H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary-General
The United Nations
New York
Excellency,
I wish to draw your attention to yet another act of aggression
perpetrated against Israel from Lebanese territory.
On the night of Friday, 20 October, a number of
terrorists attempted to infiltrate into Israel, armed with automatic
weapons, grenades, and high explosive charges. Israeli forces
who arrived on the scene came under intense gunfire and
grenade attack from the Lebanese side of the border. Searches
of the area uncovered the body of one terrorist, three rifles, a
machine gun, and parts of an explosive device. These findings
point to the intention of the perpetrators to carry out terrorist
attacks inside Israel against Israeli citizens.
In light of this most recent hostile attack against Israel from
Lebanese territory, and the growing escalation on that border, I
wish to recall our letters addressed to you dated 6 July 2000
(A/54/936-S/2000/661), 13 July 2000 (A/54/939-S/2000/689),
4 August 2000 (A/54/957-S/2000/769),
and 15 August 2000 (S/2000/805), as well as our letter of 7
October 2000 (S/2000/969) addressed to the President of the
Security Council. These letters called attention to the continuing
Lebanese violations along the Line of Withdrawal and the
continued threat which they pose to international peace and
security in the region.
It should be recalled that Israel withdrew forces from
Southern Lebanon, in full compliance with resolution 425 - a
withdrawal confirmed by the Secretary-General (S/2000/590)
and subsequently endorsed by the Security Council
(S/PRST/2000/21) and referred to in Security Council
resolution 1310 (2000). Indeed, resolution 1310 calls for the
deployment of UNIFIL in the area and for the Government of
Lebanon to "ensure the return of its effective authority and
presence in the south, and in particular to proceed with a
significant deployment of the Lebanese armed forces as soon as
possible", and to "ensure a calm environment throughout the
south" (paras. 6-7). Clearly, this must include taking full control
over the area in proximity to the fence with Israel and preventing
the acts of disorder and violence directed towards Israeli
territory.
We therefore call once again upon the other parties,
chiefly the Government of Lebanon, to fulfill their responsibilities
under resolutions 425 and 1310, which entail putting an end to
these violations of Israeli sovereignty; establishing effective
Lebanese authority in the area; and acting to bring peace and
security to our common border.
We would request once again that, in light of this
situation, Your Excellency and the Security Council will take the
necessary measures to ensure that resolutions 425 (1978) and
1310 (2000) are implemented in their entirety. The Government
of Lebanon should, in this context, be called upon to carry out
its responsibility to end the violations from its territory, deploy its
armed forces and restore its effective authority and control
throughout the area. Israel reiterates the need for UNIFIL forces
to be deployed at all points of friction along the border between
Israel and Lebanon, in keeping with its mandate under resolution
425.
Should Israel's repeated calls continue to go unheeded,
and the present situation persist in which no party takes upon
itself responsibility for maintaining order and security in South
Lebanon, there is a real danger of a grave deterioration in the
area, an outcome that all sides must act to prevent.
I should be grateful if you would have the text of this letter
circulated as a document of the Security Council.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest
consideration.
Ambassador Yehuda Lancry
Permanent Representative of Israel
to the United Nations