H.E. Mr. Martin Andjaba
President of the Security Council
The United Nations
New York
Excellency,
During the last 24 hours there has been a drastic and dangerous
deterioration in the already sensitive and tense situation in the
Middle East, this time at the border between Israel and Lebanon. Acts
of aggression perpetrated against Israel from Lebanese territory
during this period have created a grave and serious threat to
international peace and security in the region.
On Saturday morning, 7 October 2000, an armed and frenzied mob,
numbering in the hundreds, attacked the border fence from Lebanese
territory, immediately followed by heavy shelling of Israeli border
positions by Hizbullah terrorist elements from Lebanese territory,
using explosives, R.P.G. rockets, Sager missiles, and border shells.
During the course of this aggression, three Israeli soldiers were
kidnapped by a Hizbullah unit which entered Israeli territory for
this purpose. These Israelis are being held hostage by Hizbullah
inside Lebanon. Acts of aggression against Israel have continued
throughout the day.
Israel views this act of aggression with the utmost gravity and as a
gross violation of the United Nations Charter, fundamental principles
of international law and Security Council Resolution 425, pursuant to
which Israel withdrew its forces from Lebanese territory.
Since its withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Israel has repeatedly
called upon the Lebanese government to fulfill its obligations under
international law, and as demanded in Resolution 425, to restore,
with the assistance of UNIFIL, its effective control over south
Lebanon and ensure that international peace and security are
maintained on its side of the border. Despite these please, the
Lebanese government has failed for months to restrain, and has even
encouraged, provocative and violent cross-border attacks against
Israel. Continued diplomatic attempts on the part of Israel to warn
that the situation on the northern border could deteriorate have gone
unheeded. In this regard I should like to recall the letters dated 6
July 2000 (S/2000/661), 13 July 2000 (S/2000/689), 4 August 2000
(S/2000/769) and 15 August 2000 (S/2000/805) in which Israel brought
to the Secretary-General's attention the continued wave of Lebanese
violations along the border, and the potential that these acts may
destabilize the border area and imperil the maintenance of
international peace and security.
Israel holds the governments of Lebanon and Syria fully and directly
responsible for the acts of aggression described above. Israel calls
on the Security Council to act urgently in accordance with its
primary responsibility for international peace and security to secure
the immediate and safe return of the Israeli hostages and the
cessation of all aggressive activity from Lebanese territory against
Israel.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest
consideration.
Sincerely,
Ambassador Yehuda Lancry
Permanent Representative of Israel
to the United Nations