Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 29 April 1987 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government, I have the honour to to draw your attention, and the attention of members of the Security Council, to the current explosive situation in the region of southern Lebanon resulting from Israel's escalation of its acts of aggression during the past weeks. These have included both direct acts by its military forces and indirect aggression through the so-called "South Lebanon Army". Available information on this dangerous escalation and its objective indicates that Israel is likely, at any time, to launch a major military attack north of the so-called "security zone" still occupied by Israel inside Lebanese territory, thereby violating Security Council resolutions, Articles of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of international law.

I enclose a list of the latest Israeli acts of aggression during the period from 7 to 24 April 1987. I would be grateful if you would have this letter and the enclosed list circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under item 39 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Rachid FAKHOURY

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

______________

*A/42/50.

ANNEX

List of Israeli practices and acts of aggression during the period from 7 to 24 April 1987

1. On 7 and 8 April 1981, the Israeli Air Force flew low over the city of Sidon and its outskirts, spreading fear and terror among the civilian population.

Four previous Israeli air raids against southern Lebanon had taken place since the beginning of 1987, on 9 and 12 January and 20 and 23 March, killing 10 civilians and wounding 17 others.

2. On 13 April, Israeli warships intercepted a commercial cargo vessel sailing under the Panamanian flag off the port of Sidon and carries out an inspection of the vessel. They then prevented it from entering the port and warned it against making a further attempt to return there.

3. Also on 13 April, the Israeli Army began to lay a 22-kilometre road inside Lebanese territory along the edge of the eastern sector of the so-called "security zone", with a view to isolating the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages from their agricultural land adjacent to the zone.

4. On 14 and 15 April, Israeli warships intercepted four commercial vessels bound for the port of Sidon. After inspection of the vessels and close questioning of their crews, particularly Arab crew members, they were prevented from proceeding to the port. The naval blockade of the Sidon harbour has, thus, now entered its second week, causing basic foodstuffs to disappear from the markets.

Also on 15 April, three Israeli Air Force formations flew together over the capital (Beirut), the city of Sidon and its outskirts, the mountains and the Bekaa Valley, breaking the sound barrier over Beirut.

5. On 16 April, Israeli war-planes carried out mock raids over the city of Sidon and neighbouring areas, dropping flares. These raids coincided with manoeuvres by Israeli warships along the southern coast, during which their heavy automatic weapons directed bursts of fire at the coastal city of Tyre, as a result of which a Lebanese citizen suffered injuries which necessitated his hospitalization.

6. On 18 April, Israeli military helicopters bombarded the Rashidieh camp on the outskirts of the city of Tyre, aiming at a one-storey building.

7. On 19 April, the Israeli forces bombarded the town of Zillaya in the western Bekaa with heavy artillery and automatic weapons and also bombarded 14 villages in the south, injuring a number of people and causing serious material damage.

8. On the afternoon of 21 April, Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over the capital (Beirut), in the mountain region and south over the capital. Two helicopters also flew a reconnaisance mission lasting one half hour over the region in the south adjacent to the so-called "security zone".

Four civilians were killed or injured as a result of bombardment of the two villages of Yatar and Kafra by the so-called "South Lebanon Army". The person who died was an old man and the injured consisted of another old man, two women and a four-month-old child. The number of civilians killed as a result of Israeli bombardment of the two villages thus rose to 71.

9. On 22 April, the so-called "South Lebanon Army" shelled the two villages of Jarjouh and Arab Salim in the central sector, destroying 12 houses.

The Israeli Air Force flew over the city of Sidon while an Israeli vessel continued to prevent ships from entering the city's port.

10. On 23 April, the Israeli Air Force flew over the south, particularly over the cities or Sidon and Tyre and their outskirts. It carried out three mock raids between 10 a.m. and 10.45 a.m. (Lebanese time).  Four military helicopters then bombarded the outskirts of Sidon, aiming at two inhabited buildings. The same aircraft had carried out a similar raid on the night of 22/23 April. The number of air raids since the beginning of 1987 thus rose to 11, while the number of civilian victims rose to 15 dead and 36 wounded.

11. On 23 April, Israeli aircraft dropped pamphlets with a message of warning from General Yossi Peled, Commanding Officer of the Northern Front, addressed to residents of Nabatiye and Tyre. Meanwhile, Israeli naval units continued their blockade of the Sidon harbour and the Israeli Air Force made further sorties over southern Lebanon.

On the night of 23 April, the Israeli Air Force carried out criminal raids against the outskirts of the city of Sidon, the Ein el-Hi lweh and Mieh Mieh camps, Jebel el-Halib and Darb es Sim. More than 30 bombs and rockets were fired during the raids, resulting in injuries to a number of civilians and serious material damage to property.

12. On 24 April, the Israel Army and the so-called "South Lebanon Army" bombarded the outskirts of the village of Yatar, Kafra and Sribbine, where 24 mortar shells were registered as having fallen. Three artillery projectiles from tanks were also recorded as having fallen near the village of Braachit. Projectiles from heavy automatic weapons struck the positions of the Nepalese unit in the village of Yatar.

The Israeli Navy also maintained its blockade of the Tyre and Sidon harbours, while artillery bombardment of villages in the south continued for a full 24 hours.

13. Military and civilian officials persisted in their warnings and threats, particularly former Defence Minister Ariel Sharon and General Rafael Eitan, who referred on 24 April to the need to expand the area of the "security zone" in order to guarantee the security of Israel's northern border.

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