S/PV.2216 Security Council

I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S1138881Add. 1, containing an addendum to the special report of the Secretary- General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). I should also like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/13895, which contains the text of a letter dated 15 April from the representative of Israel addressed to the President of the Council. Provisional agenda (S/Agenda/2216) 1. Adoption of the agenda 2. The situation in the Middle East: Letter dated 10 April 1980 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/13885); Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (S/l3888 and Corr. 1 and Add. 1)

I should like to begin by expressing my delegation’s appreciation to the Secretary-General for his special report to the Council and for the oral reports he presented to the Council in the course of this debate. Those reports reveal the grave and intolerable situation created by the events of the past week in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon were once again grossly. violated and UNIFIL was subjected to heavy armed attack and violent harassment. My delegation strongly deplores these acts perpetrated by those parties which continue to flout the resolutions of the Council and violate the Charter. The meeting was called to order at 11.50 a.m. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. The situation ln the Middle East: Letter dafed 10 April 1980 from the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (Sf 1388% Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (S/13888 and Cot-r.1 and Add.1) 4. When UNIFIL was established in 1978, the Council was of the belief that it would not only ensure the withdrawal of the invading Israel Defence Forces but also help to bring stability to the area to the advantage of all the parties involved. The events of last week showed that UNIFIL is treated as an enemy by Haddad and his rebel forces and that the Israeli Defence Forces continue to feel free to violate the territorial integrity of a Member State by conducting military operations in southern Lebanon. It is clear that both the Israel Defence Forces and Haddad’s rebel forces, the one supportive of the other, have undertaken their defiant actions secure in the knowledge that UNIFIL’s mandate as a peace-keeping force ensures that its response will be limited.

In accordance with the decisions taken at previous meetings [2212th to 2215th meetings], I invite the representative of Lebanon to take a place at the Council table and I invite the representatives of Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Nigeria, the Syrian Arab Republic and the representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to take the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. 5. This pattern of activity threatens the maintenance of stability in the area and imperils the lives of UNIFIL personnel. The last period of violence has left a Fijian soldier dead and others seriously wounded. Considerable damage to UNIFIL’s buildings, vehicles and equipment has resulted from bombardment by At the invitation of the President, Mr. Tuhni (Lebanon) took a place at the Council table and Mr. Mulloy (Ireland), Mr. Blum (Israel), Mr. La Rocca (Ztaly), Mr. Nuseibeh (Jordan), Mr. van Buuren (Nether- 6. Those facts are known to the members of the Council, since they are contained in the reports of the Secretary-General. None the less they bear repetition, since they demonstrate so clearly the need for action by the Council to ensure the security of the UNIFIL troops and to prevent the recurrence of such outrageous acts against the Force. 7. The Council cannot tolerate a repetition of such acts of violence against UNIFIL. While we continue to regard the presence of the Force as vital to the prevention of all-out war in the area, the Council cannot endure the continued abuse and harassment of its peace-keeping troops. We owe a duty to the troop-! contributing countries to establish conditions in which their men can operate in safety and we owe a duty to the long-suffering people of Lebanon to bring to an end the nightmare of violence which has persisted for so long in south Lebanon. In the light of the events which have led to the current debate, this Council must show its determination to prevent further outbreaks of violence against UNIFIL and further incursions by Israel into Lebanese territory. Such flagrant violations of the Charter should not be allowed to continue with impunity. Jamaica once again strongly condemns such violations and will not accept any effort to justify them. 8. My delegation has noted that the Government of Israel has informed the Secretary-General that Israeli troops have been withdrawn from Lebanon and we have also noted the Secretary-General’s assessment, that the situation in the UNIFIL area has improved to some extent. We hope that those are positive developments on which more than a temporary halt to hostilities can be built. In this regard a heavy responsibility lies with the Government of Israel. It should be made to understand that it cannot continue to defy the United Nations and to violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring Lebanon. We call once more upon Israel to extend its full cooperation to UNIFIL and to allow the force to fulfil its mandate under resolution 425 (1978), to end Israeli collusion with the illegal Haddad forces and to enable international efforts to restore calm in southern Lebanon. 9. Jamaica wishes to place on record its high commendation of General Erskine and the troops of UNIFIL for their conduct over the past weeks and their unfailing determination to act in accordance with the Council’s mandate. They have shown pa- 10. In closing, let me reiterate the concern of my Government over-the recent developments which have led to the current debate. We believe that those events underline the urgent need for a comprehensive settlement as a basis for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. Lebanon has become the victim of the failure of the international community to find such a solution. We believe that it is the duty of the Council to do its utmost to ensure that the agony of Lebanon is not prolonged.

