Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Fiftieth session Fiftieth year

Item 44 of the provisional list*

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

         Letter dated 24 August 1995 from the Permanent Representative of

         Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government and with reference to our earlier letters concerning the repeated Israeli attacks and practices against southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa, I have the honour to inform you of a series of attacks that occurred in the second half of July 1995:

18 July 1995.  The Israeli forces bombarded the towns of Jibaa, Jarjouaa, Ain Bousoir, Arabsalim, Tlal Mita, Jabal Safi, Tibnine, Aita al-Jabal and Baraashit, setting fire to crops.

Israeli military trucks entered Lebanese territory and transported soil from the land of the town of Chabaa to Israel.

20 July 1995.  The Israeli Air Force overflew the western Bekaa, breaking the sound barrier.

21 July 1995.  The Israeli artillery bombarded the land of the town of Tibnine.

The Israeli forces demolished the three-story house of a Lebanese citizen in the town of Rihane.

23 July 1995.  The Israeli artillery bombarded the towns of Baraashit, Tibnine, Aita al-Jabal, Haddatha and the land of the towns of Jarjoua and Ain Bousoir.

24 July 1995.  The land of the towns of Jarjoua, Ain Bousoir, Arabsalim, Tlal Mita and Jabal Safi was subjected to Israeli bombardment.

26 July 1995.  Israeli artillery bombarded the land of the towns of Jarjoua, Ain Bousoir, Arabsalim, Tlal Mita and Jabal Safi in two stages.

The Israeli Air Force overflew the Nabatiyé area and raided Tlal Mita in Iqlim at-Touffah.

27 July 1995.  The Israeli forces bombarded the land of the towns of Froun, Ghandouriyé, Qabrikha, Touline and Majdel Silm.

The Israeli Helicopter Force overflew the towns of Maidoun and Ain at-Tiné while the Israeli forces bombarded the southern hills of the town of Mashgharé.

30 July 1995.  Israeli forces bombarded the land of Jarjoua, Ain Bousoir, Tlal Mita, Jabal Safi, Arabsalim, Jbaa and Ain at-Tiné in more than one stage. Israeli forces bombarded Rihane, wounding seven civilians, including one 10-year-old child, whose condition remains grave.

The Israeli Air Force overflew the area of Tyre and Iqlim at-Touffah, dropping heat balloons.

The Lebanese Government strongly condemns these new Israeli attacks, which have wounded many civilians, caused tremendous damage to property and prevented the population from cultivating their land and earning a livelihood.  It draws the attention of the international community to this blatant assault on the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and this flagrant violation of the principles of international law and fundamental human rights.

The continued violence is basically due to Israel's continuation of its occupation and its refusal to respond to Security Council resolution 425 (1978), which calls for Israel's withdrawal to the internationally recognized Lebanese boundaries and for the Lebanese Government to be enabled to extend its authority over all its territory by means of its legitimate forces.

I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under item 37 of the provisional agenda, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Samir MOUBARAK     

Ambassador       

Permanent Representative

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* A/50/150.