Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 3 November 2003 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government, I transmit to you hereunder a list of persistent Israeli violations and acts of aggression against Lebanon committed between 22 and 27 October 2003.

   Violations of airspace

Between 0000 and 0015 hours on 22 October 2003, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the sea off Beizut, 12 miles from the coast, heading towards Jouneih to the west of Shikka, 7 miles from the coast. The aircraft then headed south to a point 12 miles from the coast in the direction of Jounieh and reached a point west of Shikka, 7 miles from the coast. It then headed south to a point 12 miles west of Beizut, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 0025 and 0300 hours on the same day, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the sea off Jounieh at a distance of 12 miles heading towards the town, reaching a point 5 miles from the coast. It then headed north to a point 5 miles west of Jubayl where it circled between Jubayl and Khaldah, between 5 and 11 miles from the coast, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1230 and 1238 hours on the same day, two Israeli warplanes flew over the sea in an easterly direction off Naquzah as far as the Alma al-Sha’b area, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1238 and 1254 hours on the same day, two Israeli warplanes flew north over the Kafr Killa area, breaking the sound barrier. They were then followed by two warplanes which overflew the sea off Beizut. All four aircraft circled over the Shikka and Al-Arz (Cedars) areas, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1245 and 1254 on the same day, two Israeli warplanes overflew the Kafr Shuba area and circled over the South, violating Lebanese airspace. 

Between 1256 and 1320 hours on the same day, three Israeli warplanes overflew the occupied Shab’a farmlands and circled over the South, reaching an area east of Sidon, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 1325 and 1400 hours on the same day, two Israeli warplanes overflew the Mays al-Jabal area heading towards Tyre and circled over the South and East, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 0202 and 0515 hours on 23 October 2003, an Israeli reconnaissance plane flew over the sea off Sidon in the direction of the Bekaa, circled over the Dahr al-Baydar and Zaghlah areas, and were then followed at 0340 hours by another Israeli reconnaissance aircraft which overflew the areas of Rashia and Jazzin, violating Lebanese airspace.

Between 0945 and 1030 hours on 24 October 2003, the airforce of the Israeli enemy overflew the occupied Shab’a farmlands at high altitude, violating Lebanese airspace.

   Violations of territorial waters

Between 0330 and 0445 hours on 22 October 2003, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an enemy Israeli military boat fired an illumination flare and a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire over the water.

At 0440 hours on 23 October 2003, in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah, an enemy Israeli military boat fired an illumination flare over the water. 

At 1119 hours on the same day, in the open sea, an enemy Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire over the water.

At 2149 hours on the same day, in the open sea, an enemy Israeli military boat fired an illumination flare over the water.

Between 0130 and 0300 hours on 24 October 2003, an enemy Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire in the open sea off Ra’s Naqurah.

At 0709 hours on the same day, an enemy Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire over the sea off Ra’s Naqurah. 

    Acts of aggression in the field

At 1150 hours on 22 October 2003, the Israeli enemy forces fired three 120-mm mortar shells from their position at Zibdin in the occupied Shab’a farmlands which fell in the farmlands in the vicinity of Birkat al-Nakkar.

At 1150 hours on 23 October 2003, the Israeli enemy forces fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire from their position at Ruwaysat al-Alam in the occupied Shab’a farmlands in the direction of the area surrounding the position. This was followed by further bursts of fire in the direction of Birkat al-Nakkar in the farmlands.

At 1410 hours on the same day, the Israeli enemy forces fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire from their position at Radar hill in the occupied Shab’a farmlands in the direction of the area surrounding the village of Shab’a, setting fire to an area of approximately 1 dunum (1,000 square metres) of dry grass. The fire was put out by civil defence personnel. 

Between the beginning of October and the present day, the Israeli enemy forces have violated Lebanese airspace and territorial waters and have fired shells and directed bursts of fire at the areas surrounding their positions in the occupied Shab’a farmlands, the outlying areas of several nearby villages and border areas. In all, some 62 air violations, 35 sea violations and 32 land violations have been recorded.

On 27 October 2003, the field situation in the occupied Shab’a farmlands and the surrounding areas became tense, as detailed below.

At 1520 hours and 1630 hours, resistance elements fired a number of 107-mm sager missiles, 106-mm artillery rounds and 120-mm mortar shells in the direction of the Israeli enemy’s positions in the occupied Shab’a farmlands at Ruwaysat al-Alam, Sammaqah, Ramta, Fashkul and Khirbat al-Duweir.

The Israeli enemy immediately launched an artillery bombardment and air raids (10 air-to-surface missiles) outside the villages adjacent to the occupied Shab’a farmlands, as follows:

Between 1540 and 1600 hours the Israeli forces fired a number of 155-mm artillery rounds from their positions in the occupied Shab’a farmlands which fell outside Habbariah, Rashia al-Foukhar, Kafr Shuba and Hilta; they also fired a number of bursts of medium-weapons fire towards the area round their positions at Radar, Ramta and Ruywaysat al-Alam.

  At 1610 hours, the airforce attacked at the north of the village of Hilta firing an air-to-surface missile.

At 1625 hours, the airforce attacked the outskirts of Rashia al-Foukhar, firing an air-to-surface missile.

At 1635 hours, the airforce attacked the Rashia al-Foukhar-Mari crossroads, firing an air-to-surface missile.

At 1647 hours, the airforce attacked East Kawkaba, firing an air-to-surface missile.

At 1700 hours, the enemy Israeli forces sounded warning sirens in the Mutlah settlement.

At 1735 hours, the airforce attacked the outskirts of Mari and Rashia al-Foukhar, firing four air-to-surface missiles.

At 1740 hours, the airforce attacked the outskirts of Kawkaba, firing an air-to-surface missile.

Between 1745 hours and 1810 hours, the Israeli forces fired a number of 155-mm shells from their positions in the occupied Golan which fell outside the villages of Kafr Shuba, Hilta, Majidiyah and Rashia al-Foukhar.

The bombardment ended at 1815 hours.

As a result of the Israeli bombardment, many windows were broken in homes and places of business in the villages of Kafr Shuba, Kawkaba and Rashia al-Foukhar, without causing fatalities.

At 2000 hours, the radio service of the Israeli enemy acknowledged that an Israeli soldier had been slightly wounded.

At 2300 hours, it was announced by the enemy radio that, following the bombardment of Israel army positions in the Shab’a farmlands by Hizbullah and the wounding of an Israeli soldier, Israeli Army General Beni Gantz, General Officer Commanding Northern Command, had made a visit to the frontier area and convened a press conference in which he attributed responsibility for what had happened in the farmlands to Lebanon and Syria and warned against any escalation of the situation by Syria saying that, if the Israeli army decided to respond, it would be the Lebanese who would suffer.

These acts of aggression reaffirm Israel’s hostile attitude and the nature and number of these unjustified and inexcusable violations and acts of aggression confirm Israel’s premeditated intent to threaten and provoke and to disrupt security and stability in order to serve its aggressive, expansionist objectives throughout the region.

The Mission of Lebanon, in drawing the attention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the gravity and possible consequences of such acts of aggression, requests the circulation of this letter of complaint as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 37, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Sami Kronfol

Permanent Representative

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