Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

 Letter dated 4 August 2004 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

  On instructions from my Government, I have the honour to provide you with a summary of Israeli violations and acts of aggression from 10 to 19 July and on 21, 26, 28, 30 and 31 July, and on 1 and 2 August 2004.

  These grave violations are part of a series of persistent and provocative Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace and territory and are contrary to the principles of international law, the resolutions of international legitimacy and your repeated calls for their cessation.

  In view of these violations and the stepping up of Israeli threats to Lebanon and the safety of its territory and its citizens, Lebanon calls upon the United Nations to deter Israel and warn it against such dangerous acts, which pose a threat to international security and peace. Lebanon holds Israel fully responsible for any consequences to which such acts may give rise.

  In drawing your attention to the gravity and possible consequences of such acts, I request to have this letter of complaint circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 37, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Ibrahim Assaf 

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

Annex to the letter dated 4 August 2004 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Israeli violations of Security Council resolution 425 (1978) during the period from 10 July to 2 August 2004

[Original: English]

   10 July 2004 

  Between 2225 and 2230 hours, Israeli occupation forces fired two flare shells over Lebanese territory from one of their positions facing the Alwazani area.

    11 July 2004

  At 1540 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea, and between 2030 and 2330 hours fired many flare shells and several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    12 July 2004

  Between 0043 and 0420 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Damour, and flew in a circular motion over Beirut-Saida.

  Between 0645 and 0840 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, headed north to Naameh, then returned south.

  Between 1110 and 1120 hours, an Israeli warplane violated Lebanese airspace at high altitude over the Shab’a farms.

  Between 2100 and 2115 hours, two Israeli helicopters violated Lebanese airspace at a medium altitude over the Shab’a farms.

    13 July 2004

  Between 1045 and 1100 hours, four Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes, entering from over the sea facing Chekaa, headed to Tripoli and Al Arz then to Jbeil-Beirut.

  At 1345 hours, Israeli occupation forces raked by medium machine-gun fire the surroundings of their position in Rweiset Alalam inside the Shab’a farms.

  Between 0050 and 0530 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea, and between 1240 and 1445 hours fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    14 July 2004

  At 1835 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired a flare shell and several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    15 July 2004

  At 0014 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired a flare shell, and between 1135 and 2320 hours fired a flare shell and several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

  At 1850 hours, Israeli occupation forces raked by medium machine-gun fire the surroundings of their position in Radar inside the Shab’a farms.

  Between 2120 hours and midnight, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Damour, and flew in a circular motion over Saida-Damour and Beirut.

    16 July 2004

  Between 1155 and 1230 hours and between 1945 and 2220 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    17 July 2004

  Between 0230 and 0400 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired two flare shells on the open sea.

  At 0840 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Rweiset-Alalam inside the Shab’a farms raked by fire the surroundings of this position and, at 2249 hours, Israeli forces fired one flare shell over the Fatima gate.

  Between 2140 and 2250 hours, two Israeli helicopters violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude over the Shab’a farms.

    18 July 2004

  At 1424 hours, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in Ramta inside the Shab’a farms, fired several bursts of medium and light machine-gun fire towards Halta farm in the liberated area and damaged three houses and one agricultural machine.

  At 2244 hours, and on 19 July at 2109 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired one flare shell on the open sea.

    19 July 2004

  Between 0140 and 0735 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, headed to Khalde and flew in a circular motion over Beirut Damour.

  Between 0650 and 0835 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Damour, headed to Khalde and flew in a circular motion over Beirut Damour.

  At 1435 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Rweiset-Alalam inside the Shab’a farms raked by fire the surroundings of this position.

  Between 2130 and 2400 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Khalde, and flew in a circular motion over Khalde-Saida.

    21 July 2004

  Between 1020 and 1230 hours, Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes over the Shab’a farms — Hasbaya Bent Jbeil-Naqoura and Jezzine.

  Between 1102 and 1124 hours, two Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes over El-Khiam, headed north and flew in a circular motion over Chekaa and Jounieh.

  Between 1110 and 1225 hours, two Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes over Kfarchouba, and flew in a circular motion over Iqlim El-Kharoub and south Lebanon.

  Between 1143 and 1148 hours, two Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes over Saida.

  Between 1230 and 1500 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, and flew in a circular motion over Hasbaya and the Shab’a farms.

  Between 1230 and 1500 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude over Bent Jbeil, and flew in a circular motion over south Lebanon.

    26 July 2004

  Between 0855 and 1250 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Sarafand, and flew in a circular motion over Bekaa and Elchouf.

  At 1014 hours, Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at high altitude over Dahr-Elbaidar.

  Between 2048 and 2305 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace, entering from over the sea facing Damour, headed east and flew in a circular motion over Damour and then left towards the sea from above Saida.

  Between 2302 and 2332 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace, entering from over the sea facing Damour, headed east and flew in a circular motion over Saida-Damour.

    28 July 2004

  Between 1130 and 1200 hours, four Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes as follows:

 •   Two warplanes entered from over the sea facing Tripoli and flew in a circular motion over Baalbeck.

 •   Two warplanes entered from over the sea facing Jbeil and flew in a circular motion over Jbeil and Chekaa.

  Between 2300 and 0400 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, and flew in a circular motion over Hamana-Chtoura.

    30 July 2004

  Between 0155 and 0235, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, and headed to Beirut.

  Between 2050 and 2150 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Damour, and flew in a circular motion over Damour-Saida.

  Between 2333 and 0025 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Beirut, and headed east.

    31 July 2004

  Between 0655 and 0805, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Sarafand, headed to Beirut and flew over Beirut-Khalde and Sarafand.

  Between 1244 and 1348 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Sarafand, headed to Beirut and flew over Beirut-Naameh and Naqoura.

  Between 1902 and 1958 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Tyre, headed to Beirut and flew over Beirut-Khalde and Naqoura.

  Between 2135 and 2354 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Damour, headed east and flew over Damour and Naameh.

    1 August 2004

  On 31 July 2004 between 2333 and 1130 (the next day), an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, headed to Beirut and then turned back to Damour and left from above Naqoura over the sea.

  Between 1050 and 1415 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude, entering from over the sea facing Saida, headed to Beirut and flew in a circular motion over Beirut and Damour and left from above Naqoura over the sea.

  Between 2220 and 0030 hours, an Israeli drone aircraft violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude over Beirut, headed east and flew in a circular motion over Beirut and Batroun and left from above Naqoura over the sea.

    2 August 2004

  Between 1935 and 2015 hours, two Israeli helicopters violated Lebanese airspace at medium altitude over the Shab’a farms.

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