Mideast situation/Lebanon/deportation – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 18 August 1988 from the Permanent Representative of

Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government and further to my previous letters, I have the honour to draw your attention to Israel's continuing implementation of the policy of deporting Palestinians from their homeland and transporting them forcibly and illegally into Lebanon, across international frontiers and across the so-called "security zone" that Israel still maintains inside Lebanese territory.

Yesterday, on Wednesday, 17 August 1988, Israel proceeded to expel four Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, transporting them by military helicopter as far as the Lebanese international frontiers and thence by military vehicles again to the "Zimrayya Gate", which they have established on the border of the so-called "security zone" in the western Bekaa valley.  Here an Israeli army major notified them of the deportation order.  Then two civilian vehicles transported them to a Lebanese army barricade at Marj al-Zouhour.

The Lebanese Government, which has repeatedly and on many occasions condemned the deportation of Palestinians, inasmuch as this is contrary to human rights and Geneva Conventions, particularly the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, registers its vehement condemnation and protestation at Israel's exploitation of its presence and its agents' presence inside Lebanese territory for the purpose of bringing deported Palestinians illegally into Lebanese territory.

This recent Israeli measure constitutes a new and flagrant breach of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and a violation of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international conventions and the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, in particular resolution 607 (1988).

The Lebanese Government stresses that, so long as the international community and the Security Council fail to put a halt to these inhumane and illegal measures and actions, Israel, which has consistently flouted all values, concepts and laws and defied the resolutions of the Security Council will continue to implement its rash policy, which is adding to the deterioration and the explosiveness of the situation in the region, both within the occupied Palestinian Arab territories and in southern Lebanon.  Israel, by adopting the policy of disdain and defiance bears the full responsibility.

I request you to have this letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under item 40 of the provisional agenda, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Rachid FAKHOURY

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

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