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

The  Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during November 1977. 1/

1. Activity in the sector during the month was at a moderate level except on 8, 9 and 11 November.  On these dates, the magnitude of the violations of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) increased seriously.  These included exchanges of fire involving rockets, artillery and mortars, and aircraft attacks occurring in the western part of the sector.  The events from 5 to 13 November were the subject of two special reports (S/ll663/Add.47 and 48).  UNTSO operations in Lebanon continued to be hindered by incidents with de  facto forces involving vehicle hijackings, denial of freedom of movements  armed thefts, forced entry into OPs, mined roads and shooting at or into the immediate vicinity of OP relief/logistics operations.

2. Israel forces personnel continued to occupy six positions on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) near border pillars 6 (AMR 1680-2770), 2/ 11 (AMR 1709-2788), 14 (AMR 1838-2734), 18 (AMR 1880-2740), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904).

3. There were seven cases of firing across the ADL and one case of firing across or within Lebanese territorial waters.  Five of these cases involved an exchange of fire.  There were 25 crossing violations.  These incidents were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), south of the village of Labouna, reported mortar  fire by Israel forces on 6 November.  Additionally, the OP reported an exchange of rocket fire by de facto forces and artillery fire by Israel forces on 8 November.  The exchange was initiated by the de facto forces. The OP also reported crossing violations by Israel forces on 7 November and by Israel forces and civilians on 14, 15 and 25 November (maximum penetrations 50, 200, 100 and 200 metres respectively).  Observers were unable to determine the purpose of the crossings.

(b) OP Hin  (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 6 November.

(c) OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported an exchange of mortar fire "by de facto forces and artillery and mortar by Israel forces on 11 November.  The exchange was initiated by the de  facto forces.  Additionally, the OP reported crossing violations by Israel forces in the vicinity of border pillar 19  (AMR 1907-2749) for fortification work on 1 (one report) and 2 (two reports) November (maximum penetrations 100, 200 and 200 metres respectively).  The OP also reported crossing violations by Israel forces or by Israel forces and civilians in the vicinity of border pillar 23 (AMR 1955-2775) on 63 75 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 (two reports), l4, 15, 16, 17, 21, 28 and 30 November (maximum penetration 400 metres each day).  A bulldozer, two trucks, one jeep, one civilian car and one armoured personnel carrier were observed in connexion with the crossing violations near border pillar 23, but the observers were unable to determine the exact purpose of the crossings owing to the observation distances involved and hindrances mentioned in paragraph 1 above.

(d) OP Mar (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 8 November.

(e) Naqpura Outstation (AMR 1629-2805),  on the coast near the village of Iaqpura, reported an exchange  of automatic-weapons fire on 5 November between de facto forces and an Israel forces naval vessel which had penetrated Lebanese territorial waters and was located 500 metres west of the outstation. Additionally, the outstation reported that an Israel forces naval vessel penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 8 November (maximum penetration 4,000 metres) and that an unidentified merchant-type vessel penetrated Israel waters on l4 November. This vessel was met by an Israel naval vessel in Israel waters and was last seen heading southward, unescorted.

4. Two  air attacks by Israel  forces were reported on 9 November (see S/ll663/Add.47).  In addition, there were 24 overflights reported during the period.  Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were observed on 11, 14 and 21 November (one each day), on 6, 7, 8, 10, 19 and 23 November (two each day)  and on 1, 9 and 13 November (three each day).

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1/ UNTSO observers are stationed in the Israel-Lebanon sector on the  Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation lines 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 essentially developments observed and reported by UNTSO observers in this context.

2/ AMR – approximate map reference.