Short Summaries of UN Resolutions - Security Council (1948-1959)

Resolution 42 (5 March 1948) - In response to UN General Assembly Resolution 181, resolves to stay informed of situation, and appeals to all parties to prevent and reduce violence in situation.

Resolution 43 (1 April 1948) - Calls upon the Jewish Agency for Palestine and the Arab Higher Committee to provide reps to meet with SC for truce negotiations, and calls all parties to cease violence immediately.

Resolution 44 (1 April 1948) --  Taking note of UN General Assembly Resolution 181(1947) and UN Palestine Commission reports, requests Secretary-General to call a special session of the General Assembly to consider question of future government for Palestine.

Resolution 46 (17 April 1948) - Calls upon all parties to cease violence, use of armed militias and mercenaries, importing of weapons and war materials, conducting political activity injurious to the other party, activities which might endanger the Holy Places, and calls upon the British Mandate Power and all neighboring countries to cooperate in bringing about peace.

Resolution 48 (23 April 1948) - Establishes a Truce Commission for Palestine to realize goals of UN Security Council Resolution 46 (1948) (but Syria refused to participate).

Resolution 49 (22 May 1948) - Calls upon all parties to cease fire within 36 hours, and calls upon the Truce Commission to work toward maintaining the truce and realize the goals of UN General Assembly Resolution 186 (1948).

Resolution 50 (29 May 1948) - Calls upon all parties to cease violence, not send soldiers or war materials to Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan, Yemen, to protect Holy Places, and the Truce Commission and United Nations Mediator in Palestine, Arab League to help with these provisions, with military observers, and instructs all parties to cooperate with the UN.

Resolution 53 (7 July 1948) -  Recalling the telegram from the UN Mediator, asks all parties to prolong the truce.

Resolution 54 (15 July 1948) - Violence has resumed because the Arab League members have refused prolongation of the truce, which Israel has accepted, orders all parties to call a cease-fire, and to violate this cease-fire would qualify as a "breach of the peace"  as per UN Charter calling for further actions.  Calls for special cease-fire and demilitarization of Jerusalem.  Instructs UN Mediator to supervise the peace and report on all breaches.  Calls on all parties to cooperate with the Mediator.

Resolution 56 (19 August 1948) - Declares all parties responsible for any breach of the truce, all parties are responsible for pursuing all means to maintain the truce, all parties are responsible for speedy trial of anyone breaching truce, no reprisals allowed, no military advantages from breaches of the truce will be allowed.

Resolution 57 (18 September 1948) - Deeply shocked at the terrorist murder of the UN Mediator in Palestine, Count Folke Bernadotte, resolves to fly the UN flag at 1/2 mast for 3 days, to pay for all funeral arrangements, and to have the UN Security Council President be present at funeral.

Resolution 59 (19 October 1948) - Noting lack of Israeli report on assassination of UN Mediator, instructs all parties to accept UN Observers, and to cooperate with and protect all UN workers, and to promptly apprehend and prosecute all those perpetrating violence against UN workers.

Resolution 61 (4 November 1948) - Considering that no violation of truce or reprisals are legally allowed,  or else enforcement measures will be considered, calls upon all parties to withdraw forces back to position held prior to 14 October, and requests new UN Mediator to resume truce negotiations and to establish permanent lines and zones if parties cannot reach agreement.  Appoints a Committee of the Council to act as advisor to the UN Mediator.

Resolution 62 (16 November 1948) - Declares that an armistice shall be established to help transition from temporary truce to permanent peace, and instructs UN Mediator to negotiate with all parties about this, and then calls on all parties to withdraw all their forces behind these agreed upon lines.

Resolution 66 (29 December 1948) - Calls upon all parties to call for a cease-fire, and immediately implement UN Security Council Resolution 61, to allow truce supervision by UN Observers, and for the Committee of the Council to meet and report on the situation.  Invites Cuba and Norway to replace Belgium and Colombia on the Security Council, and expresses hope that the Conciliation Committee established by the General Assembly will come together as soon as possible.

Resolution 69 (4 March 1949) - Having received Israel's application for membership, and deciding that Israel is a peace-loving nation and is willing to fulfill obligations contained in the UN Charter, the UN Security Council therefore recommends to the UN General Assembly that Israel be admitted into the UN.

Resolution 72 (11 August 1949) - Desires to pay tribute to Count Folke Bernadotte and his staff who died while performing their duties, to the present UN Mediator Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, and the rest of the UN personnel of the UN Mission in Palestine.

