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

REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE CEASE-FIRE IN THE

ISRAEL-LEBANON SECTOR

The Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following special report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector on 23 July 1975.

1. On 23 July OP Hin (AMR 1770-2790) 1/ reported artillery fire by Israel forces between 1407 and 1511 hours GMT, impacting east of the OP in the vicinity of Ain Ebel (AMR 1880-2793). OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785) reported artillery fire by Israel forces between 1421 and 1516 hours GMT, impacting west of the OP in the same vicinity.

2. A complaint was received from the Lebanese authorities alleging that on 23 July, between 1300 and 2030 hours GMT, intermittent artillery and automatic weapons fire from Israel territory fell in the vicinity of Ain Ebel and other locations in Lebanese territory, causing at Ain Ebel the death of two and the wounding of five Lebanese citizens as well as damage to material and cultivation.

3. At the request of the Lebanese authorities, an inquiry was authorized by the Chief of Staff of UNTSO and conducted by United Nations military observers on 24 July. Accompanied by a representative of the senior Lebanese delegate to the Israel-Lebanon Mixed Armistice Commission, the military observers interviewed witnesses and examined the evidence presented to them.

4. Witnesses at Ain Ebel stated that Israel forces artillery impacted in the village on 23 July at approximately 1400 hours GMT. They also stated that two Lebanese citizens of the village had been killed and that ten villagers had been wounded by the artillery.

5. The military observers saw at Ain Ebel recent artillery craters and fragments, one house badly damaged and several other houses slightly damaged.

6. Based on the observation reports (see para. 1 above) and on the findings of the inquiry, the complaint is confirmed in so far as Israel forces artillery fire causing damage to several houses at Ain Ebel is concerned.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.