Mideast situation – UNTSO – Report on the status of the cease-fire

Further report on the status of the cease-fire in the Middle

The Acting Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during August 1975.

1. Activity in the Israel-Lebanon sector was relatively high throughout the period, but primarily localized in the western part of the sector except on 16, 17 and 31 August when activity increased in the eastern part.

2. Israel forces personnel continued to occupy daily, during daylight hours, five positions on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) near border pillars 11 (AMR 1799-2788), 1/ l4 (AMR 1838-2734 (except on 1, 2, 4-6, 3-10, 11-13, 15, 16, 21, 25, 28 and 29 August), 18 (AMR 1880-2740), 19 (AMR 1907-and 33 (AMR 2004-2904).

3. There were 111 cases of firing across the ADL or across the line between Lebanon and Israel-occupied Syrian territory, seven of which involved exchanges of fire. There were also six crossing violations. The incidents were reported as follows:

(a) OP LAB (AMR l643-2772), south of the village of Labouna, reported mortar

fire on 2, 5, 6, 12, 20, 21, 26 and 28 August, artillery fire on 5 and 16 August, automatic-weapons fire on 11 August and machine-gun fire on 21 and 28 August, all by Israel forces.

(b) OP HIN (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported mortar fire on 3, 17-19, 21 and 30 August, artillery fire on 4, 10, 12, 15-0.8, 21, 22, 26-28 and 31 August, automatic-weapons fire on 4, 11-13, 15 and 16 August, machine-gun fire on 18-20 August and flares on 18 August, all by Israel forces and machine-gun fire by Lebanon forces on 15 August. It also reported the following exchanges of fire: on 5 August, automatic-weapons fire by unidentified forces north-west of the OP and by Israel forces, initiated by unidentified forces; on 6 August, mortar and machine-gun fire by Israel forces and machine-gun fire by unidentified forces north-east of the OP; on 15 August, rocket fire by unidentified forces east of the OP and mortar, machine-gun and artillery fire by Israel forces, initiated by unidentified forces; and oh the night of 29/30 August, machine-gun, recoilless-rifle and small-arms fire and flares by Israel forces and automatic-weapons fire by unidentified forces north and east of the OP. United Nations military observers were unable to determine which force initiated the fire on 6 and on 29/30 August. Fire by Israel forces passed within 25 metres of the OP on 6 August and within 10 metres of the OP on 16 August. Fire by Israel forces and by unidentified forces passed within 50 metres of the OP on 30 August. There were no injuries to United Nations personnel or damage to the OP. In addition, the OP reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 30 August (maximum penetration 10 metres).

(c) OP HAS (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported artillery fire on 7, l6, 21, 23 and 31 August, mortar fire and flares on 18, 21 and 31 August and machine-gun fire on 18, 20, 21, 22 and 31 August, all by Israel forces.  It also reported the following exchanges of fire:  on 16 August, small-arms fire by unidentified forces south of the OP and automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces, initiated by unidentified forces: on l8 August, machine-gun fire by Israel forces and small-arms fire by Lebanon forces (United Nations military observers were unable to determine which side initiated fire); and on 21 August mortar fire by Lebanon forces and machine-gun fire by Israel forces, initiated by Lebanon forces.

(d) OP MAR (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported mortar fire by unidentified forces west of the OP on 5 August. It also reported artillery fire on 8, l6, 17 3 21 and 31 August and mortar fire on 16, 17, 29, 30 and 31 August, all by Israel forces.

(e) OP KHIAM (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, reported artillery fire on l6 and 31 August and mortar fire on 16 and 18 August, all by Israel forces, and artillery fire by Lebanon forces on 31 August.

(f) An UNTSO mobile patrol, while located in the vicinity of Chebaa (AMR 2200-3055), reported crossing violations by Israel forces on l6, 20, 27, 28 and 30 August (maximum penetration 900 metres in each instance).