My Government shares the deep concern expressed by the Secretary-General and those many others, particularly the troop contributors, who have spoken about the escalation of violence in recent days in southern Lebanon. We condemn the murderous attacks on the personnel of UNIFIL and on their headquarters by Major Haddad’s forces. Our sympathy goes to the Fijian and Irish Governments and peoples for the death of the Fijian soldier who was killed last Saturday and of the Irish soldier who has since died of his wounds. Our admiration goes out to the Force as a whole for their bravery and. restraint under the most diicult conditions and in the face of intolerable provocation. 12. While we condemn the attack on Kibbutz Misgav Am, a bloody and senseless act which can only complicate the search for peace, my Government cannot regard it as justification for the subsequent Israeli incursion into Lebanon. That too we condemn. We note the reported withdrawal of Israeli forces and trust that this wlU be permanent. It is, however, also the case that the Israeli-supported forces of Major Haddad have constantly frustrated the efforts of UNIFIL to fulfil its mandate in southern Lebanon by preventing the deployment of UNIFIL forces in the border area. As the Secretary-General has informed us, the capacity of UNIFIL to carry out its duties has been further restricted by the damage inflicted in the recent attacks; the international observers were not even in a position to confirm the withdrawal of the Israeli forces. It is clear from the addendum to the report of the Secretary-General just distributed that there has been only a slight improvement in the situation and that, apart from their incessant and increasing harassment of UNIFIL, Haddad’s militia have also shelled the towns of Sidon and Tyre. 13. There can be no doubt that UNIFIL would be better able to prevent infiltration if it could occupy 14. My Government joins the Secretary-General in urging all concerned to extend to UNIFIL the cooperation it needs to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to it by the Council. Attacks on and provocation of UNIFIL must cease. The Israeli Government. must respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. All concerned must avoid any action which obstructs the full implementation of resolution 425 (1978). Our principal objective remains the restoration of the full authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout its territory. Thereafter, strict respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries would provide the best guarantee for the restoration of peace and of peaceful conditions in the south. . 20. Given the volatile and tense situation in Lebanon,’ my delegation believes it essential that UNIFIL maintain its presence in that strife-tom area to prevent destabiiization and the resumption of armed confrontation, with its fearful consequences for international peace and security. In this regard, my delegation would welcome constructive efforts designed to assert and strengthen the hand of UNIFIL in the fulfilment of its mandate, leading to the reactivation of the General Armistice Agreement of 1949. 21. Thirdly, the Philippines deplores the widespread destruction and damage to UNIFIL’s headquarters buildings, facilities and equipment at Naqoura, and ail acts of violence in the region. The continuing harassment, abuse and humiliation of UNIFIL troops and personnel are intolerable and undermine the credibility of UNIFIL’s primary objective of peace-keeping. The United Nations can ill afford to tolerate these wanton violations of UNIFIL’s role as a peace-keeping force. It must put an end to them once and for all; otherwise, the prestige and authority of the Organization will be seriously and perhaps irreparably eroded. We join in the call for the complete cessation of the harassment of and acts of violence against UNIFIL by ail the forces concerned.

