Equipo Nizkor - UNSC S/2016/664 - Israel's response to the Lebanese accusations accusing Israel of violations UNSC resolution 1701 (2006).

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/664

Distr.: General
29 July 2016
Original: English

Identical letters dated 29 July 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

I am writing to you with regard to the letter sent by the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council on 28 June 2016.

The letter contains false accusations against Israel with regard to violations of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). In some of the instances described in the letter, the factual record has been distorted and the description does not accurately depict the circumstances, while other incidents as described do not constitute violations of resolution 1701 (2006).

With regard to the alleged sea violations, the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) does not include delineation of the maritime boundary, and therefore all claims of violations of so-called maritime boundaries are beyond the scope of the UNIFIL mandate.

I would also like to note that throughout the course of the letter, Israel's sovereign territory is referred to as "Occupied Palestinian Territory". This is clearly indicative of the broader problem of Lebanon's ongoing refusal to acknowledge the existence of the State of Israel.

Israel's detailed response to the claims alleged by Lebanon is attached in the annex to the present letter.

As outlined in previous letters that I have sent, Lebanese violations of Council resolution 1701 (2006) are daily occurrences and Hizbullah's armed presence in southern Lebanon goes unchallenged by the Lebanese Government. Despite their visibility and frequency, the vast majority of violations are consistently excluded from the Secretariat's reports.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex distributed as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Danny Danon
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

Annex to the identical letters dated 29 July 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Israel's response to the alleged accusations — May 2016

Date Time Alleged nature of violation Reference

2 May 2016 1130 From inside Israeli territory, opposite Labbunah at point B3, as a Lebanese Army patrol was erecting observations towers on the Lebanese-Israeli border, an Israeli patrol trained a machine gun mounted on a hummer vehicle on members of the patrol. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

10 May 2016 - Opposite Ra's al-Naqurah, between points AP15 and B2, an Israeli soldier positioned himself behind one of the concrete blocks and aimed his machine gun, mounted on a bipod and fitted with a scope, at a Lebanese Army patrol. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

0800 Opposite Ra's al-Naqurah, members of an Israeli patrol (eight soldiers) cut a hole in the technical fence and crossed over without violating the Blue Line. At 1230 hours they returned into Israeli territory. At 1430 hours, members of the patrol returned and closed the hole in the fence, while one of them kept his weapon trained on a Lebanese Army patrol. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

12 May 2016 1320 Opposite the Ibl al-Qamh area, Israeli soldiers trained the cannon of a tank on Lebanese territory. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

18 May 2016 1000 Opposite the town of Alma al-Sha'b in the vicinity of the Hanita East 2 post, one member of an Israeli patrol made obscene gestures at a Lebanese Army patrol. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF instructs its soldiers to avoid inappropriate behaviour along the line of contact in order to avoid unnecessary friction. Disciplinary issues will be dealt with in cases where IDF soldiers act against orders or the moral code of the IDF.
3. With that being said, this sort of behaviour does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.

23 May 2016 1200 From inside Israeli territory, opposite the Wazzani resort, a Defender vehicle fitted with a pole-mounted camera pointed its camera at Lebanese territory. The vehicle drove off at 1540 towards Israeli territory. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line, as the area in question is an Israeli military post that is located in Israeli territory south of the Blue Line.

25 May 2016 1515 From their position inside Israeli territory, opposite the town of Alma al-Sha'b, an Israeli soldier trained a machine gun, mounted on a Humvee vehicle, on members of a Lebanese patrol. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

1550 1700 Inside Shab'a Farms, several explosions and bursts of medium automatic-weapon fire were heard. The fire occurred within Israeli territory. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.

30 May 2016 0800 Opposite the Kafr Killa-Udaysah road, a Hummer vehicle, a grader, a wheeled bulldozer and an excavator belonging to the Israeli army spread gravel on the road along the technical fence. One of the soldiers trained his weapon on Lebanese territory. The Israeli soldier finished work and the vehicles withdrew in the direction of Israeli territory at 1630 hours. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.

