Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 16 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 transmit herewith a summary of Israeli violations and acts of aggression against Lebanon.

  These grave violations are part of a series of persistent and provocative Israeli violations of Lebanese territory, including by air, sea and land, and go against 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 and prevent Israel from committing such dangerous acts, which pose a threat to international security and peace. Lebanon places upon Israel full responsibility for any consequences to which those 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 and its annex 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 16 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 22 July to 10 August 2004

    22 July 2004

  At 0215 and 0930 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    23 July 2004

  At 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.

    24 July 2004

  At 1035 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Tallet El Radar inside Chebaa farms fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire at the areas surrounding their position

  At 0430 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial water facing Ra’s Naqoura fired a flare shell and at 1325 hours fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    25 July 2004

  At 2204 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired two flare shells on the open sea.

    26 July 2004

  At 2024 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired two flare shells on the open sea.

    27 July 2004

  At 1835 hours and between 2340 and 2345 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Tallet El Radar inside Chebaa farms fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire at the areas surrounding their position.

  At 2129 hours, an Israeli gunboat in Lebanese territorial waters facing Ra’s Naqoura fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire on the open sea.

    29 July 2004

  At 1800 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Tallet El Radar inside Chebaa farms fired several bursts of medium machine-gun fire at the areas surrounding their position.

    5 August 2004

  Between 1315 and 1400 hours and between 2110 and 2140 hours, Israeli warplanes violated the Lebanese airspace at different altitudes over Chebaa farms.

    8 August 2004

  Between 0840 and 1255 hours, an Israeli drone plane violated Lebanese airspace at a medium altitude and entered from above the sea facing Tyre, headed east and flew in a circular motion over Marakeh.

  Between 2120 and 2135 hours, Israeli occupation forces positioned in Chebaa farms fired three flare shells over the liberated Lebanese territory facing the farms.

    9 August 2004

  Between 1505 and 1715 hours, an Israeli drone plane violated Lebanese airspace at a medium altitude and entered from above the sea facing Sarafand, headed east and flew in a circular motion over Nabatie and Adloun.

    10 August 2004

  Between 1300 and 1330 hours, two Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace at different altitudes and entered from above Marjayoun headed north and flew in a circular motion over Marjayoun-Hamana, Chekaa and Tyre and then flew over Marjayoun-Jezzine-Saida, Naqoura and Bentjbeil.

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