Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 28 January 2004 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 transmit herewith a summary of recent Israeli violations and acts of aggression against Lebanon.

    19 January 2004

  Between 1057 and 1125 hours, 10 Israeli warplanes flew over the sea in a northerly direction, and over Bint Jubayl, Kafr Killa, Jubayl, Baalbeck and Hermel, breaking the sound barrier and violating Lebanese airspace. 

  Between 1100 and 1200 hours, the Israeli airforce flew over the occupied Shab’a farmlands at medium altitude. It also overflew, at various altitudes, areas in the north, Mount Lebanon, the Bekaa and the south. 

  At 1425 hours, the Israeli airforce overflew the Bint Jubayl area, breaking the sound barrier. It then returned and at 1850 hours flew over the same location, violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1127 and 1215 hours, four Israeli warplanes flew over the area of Kafr Killa heading northwards and the Bayt al-Din area, circled between the south and Bayt al-Din and then returned northwards off the city of Tyre, violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1535 and 1710 hours, two Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the sea west of Damur, heading east at a distance of 12 miles from the coast and approached the Bekaa, Jibb Janin and Anjar up to a distance of two miles from the Lebanese-Syrian border. They then flew over the area of Shtura heading south and circled between the town of Zahlah and the village of Jibb Janin, violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1845 and 0105 hours, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the sea off Jubayl at a distance of 11 miles from the coast, heading eastwards at an altitude of 27,000 feet, and circled over the sea between Jounieh and Shikka at a distance of between 5 and 10 miles from the coast, violating Lebanese airspace.

   20 January 2004

  At 1044 hours, enemy forces directed several bursts of light-machine-gun fire at the surrounding areas from their base at Zibdin in the occupied Shab’a farmlands.

  At 1730 hours, outlying areas of the village of Zibqin in the district of Tyre were subjected to an attack by the Israeli air force, which did not result in any casualties.

  Between 1743 and 1820 hours, four Israeli warplanes flew northwards over the Shab’a area, then proceeded west to a distance of 10 miles from the coast, circled between the land and the sea over the cities of Sidon and Tyre as far as Shab’a, and attacked outlying areas of the villages of Zibqin, Alman, Shumriyyah, Qusayr and Jibal al-Butm, firing three ground-to-air missiles and violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1755 and 1845 hours, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew northwards over the area of Alma al-Sha’b circling over areas of the south and violating Lebanese airspace.

  At 1805 hours, the Israeli air force attacked locations in the villages of Yatar, Zibqin and Mahallah Marimin, which is a military zone belonging to the Islamic resistance.

  Between 1830 and 1910 hours, two Israeli enemy helicopters flew over the occupied Shab’a farmlands.

  At 1845 hours, the enemy forces directed several bursts from medium-range weapons at the surrounding area from their position at Ruwaysat al-Alam in the occupied Shab’a farmlands.

  At 1920 hours, the Israeli enemy forces directed several bursts from medium-range weapons at the surrounding area from their position at Summaqah.

  Between 2140 and 2155 hours, enemy forces fired five 120-mm calibre mortar shells from their position at Zibdin in the occupied Shab’a farmlands which fell in the farmlands in the vicinity of the Birkat al-Naqqar. 

  At 1950 hours, explosions were heard in the occupied Shab’a farmlands, the cause and nature of which are unknown.

   21 January 2004 

  Between 0035 and 0415 hours, an Israeli reconnaissance plane flew over the sea off the city of Sidon at a distance of 10 miles from the coast, headed towards the Bekaa passing over Dahr al-Baydar circled at an altitude of 10,000 feet above the areas of Qara’oun and Anjar as far as Riyaq, violating Lebanese airspace.

  At 0750 hours, the Israeli enemy forces fired two 120-mm calibre mortar shells from their position at Zibdin in the occupied Shab’a farmlands which fell in the farmlands in the vicinity of Birkat al-Naqqar.

   25 January 2004 

  At 1450 hours, an Israeli warplane flew over the area of Alma al-Sha’b at medium altitude.

  At 1535 hours, an enemy aircraft flew over the area of Bint Jubayl at high altitude.

  This grave violation is part of a series of provocative and deliberate violations of the integrity of Lebanon’s airspace, territorial waters and territory, in contravention of the principles of international law, the resolutions of the United Nations and the repeated calls by the Secretary-General for the cessation of such violations.

  In the light of these violations and the increasingly threatening tone being used by Israel against Lebanon and against the integrity of its territory and people, Lebanon calls on the Security Council to restrain Israel and to prevent it from carrying out these violations and threats, which threaten international peace and security. Israel bears full responsibility for whatever consequences may ensue.

  In calling your attention to the gravity and possible consequences of these violations, I request that this letter of complaint be circulated as a document of the General Assembly under agenda item 37, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Sami Kronfol

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

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