Mideast situation/Status of cease-fire – UNTSO supplemental information – SecGen report

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

The Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during the period 3 to 9 February 1975:

1. Activity in the sector during the period under review remained at a very low level;

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/ (except on 9 February), lit (AMR 1838-2734 (except on 3 and 9 February), 18 (AMR 1880-2740) (except on 3 and 9 February),

19 (AMR 1907-2749) (except on 3 and 9 February) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904.

3. There were five cases of firing across the ADL.  These were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), south of the village of Labouna, reported machine-gun fire by Israel forces on 7 February.

(b) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported machine-gun fire and flares on 5 February and mortar fire on 6 February, all by Israel forces.

(c) OP Khiam (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, reported artillery fire by Israel forces on 6 February.

4.  There were four overflights reported during the period.  Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 4 and 5 February (two each day).

5.  The Lebanese authorities submitted 21 complaints during the period under review as follows:

(a)  Seven complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces fire had fallen on Lebanese territory.  Three of these complaints were confirmed by United Nations observation, except for damage.

(b) Four complaints concerned Israel forces Jet aircraft overflights, two of these complaints were confirmed.

(c) One complaint concerned an Israel forces helicopter overflight. The complaint was not confirmed.

(d) One complaint was submitted alleging that an Israel forces naval vessel had penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 8 February. The complaint was not confirmed.

(e) Seven complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces patrols had daily penetrated Lebanese territory in the region of Chebaa (AMR 2200-3055). Two of these complaints were confirmed by UNTSO mobile patrols. The remaining complaints were not confirmed the location of the alleged incidents was outside United Nations observation range.

(f) In addition one complaint was submitted with a request that an inquiry into it be conducted by United nations military observers (see para. 6 below).

6.  The complaint referred to in paragraph 5 (f) alleged that on 5 February between 0030 and 0210 hours GMT Israel forces artillery and automatic-weapons fire and flares had fallen in several areas in Lebanese territory, including Aita Ech Chaab (AMR 1815-2780), where blast effects damaged two houses. The inquiry requested by the Lebanese authorities was authorized by the Chief of Staff of UNTSO. The inquiry took place on 6 February. The complaint is confirmed.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.