THE DISPUTED UN RESOLUTION 242

UN Security Council Resolution 242, adopted in November 1967 after the Six-Day War, calls for the exchange of land for peace. During the war with Egypt, Jordan and Syria, Israel occupied the Sinai, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank including East Jerusalem and part of the Syrian Golan Heights.

Resolution 242 calls for withdrawal of Israeli forces, the right of people to live in recognised boundaries and settlement of the refugee problem. Egypt and Jordan considered Israeli withdrawal as a precondition to negotiations - which led to peace treaties with Israel.

Israel said withdrawal and refugees could be settled only through negotiations with the Arab States. Syria said the resolution linked withdrawal to concessions from Arab countries. The Palestine Liberation Organisation said Palestine was reduced to a refugee problem.

Anne Penketh