My delegation takes this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General for the comprehensiveness of his oral reports, as well as of his special report. 16. My delegation shares the deep concern expressed by the Secretary-General regarding the grave and serious. developments in southern Lebanon. I wish briefly to state the position of the Philippines on the situation in southern Lebanon, 17. First, we firmly support the peace-keeping efforts of UNIFIL under the relevant Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978) and 459 (1979), and to that end we have contributed to its upkeep and maintenance. 22. Fourthly, the Philippines condemns the impairment, infringement and violation of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the Republic of Lebanon. The United Nations is in duty bound to help to restore sovereignty over all its territory up to the internationally recognized boundaries to the Government of Lebanon. Resolution 425 (1978) specifically called for “strict respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally-recognized boundaries”. It also called upon Israel “immediately to cease its military action against Lebanese territorial integrity and withdraw forthwith its forces from all Lebanese territory”. Ail forces .in the region, without exception, must respect the territorial integrity of Lebanon. 18. Secondly, we believe that UNIFIL should be allowed to discharge its mandate without let or hindrance. For that reason, we fully support the Secretary- General’s plea that UNIFIL should have complete and unrestricted freedom of movement in its entire area of operation. The integrity and authority of UNIFIL must be upheld in order to ensure that it can fuEl its mandate. Any form of curtailment or obstruction of its authority would most assuredly erode its effectiveness and usefulness. 19. In referring to the tense situation in UNIFIL’s area of operation, my delegation notes with deep distress the addendum to the Secretary-General’s special report, in which hestates: “Although tiring in the area has been greatly reduced, the situation remains tense. Threats and acts of harassment by the de facto forces against UNIFIL and UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organization] observers in the observation posts have continued. 23. Fithiy, we take note of and welcome the announcement of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the region, but we await the earliest confirmation by UNIFIL of such withdrawal. 24. Sixthiy, the Philippines believes that no one has the right, for any reason or on any pretext whatsoever, to violate the principles enshrined in the “Asof the time of reporting, the de facto forces have reopened the coastal road, while another 25. In conclusion, allow me to express, on behalf of my Government, our deep appreciation for the devotion to duty of the officers and men of UNIFIL, under the leadership of General Erskine. We extend our sincere gratitude to those countries that have contributed armed forces and personnel for the peacekeeping operations. UNIFIL has been discharging its responsibilities under adverse and extremely difficult conditions. It deserves our continued support. 26. My delegation wishes also to pay a tribute to the gallant and valiant men of UNTSO and of UNIFIL who have lost their lives under the United Nations flag, and I should like to offer my delegation’s condolences to the Permanent Mission of Fiji on the death of a member of the Fijian contingent, and also to the Permanent Mission of Ireland after the latest information on the death of a member of the Irish contingent.

My delegation would not wish this debate to end without our having associated Niger with all those delegations which have deplored andcondemned the intervention of the Israeli forces in Lebanon. I say that because we consider that intervention as another serious infringement of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a Member State and as an inadmissible infraction of the Charter. 28. But no less serious is the other action, taken by the so-called de facto forces, which was launched en masse against UNIFIL in southern Lebanon itself, to which it was UNIFIL’s mission to restore peace. We deplore the violation of the status of that intemational Force, when neither the presence nor the military capability of that Force constituted any sort of threat to any of the protagonists in the region. 29. The combination of those two actions can hardly be viewed as fortuitous, given the open collusion between the dissident Haddad forces and the Israeli forces, which had, furthermore, encouraged, trained and armed the Haddad forces. That is why Niger reproves and condemns those forces in like fashion. 30. Niger believes, indeed, that the efforts of the international community, the Security Council in particular, should not be stymied by the ill-considered wish simply to see a multiplication of spectacular acts, or by the desire to take the law into one’s own hands. In this case, UNIFIL and its soldiers who have been humiliated and attacked are nothing but additional innocent victims of a problem the solution of which, everyone would now agree, can only be found through a persistent, active and enthusiastic search for a negotiated and balanced settlement. 32. We wish also to associate ourselves with the condolences extended to the people and Government of Fiji on the loss of one of their soldiers in the unwarranted clashes of 12 April. We extend similar condolences to the Irish and their Government for the death of one of their soldiers as a result of the same clashes.