Resolution 73 (11 August 1949) - Noting with satisfaction creation of several Armistice Agreements, hopes that all parties can negotiate to completion as per UN General Assembly Resolution 194, resulting in final peace settlement as per UN Security Council Resolution 54 (1948), and then the UN Mediator can be dismissed, and replaced by the Mixed Armistice Commissions headed by head of UN Truce Supervision Organization, who will then report back to the UN Security Council.

Resolution 89 (17 November 1950) –  Recalling General Armistice Agreements creating Mixed Armistice Commissions prescribed in UN Security Council Resolution 73 (1949), notes the complaint of the Egyptians of expulsions of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, and the movements of nomadic Arabs across Armistice lines, and the statement of Israel that it will evacuate Bir Qattar before retreating behind Armistice Line as agreed.

Resolution 92 (8 May 1951) –  Noting fighting has broken out in the DMZ between Syria and Israel in violation of the General Armistice agreement (1949) and cease-fire order of UN Truce Supervision Organization, and calls upon all parties to cease-fire, and obey Armistice agreements and UN resolution 54.

Resolution 93 (18 May 1951) –  Despite UN resolutions and the General Armistice agreements, all parties continue to make complaints against the other for violations.  Thus the Israeli corporation, Palestine Land Development Co. has been requested many times to stop building in DMZ and Israeli aerial action on 5 April 1951 was in violation of Armistice agreement and UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 54, and the UN Truce Supervision Organization and the Mixed-Armistice Commissions to consult with them about all problems and disputes.  Civil administration in DMZ will be localized - each village will manage itself.  Also Palestinian inhabitants of DMZ evacuated by Israel must be allowed to return to their homes.  Also requires all parties to allow freedom of movement to UN workers.

Resolution 95 (1 September 1951) –  Judges that the Egyptian practice of interference of Israel-bound cargo through Suez Canal is violation of the Armistice Agreement, and claim of self-defense is invalid, and Egypt's interference with ships that have visited Israel is violation of international law of the seas, and calls upon Egypt to stop this activity.

Resolution 100 (27 October 1953) –  Notes that Israel has confirmed halting its building operations in DMZ while UN Security Council assesses the situation.

Resolution 101 (24 November 1953) – Judges that the retaliatory action at Qibya was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 54(1948) and General Armistice Agreement, and calls upon Jordan to halt infiltrations, and calls for strengthening of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.

Resolution 106 (29 March 1955) – Noting report by Mixed Armistice Commission about organized Israeli attack on 28 Feb. 1955, condemns this attack as violation of UN Security Council Resolution 54 and the General Armistice Agreement and the UN Charter, and calls on Israel to stop it.

Resolution 107 (30 March 1955) –  Taking note of reports about conditions on armistice line between Egypt and Israel, asks them to work with UN Truce Supervision Organization to reduce infiltration in area.

Resolution 108 (8 September 1955) – Deploring the breakdown of talks and the outbreak of violence, notes with approval the all parties cease-fire agreement that has been reached, and agrees that the military forces must be separated, and declares that freedom of movement must be given to UN observers, and parties must choose reps to meet with UN.

Resolution 111 (19 January 1956) –   Recalling the reports and letters concerning the conflict, including the complaint by Syria that Israel had conducted a military attack on 11 Dec. 1955, and reports of Syrian interference with lawful Israeli activities near Lake Tiberias, judges that this interference does not make the military action justified, which thus is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 54, the General Armistice Agreement, and UN Charter, Calls for Israel to obey, and for UN to clear up conflict near Lake, and arrange for exchange of POW's.

Resolution 113 (4 April 1956) --  Notes with grave concerns that the steps of the General Armistice Agreement and relevant UN Resolutions have not been carried out, requests the Secretary-General to survey the situation and develop agreements with the parties concerning specific goals such as full withdrawal of military forces, give full freedom of movement to UN forces, and develop local framework to watch for violations.

Resolution 114 (4 June 1956) –  Commends all parties that have been slowly realizing the goals of the General Armistice Agreement and UN Security Council Resolutions 113 and 73, and requests that the UN Truce Supervision Organization continue its work to realize these goals, and that all parties cooperate with the UN Truce Supervision Organization.

Resolution 127 (22 January 1958) –   Recalling the complaint of Jordan concerning Israeli activities in the zone between the two states where neither has sovereignty, directs the UN Truce Supervision Organization to regulate activities in this middle area as per the terms of the General Armistice Agreement, including that neither should use the property of the other without mutual agreement, and should suspend activities until a property survey has been conducted of the area, and that all military units should stay out of the area, and that all military installations in the area should be removed or destroyed until survey has been completed and agreement has been reached.

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(C) Israel Law Resoource Center, February, 2007.