roads, including the Bethlehem and Latrun-Jerusalem roads; resumption of the normal functioning of the cultural and humanitarian institutions on Mount Scopus and free access thereto; free access to the Holy Places and cultural institutions and use of the cemetery on the Mount of Olives; resumption of operation of the Latrun pumping station; provision of electricity for the Old City; and resumption of operation of the railroad to Jerusalem.
The resumption of the operation of the railroad to Jerusalem is the only one of these specific requirements of the Armistice Agreement which has been put into effect. All the others have remained unimplemented for the reason that for the past eight years Jordan has refused to agree to the functioning of the Special Committee. As a result, the main road from Jerusalem to the coast is still out of commission; the Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital and the Hebrew University buildings on Mount Scopus are becoming deserted ruins; the Western (Wailing) Wall of the Second Temple, which is the most ancient and sacred relic which the Jewish people possess, and other holy places and shrines, are barred to Jewish pilgrims; the ancient cemetery on the Mount of Olives is desecrated by vandalism and neglect; the water pumping station at Latrun is still not in use.
The Government of Israel has made frequent efforts over the past eight years to secure the implementation of Article VIII of the General Armistice Agreement, but has consistently met with an obdurate refusal on the part of Jordan to carry out this clear obligation, with the result that rights which Israel regards to be of cardinal religious, educational and practical importance have been gravely prejudiced.
Other provisions of the General Armistice Agreement of which Jordan is in standing violation include her refusal to comply with the four fundamental principles of the Agreement outlined in Article 1: the incessant campaign of threat, intimidation and incitement pursued by the leaders of the Jordanian Government against the security and integrity of Israel in violation of Articles I and III, as well as of the Charter of the United Nations; and her failure to attend the conferences convoked by the Secretary-General in accordance with the provisions of Article XII.
The Government of Israel cannot agree to a selective interpretation and implementation of the General Armistice Agreement by Jordan, and accordingly turns to the Security Council for relief from the intolerable situation which has been created.
(Signed)
M.R. Kidron
Acting Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations