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

Further report on the  status  of- the  cease-fire

in the Middle East

The Acting Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during December 1975.

1. Activity remained at a relatively low level during the month except for increased air activity, including an air attack (see S/ll663/Add.l9), during the first week.

2. Israel forces personnel continued to occupy daily, during daylight hours, five positions on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) near border pillars 11 1/ (AMR 1799-2788) (except on 9 and 27 December), 14 (AMR 1838-2740 (except on 7-9, 22, 25-28, 30 and 31 December), 18 (AMR 1880-2740) (except on 7, 9, 21, 22, 27 and 28 December), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) (except on 7, 9, 27 and 28 December) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904) (except on l6, 21, 27 and 28 December).

3. There were 42 cases of firing across the ADL or across the line between Lebanon and Israel-occupied Syrian territory, four of which involved exchanges of fire. There were also two crossing violations.  These incidents were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), south of the village of Labouna, reported automatic-weapons fire on 13, 15, 16, 19 and 20 December, artillery fire on l4 December and small-arms fire on 19 December, all by Israel forces.

(b) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported automatic-weapons fire on 10, 30 and 31 December, mortar fire on 14 and 15 December, and artillery fire on 29 and 30 December.  On 10 December automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces passed within 50 metres of the OP.  There were no injuries to United Rations personnel or damage to United Nations material.  OP Hin also reported an exchange of automatic-weapons fire on 29 December between unidentified forces east of the OP and Israel forces, initiated by the unidentified forces.

(c) OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported mortar fire by unidentified forces on 15 and 19 December and by Israel forces on 22 December.  It also reported exchanges of fire on 19 and 21 December involving mortar fire by unidentified forces and artillery fire by Israel forces initiated by the unidentified forces, and an exchange of fire on 26 December   ' involving automatic-weapons and small-arms fire by Lebanese forces and automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces, initiated by the Lebanese forces. Crossing violations by Israel forces were observed on 16 and 19 December (maximum penetration 100 metres in each instance).

(d) OP Mar (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported mortar fire on 15, 28, 29, 30 and 31 December and automatic-weapons fire on 29 December, all by Israel,forces.

(e) OP Khiam (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 2, 23 and 24 December and mortar fire by Lebanese forces on 2 December.

(f) Naqpura outstation (AMR 1629-2805), on the coast near the village of Naqpura, reported mortar fire on 2 December and artillery fire on 13, l4 and 15 December, all by Israel forces.

(g) An UNTSO mobile patrol, while located at AMR 1991-2880, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 11 December.

4.  An air attack by Israel forces was reported on 2 December (see S/ll663/Add.l9).  In addition, there were 26 overflights reported during the period. Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 1 and 12 December (one each day), on 3, 14, 18, 23 and 24 December (two each day), on 11 December (three overflights), on 2 December (four overflights) and on 5 December (six overflights). One overflight by an Israel forces light aircraft was reported on 2 December.

5.  The Lebanese authorities submitted 60 complaints during the period under review, as follows:

(a) Thirty-five complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces fire had fallen on Lebanese territory on 30 November, 2, 4-ll, 13, 15, 16, 19-21, 23-25 and 31 December (one complaint each day), on 1, 3, 12, 14, 22 and 28 December (two complaints each day) and on 18 December (three complaints).  Six of these complaints were confirmed by United Nations observation, except for damage.

(b) Eleven complaints concerned Israel forces jet aircraft overflights on 1, 2, 5, 10-12, 18, 23 and 24 December (one complaint each day) and on 3 December (two complaints). Ten of these complaints were confirmed.

(c) One complaint was submitted alleging that on 2 December Israel forces jet aircraft attacked targets within Lebanese territory in the vicinity of Nabatiye (AMR 1958-3090) and Tripoli, causing casualties and material damage. The complaint was confirmed in respect of the attack in the vicinity of Nabatiye, except for casualties and damage (see S/ll663/Add.l9).

(d) Three complaints concerned Israel forces helicopter overflights on 7, 24 and 25 December.  The complaints were not confirmed.

(e) Two complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces naval vessels penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 19 and 24 December. The complaints were not confirmed.

(f) Five complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces penetrated Lebanese territory with a bulldozer and mechanized escort in the vicinity of border pillar 19 on 15, 16, 19, 21 and 22 December.  Two of these complaints were confirmed.

(g) Three complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces patrols penetrated Lebanese territory in the vicinity of Aadeisse (AMR 2011-2955) on 17 December (one complaint) and on 29 December (two complaints); it was also alleged that during one of the penetrations on 29 December three Lebanese citizens were abducted.  The complaints were not confirmed.

(h) In addition, one complaint was submitted with a request that an inquiry into it be conducted by United Nations military observers (see para. 6 below).

6.  The complaint referred to in the preceding paragraph alleged that on 27 November between 0045 and 0100 hours GMT, Israel forces penetrated Lebanese territory in the vicinity of Kfar Kela (AMR 2020-2980), dynamited one house and fired automatic weapons, causing the death of one Lebanese, wounding another and causing other material damage. The inquiry, requested on 9 December, took place on 11 December. The complaint was confirmed in so far as severe damage to one house and other material damage were concerned.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference. 76-00235