Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 15 July 2004 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government, I provide you with the following summary of Israeli violations and acts of aggression committed against Lebanon during the period from 12 June to 9 July 2004:

12 June 2004

Between 0715 and 1015 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea off Tyre at a distance of 12 miles from the coast, proceeding in the direction of Beirut, then circled over Damur and Beirut, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1055 and 1130 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew at very high altitude over the occupied Shab`a Farms.

Between 2115 and 2145 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew the said Farms.

13 June 2004

Between 1000 and 1013 hours two Israeli warplanes overflew the sea off the region of Shikka at a distance of 12 miles from the coast, heading east and penetrating five miles inland and then flying south, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1025 and 1050 hours four Israeli warplanes flew north over the Bint Jubayl area, at which point two of the aircraft circled between the Nabatiyah and Marj `Uyun areas, then headed north as far as the Na`imah area and then west. All four of the aircraft circled between the Batrun and Byblos (Jubayl) areas, all of them thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 1325 hours in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah a gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-sized weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

Between 1400 and 1430 hours Israeli enemy forces positioned at Zibdin, within the occupied Shab`a Farms area, fired a number of 120-mm rounds in the area around Birkat al-Naqqar, within the said area.

14 June 2004

Between 0030 and 0940 hours an Israeli gunboat in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah fired an illumination flare and a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters. At 1910 hours it returned and fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

Between 0040 and 0200 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew north over the sea off Sidon at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and proceeded as far as Khaldah over the sea, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

15 June 2004

At 2249 hours in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare over the territorial waters.

16 June 2004

Between 0020 and 0210 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew north over the sea off Tyre at an altitude of 26,000 feet and at a distance of 10 miles from the coast, proceeding as far as the Na`imah area, over which it circled, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

17 June 2004

Between 0730 and 1000 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea west of Sidon at a distance of 10 miles from the coast, heading towards Beirut, and circled between Beirut and Damur, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1005 and 1255 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea west of and in the direction of Tyre at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and circled between Tyre and Sidon over the sea at a distance of 2 miles from the coast, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 1430 hours Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their outpost at Ruwaysat al-Alam, within the occupied Shab`a Farms area, with medium-weapons fire.

18 June 2004

At 1100 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, a gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters. Returning at 2050 hours, it again fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the said waters.

At 2250 hours Israeli enemy forces, from their outpost on Radar hill, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons at the area around the outpost.

19 June 2004

Between 2235 and 2245 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons and two illumination flares over the territorial waters.

20 June 2004

Between 1130 and 1200 hours an Israeli warplane overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms and the villages of Ramiyah and Marwahin, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 2107 and 2135 hours two Israeli aircraft flew east over the sea off Tyre, attacked Jamus hill, south of the village of Tiri, launching four air-to-ground missiles, and then circled over the Tyre and Bint Jubayl regions, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 0924 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

22 June 2004

Between 0240 and 0800 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew at an altitude of 28,000 feet over the sea off Sidon at a distance of 12 miles from the coast, heading towards Beirut, then circled between Beirut and Damur at a distance of 2 miles over the sea and the land, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1104 and 1350 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea off Tyre at medium altitude, then circled over Beirut and Sidon, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 1310 hours Israeli enemy forces, from their outpost on Radar hill, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons at the area around the said outpost.

At 2045 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired two illumination flares over the territorial waters.

23 June 2004

At 0400 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare over the territorial waters. Between 2205 and 2210 hours it returned and fired a number of rounds from light and medium weapons in the direction of the said waters.

Between 1105 and 1350 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew east over the sea off Tyre at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and at an altitude of 25,000 feet and circled between Sidon and Beirut at a distance of 2 miles over the sea, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

24 June 2004

Between 0325 and 0445 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare over the territorial waters.

At 1909 hours Israeli enemy forces, from their Ramta, Ruwaysat al-Alam and Summaqah outposts, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons at the area around their positions.

Between 2005 and 2010 hours two Israeli helicopters flew opposite the village of Hawla, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 2220 hours, from their outpost at Abbasiyah, Israeli enemy forces fired a number of rounds from light and medium weapons at the area around their position.

25 June 2004

Between 1030 and 1445 hours Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their Radar hill and Ruwaysat al-Alam outposts, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, with medium-weapons fire.

26 June 2004

Between 0915 and 0930 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

27 June 2004

At 1400 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from light and medium weapons in the direction of the territorial waters. It then returned at 1400 hours and fired an illumination flare over the said waters.

Between 1830 and 1930 hours two Israeli helicopters flew at various altitudes over the occupied Shab`a Farms.

At 2350 hours Israeli enemy forces, from their outposts with the occupied Palestinian territory, fired three illumination flares over the said territory opposite the village of Kafr Killa.

28 June 2004

Between 2100 and 2130 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms. They then returned and overflew the said Farms again between 2325 and 2340 hours.

