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 February 1977. 1/

1. Air, ground and naval activity remained essentially at the same level as last month.

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 1799-2788), 14 (AMR 1838-2740, 18 (AMR 1880-27119), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904).

3. There were 11 cases of firing across the ADL and four crossing violations. These were reported as follows:

(a) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported automatic-weapons fire on 2, 10, l6, 19, 23, 24, 25 (two reports), 26 and 27 February, all by Israel forces.  Additionally, the OP reported crossing violations by Israel forces on 1 and 26 February (maximum penetrations 800 and 200 metres, respectively).

(b) OP Mar (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces on 17 February.

(c) Naqoura Outstation (AMR 1629-2805), on the coast near the village of Naqoura, reported that Israel forces naval vessels penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 18 February (maximum penetration 12,000 metres).

(d) An UNTSO mobile patrol, while located at AMR 1840-2745, reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 26 February (maximum penetration 100 metres)

4.  There were 11 overflights reported during the period. Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 3 and 24 February (one each day), on 11, 12 and 15 February (two each day) and on 14 February (three overflights).

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

2 AMR – approximate map reference.