The taking of defenceless hostages, for whatever purpose, is an act that, in our view, can never be justified. In addition, it damages, in the most negative way, the cause of those who engage in such action-the more so when, as was the case in the recent attack on the Misgav Am Kibbutz, those seized were innocent children. We condemn that act, as we condemn all violence. 34. But however unwarranted that wretched act may be, it cannot justify the events that have recently occurred in southern Lebanon. The bombing of the headquarters and other positions of the UNIFIL and the harassment of its personne1 by the de fucro forces supported by a Member State cannot be justified. The attack on the Misgav Am Kibbutz cannot excuse the Israeli incursion into Lebanese territory. A desperate act cannot serve as justification for a sovereign and responsible State to defy the most elementary rules of international behaviour and the provisions of the Charter of the Organization of which it is a Member, and to violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of another Member State. 35. I should like, on this occasion, to express once more our deepest sympathy for the suffering of the Lebanese people, before which the international community cannot remain indifferent. All efforts must be exerted towards the full re-establishment of the sovereignty of the Lebanese Government over all its territory. 36. We cannot but deplore in the strongest terms all the acts that have led-to the eruption ofa new tide of violence and unrest in southern Lebanon and express our great.concem over the rapid deterioration of the situation, which seriously affects the stability of the region and could lead to a dangerous escalation. 37. We find it unacceptable that UMFIL, in the fulfilment of its mandate, will have to continue to face so many difficulties and obstructions raised 38. UNIFIL is committed to serving the noblest aim of our Organization, namely, the pursuit of international peace and security. UNIFIL thus deserves our respect and should deserve the respect of all people in the area. The countries that provide troops for the peace-keeping operations are contributing in a most decisive and genuine way towards the achievement of peace, and it is essential that full co-operation be extended to the Force in order that it may be enabled to accomplish its mandate. UNIFIL must be allowed to occupy all its area of deployment, and its personnel must be enabled to move freely in its area of operation. The present situation is to us intolerable, and once again I should like to express the support of my delegation for any measures aimed at enhancing UNIFIL’s capacity fully to implement its mandate in conformity with the relevant resolutions of the Council, namely, resolutions 425 (1978) and 459 (1979). 39. Before I conclude, I should like, on behalf of my country, to present condolences to the Governments and families of the Fijian and Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the cause of peace and to express our sympathy to the Governments and families of the members of UNIFIL who have been injured in the line of duty. We pay a tribute to all the officers and men serving with UNIFIL for the brave way in which they have been discharging the diicult and dangerous task assigned to them. Finally, let me also thank the Secretary-General and his staff for their ceaseless efforts to overcome the present difficulties UNIFIL is facing.

In the last few days, we have witnessed an escalation of events in southern Lebanon that can be characterized as nothing short of outrageous. The representative of Lebanon, in his letter to the President of the Council and in his statement here [2213fh meeting] has graphically spelt out the objective facts of the case. The Secretary- General’s special report of and his supplementary verbal report to the Council on Sunday [2212th sneering] generally support the evidence and highlight the extreme gravity of the matter and the urgency with which this Council is called on to act. 41. Of paramount importance to the Council is the continuing erosion of the credibility of UNIFIL in fulfilling its mandate to augment its military control in the zone, to promote a return to normal and to restore the effective authority and sovereignty of Lebanon in the area. The situation now obtaining is a blatant challenge to the credibility of the Council itselfin exercising the cardinal responsibilities imposed upon it under the Charter. 43. There can be no doubt either that behind the disruptive activities of the illegal forces controlled by the outlawed Major Haddad lies the directing arm of Israel. The limited and restricted ability of UNIFIL to respond has encouraged the illegal militia to aggravate the situation to a dangerous pitch of confrontation. Through intense and vioIent harassment, they have sought to prevent the remanning of longestablished United Nations observation posts along the Armistice Demarcation Line, have infiltrated and sought a permanent presence in UNIFIL’s zone of operation and have inflicted death and casualties upon innocent civilians and UNIFIL troops alike. 44. In these circumstances, the role and mandate of UNIFIL have become severely circumscribed, if not compromised. When maximum restraint is seen as an encouragement to violence and humiliation, this Council must re-examine the nature of the role of UNIFIL and its capacity to respond effectively to the challenge it faces in Lebanon. 45. The task of the Council in arresting this deterioration of the situation is now imperative. The Council must condemn Israel for its aggression and demand that it forthwith withdraw all its troops from southern Lebanon, that it scrupulously respect the territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon, and that it cease, in particular, the assistance it continues to lend to the illegal armed groups in Lebanon. 46. Pressure must be applied, particularly by those countries best placed for that purpose, to make Israel fulfil its obligations and comply with its commitment to co-operate with UNIFIL. An immediate requirement is the re-establishment and manning by United Nations personnel of the observation posts along the Armistice Demarcation Line. This Council must also underscore its reaffirmation of the validity of the General Armistice Agreement between Israel and Lebanon and call on all parties to take the necessary steps to reactivate the Mixed Armistice Commission 47. I take this opportunity to express our deepest sympathy to the Governments and families of the Fijian and Irish soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of peace. We are indeed grateful to the Secretary-General and his representatives for their consistent and devoted efforts to contain -the situation, to General Erskine, the Commander of UNIFIL, and the officers and men in the field under his command who have performed with exemplary heroism under difficult and often humiliating circumstances. 48. Finally, we believe that it is our solemn duty to assist and support Lebanon in every possible way until the full and effective restoration of its sovereignty in that area.