29 June 2004

At 0430 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare over the territorial waters. It returned at 1400 hours and fired a number of bursts in the direction of the said waters.

Between 1040 and 1125 hours two Israeli warplanes flew north over the village of Khiyam at an altitude of 40,000 feet as far as the Shikka region, then circled over Beirut, Damur and the sea. At 1040 hours they were followed by two Israeli warplanes which flew north over the village of Khiyam as far as Rumaylah, then circled over Rumaylah, Sidon, Jazzin and the sea. The four aircraft then headed south and circled over the Marj `Uyun and Bint Jubayl areas, at which point two of them left, while the remaining two circled over Tyre and the sea, all four thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 2120 and 2140 hours two Israeli helicopters flew at medium altitude over the occupied Shab`a Farms, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

30 June 2004

Between 0645 and 0929 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew east over the sea off Tyre at a distance of 12 miles from the coast as far as Na`imah, continued towards Beirut at a distance of 3 miles from the coast and an altitude of 27,000 feet and finally headed south over the sea to Naqurah, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1030 and 1050 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew Lebanese territory along the border opposite Labbunah. They then returned between 2045 and 2330 hours and overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms at various altitudes.

Between 1945 and 2030 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of bursts in the direction of the territorial waters. It then returned between 2320 and 2400 hours and launched a number of illumination flares over the said waters.

1 July 2004

At 0005 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare over the territorial waters. It then returned at 0740 and 2114 hours and fired a number of bursts of fire and four illumination flares over the said waters.

At 1050 hours Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their outposts on Radar hill, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, with medium-weapons fire.

Between 1825 and 2125 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea off Sidon at a distance of 12 miles from the coast, heading east as far as the Bekaa and circling over the areas of Saghbin, Jubb Jannin, Anjar, Zahle and Chtaura, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 2030 and 2100 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms.

2 July 2004

Between 0420 and 0630 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons and an illumination flare over Lebanese territorial waters. It returned between 1945 and 2220 hours and fired a number of bursts over the said waters.

At 1824 hours Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their Radar hill and Ruwaysat al-Alam outposts, within the occupied Shab`a Farms area, with medium machine-gun fire.

3 July 2004

Between 0225 and 0300 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare and a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

4 July 2004

At 1430 and 1610 hours Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their Radar hill and Ruwaysat al-Alam outposts, within the occupied Shab`a Farms, with medium and light machine-gun fire.

At 2000 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

5 July 2004

Between 0850 and 0900 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew south over the sea off the Na`imah region at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and an altitude of 28,500 feet, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 0925 and 1000 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms.

At 0909 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters. Returning at 2305 hours, it launched an illumination flare over the said waters.

6 July 2004

Between 0015 and 0615 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired an illumination flare and a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons in the direction of the territorial waters.

Between 1150 and 1210 hours two warplanes overflew the sea off Sidon at a distance of 12 miles from the coast, heading towards Beirut, proceeded as far as Tripoli, then returned south over the sea at a distance of 4 miles from the coast, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1600 and 1630 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the occupied Shab`a Farms at medium altitude.

7 July 2004

Between 0930 and 0945 hours an Israeli military aircraft flew at extremely high altitude over the occupied Shab`a Farms. Between 1330 and 1345 hours it returned and overflew Tyre at extremely high altitude, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

At 1355 hours Israeli enemy forces, from their outpost on Radar hill, within the occupied Shab`a Farms area, fired a number of rounds from medium-calibre weapons at the area around the said outpost.

8 July 2004

Between 0020 and 0550 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of machine-gun bursts and an illumination flare over the territorial waters.

Between 0900 and 1015 hours an Israeli military aircraft flew over the occupied Shab`a Farms and the village of Yarun and along the Lebanese-Palestinian border opposite the regions of Naqura and Alma al-Sha`b, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

On the night of 8 to 9 July, between 2145 and 0040 hours, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the sea west of Sidon at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and at an altitude of 26,000 feet, heading towards Beirut, and circled between Beirut and Damur, thus violating Lebanese airspace.

9 July 2004

At 1030 hours, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an Israeli gunboat fired a number of machine-gun bursts in the direction of the territorial waters. It then returned between 1904 and 2034 hours and fired a number of bursts and an illumination flare over the said waters.

These grave violations are part of a series of persistent and provocative Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace and territory and are in contravention of the principles of international law and the resolutions of international legitimacy, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations has repeatedly called for their cessation.

In view of these violations and the stepping-up of Israeli threats to Lebanon and the safety of its territory and its citizens, Lebanon calls upon the Security Council to deter and prevent Israel from such dangerous acts, which pose a threat to international security and peace. Israel must assume full responsibility for those acts and for any consequences to which they may give rise.

In drawing your attention to the gravity and possible consequences of such acts, I request to have this letter of complaint circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 37, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Sami Kronfol

Ambassador

Permanent Representative