Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 4 April 1985 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Further to my earlier letters concerning Israel's abusive practices in the south, the western Bekaa and the Rashaya district and Israel's continuing violations of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and on instructions from my Government, I have the honour to inform you of the following:

Yesterday, Israel transferred 1,131 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners from the Ansar detention camp in the Lebanese territory under Israeli occupation to some prisons inside Israel, thereby violating the provisions of articles 49, 76 and 71 of the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.

At the same time, Israel released 752 prisoners in an attempt to palliate the reaction of international public opinion, which was unanimous in censuring and condemning the transfer of prisoners to Israel.

Information from the International Committee of the Red Cross indicates that Israel intends to retransfer the prisoners from Israel to an as yet uncompleted detention camp in the village of Majidiyah situated within the Lebanese borders and inside the security zone which Israel intends to establish in Lebanese territory, in contravention of Security Council resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 508 (1982) and 509 (1982) and others.

The Lebanese Government, in vehemently condemning this Israeli action, which violates the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and international custom and instruments and which endangers the lives and future of hundreds of prisoners, draws attention to Israel's continued persistence in these violations, which it is incumbent on the international community to bring to an immediate halt.

I request you to have the text of this letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under item 38 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Rachid FAKHOURY

 Ambassador, Permanent Representative

________________

*A/40/50 and Corr.1.