Violations across the Blue Line – Letter from Lebanon

Letter dated 31 December 2003 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.
of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

  On instructions from my Government, I transmit to you hereafter a list of persistent Israeli violations and acts of aggression against Lebanon committed from 12 to 22 December 2003.

   Violations of airspace

  Between 2302 and 1910 hours between 13 and 14 December 2003 an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew east over the sea off Sidon at a distance of 10 miles from the coast and circled over the areas between Majdal Anjar, Anjar, Rashia and Dahr al-Baydar. It then proceeded in a northerly direction towards the sea off Sidon at a distance of 10 miles from the coast, where it circled over the area between Sidon and Damur at an altitude of 10 miles above the sea, before proceeding towards the Shouf and the Bekaa. It circled over the area between Jubb Jannin and Anjar and returned to the Shouf and Sidon, thereby violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1050 and 1125 hours on 14 December 2003 an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft overflew the occupied Shab`a farms. Between 1210 and 1238 hours, it circled over the sea off Na`imah in the direction of Beirut at a distance of 10 miles from the coast, thereby violating Lebanese airspace.

  Between 1030 and 1040 hours on the same date an Israeli warplane flew over the Naqurah area at high altitude. Between 1915 and 1930 hours an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the area of Tyre.

    Acts of aggression in the field

  At 2325 hours on 14 December 2003 Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their position at Fashkul farm, inside the occupied Shab`a farmlands, with medium weapons fire.

  At 0945 hours on 15 December 2003 Israeli enemy forces fired a number of bursts of medium-sized machine gunfire from their position opposite Labuna in the direction of the area around the aforementioned position.

  Between 1410 and 1650 hours enemy forces fired a number of bursts of medium-sized machine gunfire from their positions in Ramta and Samaqa inside the occupied Shab`a farmlands in the direction of the area around the two aforementioned positions.

  At 0830 hours on 17 December 2003 Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their position in Ruweisat al-Alam inside the occupied Shab`a farmlands with medium weapons fire.

  At 1130 hours on 21 December 2003 Israeli forces fired a number of bursts of light weapons fire from their position opposite Ras al-Naqurah in the direction of the area around the said position. Between 1500 and 1645 hours enemy forces fired a number of bursts of light and medium weapons fire from their position in Radar inside the occupied Shab`a farmlands in the direction of the area around the said position.

  At 1859 hours on the same date Israeli enemy forces fired a number of bursts of light and medium-sized machine gun rounds from their position in occupied Palestinian territory opposite Ras al-Naqurah in the direction of the area around the said position.

  At 1230 hours on 22 December 2003 Israeli enemy forces strafed the area around their position in Fashkul inside the occupied Shab`a farmlands with a number of rounds from medium-sized machine guns.

  Between 1010 and 1030 hours on 21 December 2003 an Israeli warplane overflew the occupied Shab`a farmlands at high altitude. Between 1620 and 1700 hours two Israeli helicopters overflew the aforementioned farmlands.

  Between 1705 and 1715 hours on the same date two Israeli enemy helicopters overflew the area opposite the town of Kafr Killa, thereby violating Lebanese airspace.

   Violations of territorial waters

  At 2255 hours on 12 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a number of rounds in the direction of the aforementioned waters.

  At 1206 hours on 13 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium weapons fire in the direction of the aforementioned waters.

  At 1220 hours on 14 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium weapons fire in the direction of the aforementioned waters. It later returned between 1855 and 2100 hours and fired two flare bombs over the aforementioned waters.

  Between 1830 and 2200 hours on 15 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired three flare bombs over the aforementioned waters.

  At 0635 hours on 20 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a number of bursts of medium weapons fire over the aforementioned waters.

  At 0844 hours on 21 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a number of flare bombs. It returned and between 1940 and 2015 hours it fired a flare bomb and a number of bursts of medium weapons fire in the direction of the aforementioned waters.

  At 0411 hours on 22 December 2003, in the open sea off Ras al-Naqurah, an Israeli military boat fired a flare bomb over the aforementioned waters.

  These acts of aggression reaffirm Israel’s hostile attitude, and the nature and number of these unjustified and inexcusable violations and acts of aggression confirm Israel’s premeditated intention to threaten and provoke and to disrupt security and stability in order to serve its aggressive, expansionist objectives throughout the region.

  The Mission of Lebanon, in drawing the attention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the gravity and possible consequences of such acts of aggression, requests to have his letter of complaint circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 37, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Houssam Diab

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

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