Mideast situation/Lebanon/Airspace violations – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 18 December 2001 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

  I have the honour to inform you that since yesterday, Israeli military aircraft, included 35 warplanes and 5 helicopters, have been engaging in intensive violations of Lebanese airspace, breaking the sound barrier over Lebanese cities and villages.

  At present the Israeli military aircraft are still continuing their provocative acts, which reached a dangerous level yesterday when, starting at 17.20 hours, 14 military aircraft at once overflew Lebanese cities and regions at low altitudes, causing anxiety and terror among Lebanese civilians, especially children, and terrifying large numbers of tourists who had come to spend the holiday period in Lebanon, owing to the repeated breaking of the sound barrier by those aircraft during the night-time hours.

  The Israeli violations mentioned above are unjustified acts of provocation, especially since they come at a time when complete tranquillity reigns over South Lebanon. They once again belie Israel’s assertions that it is calling for pacification and confirm its efforts to escalate tension through its provocation and its aggression against Lebanon, which are in flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 425 (1978) and of Lebanon’s sovereignty and pose a threat to security and stability in the region.

  Lebanon, in drawing your attention to the seriousness of the Israeli violations, requests you to exert the necessary efforts to stop Israeli aggression and provocation.

  I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 42, and of the Security Council.

( Signed) Sélim Tadmouri
Ambassador
Permanent Representative