UN General Assembly
2001

the United Arab Emirates over the three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, all of which belong to the United Arab Emirates. The State of Bahrain approves of and welcomes the direct contacts that have taken place between the two neighbouring countries and hopes that the dispute will be settled by peaceful means in accordance with the principles of international law, including referral to the International Court of Justice. Since the current Israeli Government came to power, the Middle East has experienced serious developments that have brought back conditions of hostility and confrontation such as engulfed the region prior to the beginning of the Madrid peace process in 1991. This has come about through Israel’s aggression against the Palestinian people and its oppression, economic isolation and blockades of all the territory under Palestinian authority. The peace process based on Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and on the Madrid terms of reference — specifically the principle of land for peace — is at an impasse. The explosive situation in the Palestinian