{"id":186810,"date":"1997-01-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T22:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=186810"},"modified":"2019-03-11T22:08:25","modified_gmt":"2019-03-11T22:08:25","slug":"auto-insert-186810","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-186810\/","title":{"rendered":"Mideast situation\/Lebanon &#8211; Letter from Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">GENERAL ASSEMBLY<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>SECURITY COUNCIL<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">Fifty-first session<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Fifty-second year<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">Agenda item 33<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>Letter dated 17 January 1997 from the Permanent<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>addressed to the Secretary-General<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>On instructions from my Government and further to our earlier letters concerning Israel&#39;s attacks on southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa and the arbitrary practices against the civilian inhabitants in which it engages on a daily basis, I have the honour to notify you of the series of such incidents that took place in December 1996.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>2 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1045 hours Israeli aircraft overflew the western Bekaa area and the town of Baalbek at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1325 hours three artillery shells fired from Israeli positions fell in outlying areas of Jibal al-Butm in Tyre district.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>6 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1140 hours outlying areas of Luwayzah, Jarju`, Arabsalim, the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills and areas along the Nab` al-Tasah in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area came under Israeli artillery fire.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1300 hours outlying areas of Haddatha, Haris, Kafra and Yatar in Bint Jubayl district came under Israeli artillery fire.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>7 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0700 hours outlying areas of Tibnin and Ayta al-Jabal came under Israeli artillery fire while helicopters overflew the area.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1500 hours a number of fragmentation shells and nail shells fired from Israeli positions in the border strip fell in Kafr Tibnit and its environs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Seven persons were injured.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Between 1600 and 1800 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Nabatiyah area at low altitude carrying out mock attacks.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>8 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Between 1330 and 1615 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Nabatiyah and Iqlim al-Tuffah areas.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>9 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Between 1225 and 1615 hours the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills and outlying areas of Arabsalim, Jarju`, Ayn Bu Siwar and Jba` came under Israeli artillery fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;No casualties were reported.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 2020 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at low altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 2100 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Tyre area at medium altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 2345 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at low altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>11 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0835 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>14 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At about 1630 hours a clash took place between Israeli and Lahad forces on the one hand and men of the Lebanese National Resistance on the other.&nbsp;&nbsp;Weapons of all types were used.&nbsp;&nbsp;Occupation forces subsequently combed nearby areas for half an hour.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>15 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0930 hours Israeli warplanes bombarded the Ayn al-Tinah heights and the southern outskirts of Mashgharah from low altitudes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Overflights continued until 1100 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1200 hours Israeli artillery bombarded outlying areas of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Zawtar al-Gharbiyah and areas along the Litani river.&nbsp;&nbsp;Israeli warplanes also overflew the Nabatiyah area at medium altitude, while outlying areas of Jumayjimah, Majdal Silm, Sawwanah and Khirbat Silm came under Israeli artillery fire.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 2145 hours outlying areas of Jba` in Nabatiyah district came under Israeli artillery fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment stopped at 2330 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>16 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0950 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>17 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0900 hours the outskirts of Arabsalim, outlying areas of Jarju` and the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area came under Israeli artillery fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment ceased at 1100 hours after causing property damage.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was accompanied by frequent overflights of the area by Israeli warplanes.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>18 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0620 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Nabatiyah area at low altitude.&nbsp;&nbsp;There were frequent overflights of the Iqlim al-Tuffah area.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0625 hours Israeli warplanes carried out five successive attacks on the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills and outlying areas of Luwayzah, firing air-to-surface missiles.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0915 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Tyre area at medium altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0930 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1300 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and its environs at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1730 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Iqlim al-Tuffah area and carried out a two-stage attack on the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills while Israeli helicopters overflew the area.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>19 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0835 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the Iqlim al-Tuffah area at low altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0850 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps at high altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Between 1030 and 1200 hours outlying areas of Haddatha, Ayta al-Jabal, Bra`shit, Shaqra, Tibnin, Haris and Safad al-Battikh came under Israeli artillery fire, and heavy damage was done.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1115 hours Israeli warplanes overflew the sea off Tyre at low altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1340 hours Israeli warplanes carried out a two-stage attack on Jabal Safi, and outlying areas of Luwayzah and Jarju` and the Mlita and Jabal Safi hills came under Israeli artillery bombardment.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment and the attacks continued until 1600 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>20 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1330 hours outlying areas of Jba` and Mazra`at Kafra in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area came under Israeli artillery fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;It stopped at 1530 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1430 hours outlying areas of Kafra Milki in the Sidon district came under Israeli artillery fire.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>24 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1130 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon and the nearby camps.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>25 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1010 hours Israeli warplanes overflew Sidon at high altitude and also overflew Tyre at medium altitude.<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>26 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1600 hours the Abu Rashid hills and Jabbur pool in western Bekaa district came under artillery fire from Israeli positions and Lahad forces.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment continued until 1730 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>27 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1300 hours outlying areas of Yatar, Kafra, Haris, Haddatha and Ayta al-Jabal came under artillery fire from Israeli positions in the border strip.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1630 hours outlying areas of Ayta al-Jabal, Tibnin, Bra`shit and Shaqra received bursts of heavy-weapons fire from occupation forces in positions on the hills opposite.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><u>31 December 1996<\/u><\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 0100 hours outlying areas of Kafr Rumman, Sujud and Jabal al-Rafi`, the environs of the abandoned Lebanese Army barracks in Nabatiyah al-Fawqa and areas along the Habbush river came under Israeli artillery fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the same time, Israeli warplanes overflew the Iqilm al-Tuffah and Nabatiyah areas.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>At 1730 hours the occupation artillery shelled outlying areas of Jba` in Nabatiyah district from positions in the border strip.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment was accompanied by low-level overflights of the area by Israeli warplanes and helicopters.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment and the overflights continued until 1930 hours.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>The Lebanese Government strongly condemns the continued Israeli occupation and these fresh attacks and arbitrary practices inflicted on the Lebanese population, which have left a number of casualties and have caused further serious damage to property.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>Like previous attacks, this new series is in flagrant violation of the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and constitutes a breach of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, of international law and of basic human rights.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\" style=\"white-space:pre; font-size:smaller\">\t<\/span>I should be grateful if you would have this letter circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 33, and of the Security Council.<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">(<u>Signed<\/u>)&nbsp;&nbsp;Samir MOUBARAK&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">Ambassador&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">Permanent Representative<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#000000;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;font-family:Courier New, serif, monospace;\">\n<p style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\">&#8212;&#8211;<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL Fifty-first session Fifty-second year Agenda item 33 THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST Letter dated 17 January 1997 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General On instructions from my Government and further to our earlier letters concerning Israel&#39;s attacks on southern Lebanon and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-186810\/\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[933],"document-category":[2841],"document-source":[1365,1362],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[6156,1769,1857],"entity":[1985,1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-186810","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-lebanon","document-category-letter","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-security-council","document-subject-agenda-item","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-incidents","entity-state","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/186810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/186810\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=186810"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=186810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}