The Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) Killings

The 8 October 1990 violence at the Haram al-Shanf (Temple Mount), in which 17 Palestinians were shot to death by Israeli Border Police, gave rise to considerable controversy as to what actually happened, exacerbated tensions between the United States and Israel, and succeeded, through monopolizing discussions at the United Nations, in somewhat deflecting international attention from the Gulf crisis for over two weeks.

The following documents relating to the Haram al-Shanf tragedy are divided into two sections: (1) those relating to the events themselves; (II) statements and resolutions concerning the events, as follows:

I. The Events

a. The Report by Al-Haq

b. The B'Tselem Investigation

c. The Zamir Commission's Report

d. A Transcript of Calls from the Al-Aqsa Mosque

e. The Village Voice Chronology

II. Statements and Resolutions

a. U.S. President George Bush

b. The European Community

c. French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas

d. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir

e. The Christian Communities of Jerusalem

f. The Report of the UN Secretary-General, including 

-UN Security Council Resolution

-672 UN Security Council Resolution 673