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

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

Israel-Lebanon sector

The Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector during March 1976.

1. Activity remained at a low level during the month.

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 13 March), l4 (AMR 1838-2734) (except on  5-7, 9, 13, l4, 16-19, 21 and 30 March), 18 (AMR 1880-2740) (except on 13, l4, 16, 21, 22 and 30 March), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) (except on 13, 16, 21 and 22 March) and  33 (AMR 200l-2904).

3. There were 24 cases of firing across the ADL and three crossing violations.

The incidents were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), south of the village of Labouna, reported small-arms fire on 5 March and automatic-weapons fire on 7, 12 and 21 March, all by Israel forces. It also reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 30 March (maximum penetration 150 metres).

(b) OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790), east of the village of Marouahine, reported mortar fire on 1 March, automatic-weapons fire on 2, 3, 7, 10, 12, l4, 17, 19, 26, 28 and 31 March and artillery fire on 4 March, all by Israel forces.

(c) OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces on 18 March.

(d) OP Mar (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported rocket fire by unidentified forces west of the OP on 3 March and small-arms fire by Israel forces on 31 March. It also reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 4 March (maximum penetration 300 metres).

(e) OP Khiam (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, reported mortar fire by Israel forces on 2 March.

(f) An UNTSO mobile patrol, while located at AMR 1811-2787, reported mortar fire by Israel forces on 25 March and, while located at AMR 2117-2987, reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 7 March (maximum penetration 50 metres).

4. There were 21 overflights reported during the period. Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 1, 4 and 15 March (one each day), on 3, 5, 27 and 28 March (two each day) and on 11, 25 and 26 March (three each day). One overflight by an unidentified jet aircraft was reported on 2 March; United Nations military observers were unable to identify the aircraft owing to high altitude.

5. The Lebanese authorities submitted 18 complaints during the period under review as follows:

(a) Five complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces fire had fallen on Lebanese territory on 29 February, 2, 3, 7 and 10 March. Two of these complaints were confirmed by United Nations observation, except for damage.

(b) Seven complaints concerned Israel forces jet aircraft overflights on 1, 2 and 4 March (one complaint each day) and on 3 and 11 March (two complaints each day). Five of these complaints were confirmed.

(c) One complaint concerned an Israel forces light aircraft overflight on 9 March. The complaint was not confirmed.

(d) Three complaints were submitted alleging that Israel forces penetrated Lebanese territory in the vicinity of Yarine (AMR 1723-2789) and Dheira (AMR 1708-2789) on 6 March, in the vicinity of border pillar 22 (AMR 1935-2774 on 8 March and in the vicinity of Aita Ech Chaab (AMR 1815-2780) on 9 March. The complaints were not confirmed.

(e) One complaint was submitted alleging that Israel forces flares had fallen on Lebanese territory on 4 March. The complaint was not confirmed.

(f) In addition, one complaint was submitted with a request that an inquiry into it be conducted by United Nations military observers. The inquiry has been dealt with in a special report (see S/ll663/Add.24).

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.