4.  There were 37 overflights reported during the period.  Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 1, 2, 5-7 3 9, 12, l4-l8, 20-22, 24, 27, 28 and 30 August (one each day), and on 3, 8 and 19 August (two each day) and on 26 August (three overflights). Overflights by unidentified jet aircraft were reported on 4, 6 and 9 August (one each day) and on 29 August (three overflights); United Nations military observers were unable to identify the aircraft owing to darkness (4 and 29 August), high altitude (6 and 29 August) or cloudy conditions (9 August). Overflights by Israel forces light aircraft were reported on 4 and 30 August and an overflight by an Israel forces helicopter was reported on l6 August.

5.  The Lebanese authorities submitted 95 complaints during the period under review as follows:

(a) 43 complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces fire had fallen on Lebanese territory on 31 July, 1-4, 6, 9-12, l4, 15, 17-20, 23 and 25-28 August (one complaint each day), on 5, 6, 8, 13, 17, 21, 22, 24 and 30 August (two complaints each day) and on l6 August (four complaints).  25 of these complaints were confirmed by United Nations observation, except for damage.

(b) 25 complaints concerning Israel forces jet aircraft overflights on 6, 8, 9, 12, l4-17, 19-22, 24, 25 and 28-31 August (one complaint each day) and on 5, 26 and 27 August (two complaints each day).  20 of these complaints were confirmed.

(c) 6 complaints concerned Israel forces light aircraft or helicopter overflights on 3, 7, 21, 27, 30 and 31 August. None of these complaints was confirmed.

(d) 12 complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces naval vessels penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 6-8, 12-15, 17, l8, 21, 26 and 29 August.  None of these complaints was confirmed.

(e) Two complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces jet aircraft attacked with bombs and rockets, on 5 and 28 August, the village of El Bourghliye (AMR 1728-3018) and, on 5 August, El Gasmiye (AMR 1738-3038), causing material damage. The complaints were not confirmed (the area of the alleged incidents outside the range of the United Nations observation).

(f) In addition, seven complaints were submitted with requests that inquiries into them be conducted by United Nations military observers (see para. 6 below).

6.  Three of the inquiries have been dealt with in special reports (see S/11663/Add.11, 12 and 13). The other complaints and the relevant inquiries are outlined below:

(a) A complaint alleged that on 31 July, between 2200 and 2400 hours GMT, an Israel force penetrated Lebanese territory in the village of Quaozah (AMR 1820-2807) and exploded a house with dynamite, causing material damage. The inquiry took place on 1 August. The complaint is confirmed in so far as the exploding of one house, causing material damage, is concerned.

(b) A complaint alleged that on 6 August between 2030 and 2210 hours GMT, an Israel force penetrated Lebanese territory in the village of Hanine (AMR 1860-2792), exploded a house with dynamite, causing material damage, and abducted one Lebanese civilian. The inquiry took place on 7 August. Witnesses in the village stated that Israel forces entered the village at approximately 2100 hours GMT on 6 August, exploded a house and abducted one of the villagers. Military observers saw, in the village, one house recently destroyed by dynamite, one car destroyed by the blast and power lines damaged in the vicinity.  The complaint is confirmed in so far as the exploding of one house, causing material damage, is concerned.

(c) A complaint alleged that on 6 August between 2030 and 2300 hours GMT an Israel force penetrated Lebanese territory in the village of Talloussa (AMR 1955-2934), searched houses and fired automatic weapons at the houses. The inquiry took place on 8 August. The complaint is confirmed in so far as recent damage to five houses by automatic-weapons fire is concerned.

(d) A complaint alleged that on l8 August between 1200 and 1425 hours GMT, intermittent artillery fire from Israel territory fell in the vicinity of Ramiye (AMR 1795-2795) and other locations, wounding a woman in Ramiye and causing damage to material and cultivation. The inquiry took place on 19 August. Witness in the village stated that a woman had been wounded by artillery shrapnel in Ramiye and evacuated to a hospital. The military observers saw in the vicinity of Ramiye, four craters caused by shell-explosions and various damages to cultivation. The complaint is confirmed in so far as damage to cultivation is concerned.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.