The next speaker is the representative of Lebanon, on whom I now call. 50. Mr. TUI?NI (Lebanon): First, havingjust learned of the death of an Irish soldier, I should like to associate myself and my Government with the condolences expressed round this table to the Government of Ireland, UNIFIL and its Commander on a second loss of life after that of the Fijian soldier whose death we have all regretted. That only highlights the really very adverse-to say the least-conditions under which the Force is operating in southern Lebanon. 51. We have just received an addendum to the Secretary-General’s special report, and I am sure that all the delegations round this tabIe have read it very carefully. We note from it that there is a very slight improvement; yet we cannot faii to say that we are greatly disturbed by the continued harassment and, particularly, by the very difficult conditions in which even UNTSO finds itself and which exist also in Naqoura. 52. My Government has a request to make of the Secretary-General and his representatives and a question to address to the Council. 53. Has Israel withdrawn completely from Lebanon -yes or no? I think that the future of our debate and the nature of the draft resolution that we ‘shall ask our friends in the Council to submit will depend on the answer. 54. We know that the conditions in the UNIFIL area of operation have so far prevented the Secretary- General from replying to that question. But my Government believes that we are not in a position to ask the Council to act in one or another direction fitho in United Nations. New York 00300 83-61462--Avast 19862,425 55. Wd are therefore awaiting a reply from the Secretary-General before we determine what our future conduct in this debate will be. 56. ‘I& PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): The representative of Israel has asked to be allowed to speak in exercise of the right of reply. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement.

The representative of Lebanon has just raised a question which I thought I had disposed af in my statement of 14 April. So as to avoid any misunderstandings on this score, let me therefore briefly quote the following ffom what I said in that statement: “In the wake of the atrocity at Misgav Am, and in the light of information that the terrorist PLO was planning further outrages of this kind, the Israel Defence Forces took certain limited measures, the purpose of which was to foil these plans. The steps taken have been completed, and all Israel soldiers have . . . completely withdrawn behind the border with Lebanon.” [2213th meeting, para. 73. ] I believe that fully answers the query of the representative of Lebanon.

The representative of Lebanon has asked to be allowed to speak in exercise of the right of reply. I call on him.

I have the highest respect for the rhetorical ability of the iepresentative of Israel to dispose of questions round this table while the real situation on the ground does not necessarily fully concord with what he says. We are tiot prepared to be trapped again as we were on 13 June 1978. I have the highest respect for what he has said here, bur my Government will only be prepared to settle for a responsible answer from UNIFIL and from the observers. Our information, I regret to say, does not enable us to be sure that the Israelis have fully withdrawn from my country in accordance with resolutions of the Council. The meeting rose at 12.40 p.m. j’ k. 3