Mideast situation – UNTSO – Report on the status of the cease-fire

Further report on the status of the cease-fire

in the Israel-Lebanon sector

1. The Chief of Staff of UNTSO, Major-General E. A. Erskine, has submitted to the Secretary-General the following special report concering developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector from 20 to 22 September 1977:

"A.  Ground activity was observed along the entire armistice demarcation line (ADL) and the line between Lebanese territory and Israel-occupied Syrian territory during the reporting period, but in the El Khiam area, its intensity has decreased since the last special report (S/ll663/Add.43).

B.  There were l6 cases of firing across the ADL or across the line between Lebanese territory and Israel-occupied Syrian territory.  Twelve of these firings were from Israel forces with 11 mortar rounds and 180 artillery rounds impacting in Lebanon. The remaining four firings were from unidentified forces in Lebanon with 35 mortar rounds and two artillery rounds impacting in Israel.  Additionally, one crossing violation was observed. These incidents were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), 1/ south of the village of Labouna, reported mortar fire on 22 September (three rounds) by unidentified forces.  The rounds impacted in Israel.

(b) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported artillery fire on 20 (five rounds) and 22 (three reports, totalling 25 rounds) September, all by Israel forces. Additionally, the OP reported mortar fire (two reports, totalling 32 rounds) from unidentified forces on 22 September. The mortar rounds impacted in Israel.

(c) OP Ras (AMR. 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported artillery fire on 21 September (27 rounds) and mortar fire on 20 (four rounds) and 21 September (7 rounds), all by Israel forces. Additionally, the OP reported artillery fire from unidentified forces on 21 September (two rounds).  These rounds impacted in Israel.

(d) OP Khiam (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, artillery fire on 20 (two reports, totalling 82 rounds), 21 (ten rounds) and 22 September (two reports, totalling 31 rounds), all by Israel forces. Additionally, the OP reported a crossing violation on 22 September by unidentified forces through an opening in the "good fence" into Israel at AMR 2102-2981. The crossing consisted of one armoured personnel carrier, at 0953 hours GMT.  The APC was last observed at AMR 2120-2966 at 0958 hours GMT.

C. OP Khiam also reported one high-altitude reconnaissance flight by two Israeli forces Phantoms on 20 September.

D. UNTSO has been trying to arrange for a cease-fire between de facto forces in the area of El Khiam in order to relieve and resupply OP Khiam, but so far its efforts have not been successful.  The two United Nations observers on duty at the OP are safe and their food and water supply is still adequate for a few more days."

2.  As indicated in previous reports, UNTSO observers are stationed in the Israel-Lebanon sector on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line, in accordance with the consensus approved by the members of the Security Council on 19 April 1972, to observe the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon called for by the Security Council.  The present report of the Chief of Staff of UNTSO concerns developments observed and reported by UNTSO observers in this context.  It should also be pointed out that the United Nations Observation Posts are spread far apart and that there are blind spots along the armistice demarcation line and the line between Lebanese territory and Israel-occupied Syrian territory which cannot be observed from the OPs, even during daylight hours. Furthermore, the movement of UNTSO observers has been severely restricted for some time now because of hijackings of their vehicles and shooting at them by irregulars and mined roads in the area of fighting between de facto forces.  In this connexion the Secretary-General wishes to pay special tribute to the UNTSO observers and the United Nat.ions Field Service officers assigned to the Israel-Lebanon sector who have continued to perform the tasks entrusted to them by the Security Council in very difficult and dangerous circumstances.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.