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 October 1976. 1/

1. Activity in the sector increased generally during the period under review, with a marked increase in ground activity in the north-east of the sector. Naval activity also increased, while air activity remained at the same level as during the previous month.

2. Israel forces personnel continued to occupy daily, during daylight hours, six positions on the Lebanese side of the armistice demarcation line (ADL) near border pillars 6 (AMR 1680-2770), 2/ 11 (AMR 1799-2788), l4 (AMR 1838-2740 (except on 13, l4, 15, 22, 28 and 29 October), 18 (AMR 1880-2740) (except on 7 October), 19 (AMR 1907-2749) and 33 (AMR 2004-2904).

3. There were l4 cases of firing across the ADL, one of which involved an exchange of fire.   There were also seven crossing violations.  These were reported as follows:

(a) OP Lab (AMR 1643-2772), south of the village of Labouna reported automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces on 1 October.

(b) OP Ras (AMR 1920-2785), south-east of the village of Maroun Er Ras, reported automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces on 2 October.

(c) OP Mar (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba, reported mortar fire (two reports) by Israel forces on 19 October.  It also reported an exchange of fire on 23 October involving automatic-weapons and small-arms fire by Israel forces and unidentified forces.  United Nations military observers were unable to determine which side initiated the  fire.

(d) OP Khiam  (AMR 2071-3025), south of the village of El Khiam, reported artillery fire on 7 (two reports), 9, 18, 19 (two reports) and 20 October and mortar fire on 15 October,  all by Israel forces.

(e) Naqoura Outstation  (AMR 1629-2805), on the coast near the village of Naqoura, reported that Israel forces naval vessels penetrated Lebanese territorial waters on 9 (two reports), 17 and 31 October (three reports). Maximum penetrations of the vessels were 5,000 metres, 5,000 metres, 4,000 metres, 7,000 metres, undetermined, and 7,000 metres, respectively; United Nations military observers were unable to determine the depth of one of the penetrations on 31 October because the vessel was beyond observation range.

(f) Returning military observers from OP Khiam, while located at AMR 2028-2986, reported a crossing violation by Israel forces on 6 October (maximum penetration 100 metres).  Additionally, returning military observers from OP Mar, while located at AMR 2008-290?, reported automatic-weapons fire by Israel forces on 17 October.

4.  There were 26 overflights reported during the period.  Overflights by Israel forces jet aircraft were reported on 1, 7 and 11 October (one each day), and on 3, 5, 8, 12, 17 and 22 October (two each day), on 10 October (three overflights) and on 30 October (five overflights).  One overflight by an Israel forces Alouette helicopter was also reported on 28 October.  Overflights by unidentified jet aircraft were reported on 11 and 22 October (one each day); United Nations military observers were unable to identify the aircraft owing to high altitude.

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1/  UNTSO observers are stationed in the Israel-Lebanon sector on the Lebanese  side of the armistice demarcation line, in accordance with the consensus approved by the members of the Security Council on 19 April 1972, to observe the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon called for by the Security Council.  The present report of the Chief of Staff of UNTSO concerns developments observed and reported by UNTSO observers in this  context.

2/ AMR – approximate map reference.