Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Identical letters dated 25 November 2005 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

  On instructions from my Government, I wish to refer to the letter addressed to you by the Permanent Representative of Israel and issued on 22 November 2005 and to inform you of the following facts.

1.   The acts of violence that took place on the Lebanese-Israeli border on 21 and 22 November 2005 and their aftermath were the result of the continuing Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty on land, at sea and in the air, amounting in all to 83 violations during the month of October last. Such operations are a violation of Security Council resolution 425 (1978), particularly paragraph 2 thereof.

2.   In that context, I inform you that Israel, blatantly challenging Lebanese sovereignty and despite the pacification efforts, dropped leaflets over the suburbs of Beirut and cities in south Lebanon provoking Lebanese people against each other and stirring up sensitivities, thereby threatening their internal unity and the stability of Lebanon. Similarly, on 23 November 2005 an Israeli parachutist landed inside Lebanese territory on the pretext of engaging in an amateur pastime. Israel then crossed the Green Line on land and in the air, frightening the public and destroying facilities and homes, all of which was a deliberate violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.

3.   The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the role of which was criticized by the Permanent Representative of Israel in his letter referred to above, has gained and continues to enjoy the appreciation of the Government and people of Lebanon on account of its efforts and its sacrifices in south Lebanon and on the Green Line and because of the social and humanitarian services it renders to the people of the region. Your periodic reports to the Security Council have reflected the operational and humanitarian benefit of the mission of UNIFIL and your appreciation of the task it performs, thus confirming the continuing need for it in order to preserve international peace and security which are constantly being threatened by Israel.

  In conveying to you once again the appreciation of my Government for the tireless efforts you are making personally to safeguard stability and security in Lebanon and in the region, I should be grateful if you would have the text of this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly under agenda item 14, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Ibrahim Assaf 

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

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