June 30, 1980
Source: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/25616?ln=en&v=pdf
The U.N. Security Council held a special session on the status of Jerusalem on June 30, 1980, at the request of Pakistan, which, as the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, hoped to cut off Israel’s plan to enact a Basic Law declaring Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel. The Security Council passed Resolution 476 on a 14-0 vote, with the United States abstaining, to demand that Israel not alter the political status or physical character of Jerusalem in any way.
It was the second of three Security Council resolutions sharply critical of Israel that the Carter administration allowed to be enacted in Jimmy Carter’s final year as president. The council less than four months earlier passed Resolution 465 to “strongly deplore” Israel’s settlement policy for the Gaza Strip and West Bank, in which it explicitly included Jerusalem. After Israel passed the Basic Law on Jerusalem anyway July 30, 1980, the Security Council responded three weeks later with Resolution 478, calling on all U.N. member states to join it in refusing to recognize the Basic Law.
Read the Resoution in a Printable PDFResolution 476 (1980) of 30 June 1980
The Security Council,
Having considered the letter of 28 May 1980 from the representative of Pakistan, the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, contained in document S/13966 [see below],
Reaffirming that the acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible,
Bearing in mind the specific status of Jerusalem and, in particular, the need to protect and preserve the unique spiritual and religious dimension of the Holy Places in the city,
Reaffirming its resolutions relevant to the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, in particular resolutions 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 271 (1969), 298 (1971) and 465 (1980),
Recalling the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949
Deploring the persistence of Israel in changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and the status of the Holy City of Jerusalem,
Gravely concerned about the legislative steps initiated in the Israeli Knesset with the aim of changing the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem,
1. Reaffirms the overriding necessity for ending the prolonged occupation of Arab territories occupiedby Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;
2. Strongly deplores the continued refusal of Israel, the occupying Power, to comply with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly;
3. Reconfirms that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
4. Reiterates that all such measures 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;
5. Urgently calls on Israel, the occupying Power, to abide by the present and previous Security Council resolutions and to desist forthwith from persisting in the policy and measures affecting the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem;
6. Reaffirms its determination, in the event of non-compliance by Israel with the present resolution, to examine practical ways and means in accordance with relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations to secure the full implementation of the present resolution.
Adopted at the 2242nd meeting by 14 votes to none, with 1 abstention (United States of America).
Document S/13966
Letter dated 28 May 1980 from the acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations addressed to the president of the Security Council
In my capacity as the Representative of Pakistan, the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, I have the honour to draw your attention to the decision taken by the Eleventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Islamabad from 17 to 21 May 1980, calling for an immediate meeting of the Security Council to examine the dangerous situation arising from the latest decision by the Israeli authorities seeking to annex and declare Al Quds Al Sharif (the Holy City of Jerusalem) as the capital of Israel.
In accordance with the decision of the Eleventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, I have the honour to request you, on behalf of the members of Islamic Conference, to convene an immediate meeting of the Security Council to consider the serious and dangerous implications of the above-mentioned Israeli moves and their consequences on the endeavours for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United States.
(Signed) Shamshad Ahmad
Acting Permanent Representative