31 May 2016 1015 From inside Israeli territory, opposite the town of Kafr Killa, an Israeli patrol consisting of an off-road vehicle and a construction vehicle drove up, and members of the patrol started working on the technical fence. Some soldiers loaded their weapons and trained them on a Lebanese Army patrol and hurled obscenities at the Lebanese soldiers. The patrol left in the direction of Israeli territory at 1030 hours. 1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line, as the area in question is located in Israeli territory south of the Blue Line.
2. With that being said, it should be emphasized that IDF will fulfil its responsibility to protect the sovereignty of the State of Israel and will maintain the safety of its people.
In the past, the terror organization Hizbullah took advantage of similar weak spots to carry out attacks.
IDF will take all necessary action in order to preserve the state of calm in the area.
3. IDF instructs its soldiers to avoid inappropriate behaviour along the line of contact in order to avoid unnecessary friction. Disciplinary issues will be dealt with in cases where IDF soldiers act against orders or the moral code of IDF.

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Date	Time	Alleged nature of violation	Reference
2 May 2016	1130	From inside Israeli territory, opposite Labbunah at point B3, as a Lebanese Army patrol was erecting observations towers on the Lebanese-Israeli border, an Israeli patrol trained a machine gun mounted on a hummer vehicle on members of the patrol.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
10 May 2016	-	Opposite Ra's al-Naqurah, between points AP15 and B2, an Israeli soldier positioned himself behind one of the concrete blocks and aimed his machine gun, mounted on a bipod and fitted with a scope, at a Lebanese Army patrol.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
10 May 2016	0800	Opposite Ra's al-Naqurah, members of an Israeli patrol (eight soldiers) cut a hole in the technical fence and crossed over without violating the Blue Line. At 1230 hours they returned into Israeli territory. At 1430 hours, members of the patrol returned and closed the hole in the fence, while one of them kept his weapon trained on a Lebanese Army patrol.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
12 May 2016	1320	Opposite the Ibl al-Qamh area, Israeli soldiers trained the cannon of a tank on Lebanese territory.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
18 May 2016	1000	Opposite the town of Alma al-Sha'b in the vicinity of the Hanita East 2 post, one member of an Israeli patrol made obscene gestures at a Lebanese Army patrol.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF instructs its soldiers to avoid inappropriate behaviour along the line of contact in order to avoid unnecessary friction. Disciplinary issues will be dealt with in cases where IDF soldiers act against orders or the moral code of the IDF. 3. With that being said, this sort of behaviour does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
23 May 2016	1200	From inside Israeli territory, opposite the Wazzani resort, a Defender vehicle fitted with a pole-mounted camera pointed its camera at Lebanese territory. The vehicle drove off at 1540 towards Israeli territory.	This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line, as the area in question is an Israeli military post that is located in Israeli territory south of the Blue Line.
25 May 2016	1515	From their position inside Israeli territory, opposite the town of Alma al-Sha'b, an Israeli soldier trained a machine gun, mounted on a Humvee vehicle, on members of a Lebanese patrol.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
25 May 2016	1550 1700	Inside Shab'a Farms, several explosions and bursts of medium automatic-weapon fire were heard.	The fire occurred within Israeli territory. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line.
30 May 2016	0800	Opposite the Kafr Killa-Udaysah road, a Hummer vehicle, a grader, a wheeled bulldozer and an excavator belonging to the Israeli army spread gravel on the road along the technical fence. One of the soldiers trained his weapon on Lebanese territory. The Israeli soldier finished work and the vehicles withdrew in the direction of Israeli territory at 1630 hours.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line. 2. IDF soldiers position their weapons in the direction from which they identify a threat — the soldiers did not actively point their weapons with the intention to shoot.
31 May 2016	1015	From inside Israeli territory, opposite the town of Kafr Killa, an Israeli patrol consisting of an off-road vehicle and a construction vehicle drove up, and members of the patrol started working on the technical fence. Some soldiers loaded their weapons and trained them on a Lebanese Army patrol and hurled obscenities at the Lebanese soldiers. The patrol left in the direction of Israeli territory at 1030 hours.	1. There was no crossing of the Blue Line. This incident does not qualify as a violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) or the Blue Line, as the area in question is located in Israeli territory south of the Blue Line. 2. With that being said, it should be emphasized that IDF will fulfil its responsibility to protect the sovereignty of the State of Israel and will maintain the safety of its people. In the past, the terror organization Hizbullah took advantage of similar weak spots to carry out attacks. IDF will take all necessary action in order to preserve the state of calm in the area. 3. IDF instructs its soldiers to avoid inappropriate behaviour along the line of contact in order to avoid unnecessary friction. Disciplinary issues will be dealt with in cases where IDF soldiers act against orders or the moral code of IDF.

29Jul16

Israel's response to the Lebanese accusations accusing Israel of violations UNSC resolution 1701 (2006)