Mideast situation/Status of cease-fire – UNTSO supplemental information – SecGen report

Further report on the status of the cease-fire

in the Middle East

The Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during the period I7 to 23 February 1975:

1. Activity in the sector during the period under review remained at a low level.

2. Israel forces personnel continued to occupy, during daylight hours, five positions on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) near border pillars 11 (AMR 1799-2788)1/ (daily), l4 {AMR 1838-2734) (on 22 and 23 February),

18 (AMR 1880-274O) (daily except On 20 and'22.February), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) (daily except on 20 February) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904) (daily).

3. There were six cases .of firing across the ADL, one of which involved an exchange of fire, and three crossing violations.  These were reported as follows:

(a) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported an exchange of machine-gun and small-arms fire and flares between Israel forces and unidentified forces east of the OP on 17 February. Artillery and machine-gun fire and flares by Israel forces were reported on 22 February.

(b) OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 22 February.

(c) An UNTSO mobile patrol, while located at AMR 2055-2977, reported two crossing violations on 17 February (aaximum penetration 50 metres) and one crossing violation on l8 February (maximum penetration 30 metres), all by Israel forces personnel.

4.   There were nine overflights reported during the period.  Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 17 and 20 February (one each day), and on 18 February (five overflights).  Overflights by unidentified jet aircraft were reported on 17 and 19 February (one each day); United Nations military observers were unable to identify the aircraft owing to high altitude (17 February) or darkness (19 February).

5.  The Lebanese authorities submitted 20 complaints during the period under review as follows:

(a) Seven complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces fire had fallen on Lebanese territory. Two of these complaints were confirmed by United Nations observation, except for damage.

(b) Five complaints concerned Israel forces jet aircraft overflights.  Three of these complaints were confirmed.

(c) Seven complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces patrols had daily penetrated Lebanese territory in the region of Chebaa (AMR 2200-3055). Two of these complaints were confirmed by UNTSO mobile patrols. The remaining complaints were not confirmed; the location of the alleged incidents was outside United Nations observation range.

(d) In addition, one complaint was submitted with a request that an inquiry be conducted by United Nations military observers.

6.  The complaint referred to in paragraph 5 (d) alleged that Israel forces had installed a barbed wire fence inside Lebanese territory near border pillar 16 (AMR l860-2739).  The inquiry requested by the Lebanese authorities was o authorized by the Chief of Staff of UNTSO and took place on 22 February. The complaint was confirmed.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.