Mideast situation/Lebanon – Letter from Israel

Letter dated 2 January 1986 from the Acting Permanent Representative of Israel

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

With reference to the Syrian Permanent Representative's letter of 26 December 1985 (A/41/61-S/17694), I wish to stress two facts:

First, the complete Syrian domination of Lebanon, including actual occupation of wide areas there. This domination was recently reaffirmed by the negotiations held in Damascus with various Lebanese factions and militas.

Second, the Syrian domination of Lebanon is exploited to wage terrorist attacks from there against Israel, as set forth in our letter of 26 December 1985 to the Secretary-General (A/41/65-S/17698).

Furthermore, Syria, together with Libya, assists terrorist groups who commit criminal attacks on innooent people all over the world. The infamous Abu Nidal gang, who took the responsibility for the two murderous attacks at the international airports of Rome and Vienna, has bases in Syria and in the Beka'a Valley in Lebanon with full Syrian approval. Various official sources confirmed that the terrorists who committed the terrible murders at the airport of Rome, entered Italy via Syria.

Under those circumstances, Israel has no choice but to take all necessary measures in order to defend itself and its population against terrorism according to the right of self-defence enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

I have the honour to request that this letter be circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under the item entitled "The situation in the Middle East", and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Johanan BEIN

Ambassador

Acting Permanent Representative

of Israel to the United Nations

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