S/PV.845 Security Council

Before we begin our work 1 should like to express the Council's sincere gratitude to Mr. Jarring, the representative Sweden, who presided over the Security Council December 1958. It was also the last month of Sweden's membership in the Security Council and for that reason it is fitting that 1 should paya tribute to Mr. Jarring for the competence and the distinction with which he carried out his task as President and also for wisdom and tact shown by the Swedish delegation the Council's debates during the past two years. 2. 1 take t.his opportunity to paya tribute also to representatives of Colombia and Iraq, who have also left us. The quality of our debates has undoubtedly been enhanced by the participation of the distinguished representatives of those two countries. 3. It is also my agreeable dutY to welcome Argentina and Italy as non-permanent mcmbers of the Security Council. 4. 1 now wish to make a statement as representative of TUNISIA. My Government is happy that Tunisia has been elected to the Security Council and it is great honour for me to represent it here. Since admission to the United Nations we have consistenUy endeavoured to carry out aH the obligations laid down 5. Tunisia as an Afric[\n State cannot remain indifferent to the profound aspirations, based on the principles of the Charter, which inspire n.e peoples of that cuntinent and of other parts of the world and which most unfortunately have given rise to serious upheavals and convulsions. 6. :\ly country, which is cOI:"incpd of the justice of those aspirations, has done .nù will continue to do its utmost to ensure their realization in peace and friendship, which is the only basis for healthy and fruitful international co-operation. We are convinced that a peaceful Africa in which ail the peoples govern their own destinies will be a determining factor in the consolidation of world peace anà friendship between the nations. Accordingly, in accepting its new responsibilities as a member of the Security Council, Tunisia is resolved to continue working for the rest\Jration and consolidation of pcace in the world and for the strengthening of international security by the means laid down in the Charter. May God assist us in the impartial accomplishment of these heavy responsibilities. 7. MI'. MATSUDAIRA (Japan): lt is a happy occasion for my del'~ation to welcome to the Security Council three new member3, and l am particularly happy to welcome you here, MI'. President. As you know, the ties that unite our two countries are made up of deep feelings of friendship and of a sense of solidarity. May 1 add that it is il. special pleasure to see you with us as President. We have already had, through the past years, a happy association in the work of the Uljted Nations, and it is indeed a privilege for me again to be united with you in a common effort towards the maintenance of international peace and security. 8. It also gives me great pleasure to welcome Italy to the Council table. We have been aware of Italy's impressive recovery from the scourge of war, and it is indeed a source of pleasure to see that country come back \Vith increased prestige to a place of honour in this Organization. Italy will certainly bring to this Council experience and wisdom which many nations might envy. 9. 1 wish to extend also O~lr most friendly greetings to Argentina, wiLh which my country has had a tradition of very cordial relations. It is a great privilege for us to have this new member representin~ Latin America in this Council, together with the detegation of Panama. 10. May 1 take this opportunity to pay tribute to the representatives of Colombia, Iraq and Sweden, who have left us. v.,'e are most grateful to them for their conspicuous contributions to the work of this horly. 1 should like to add my expression of personal admi- 11. MI'. ILLUECA (Panama) (translaLed Irom Spanish): Ml'. President, having had the plea:mre of working with you at several sessions of The General Assembly, and having followed your career in international al1'airs, 1 am deeply gratified that a statesman of your stature is presiding over the Security Council at its lirst meeting in 1959. 12. On 31 lkcember, as everyone lmows, Iraq, Sweden and Colombia completed their term as memp~rs of the Security Council, where they \Vere ably representcd by Ml'. Hashim Jawad, :l'Ir. Gunnar Jarring and Ml'. Alfonso Araùjo respectively. It 18 only fair to place on record a tribute to theil' able wOù, which dcserves our warm congratulations. :'Ill'. Jaw'ld, with his broad and fruitful experience in the United l-Jq~ions, represented Iraq in the Jinal months of 1958 and gave signal proof of a high spirit of co-operation. MI'. Jarring of Sweden eloquently demonstrated that he is a great statcsman cndowed with ail the qualities which are a distinctive mark of Scandinavian culture and character. Ml'. Araùjo was a worthy and able spokesman in this Council for the democratic ideals of Colombia, a country to which we are bound by history, friendship and ideological affinity. humme caractérisent 2\1:. l'idéal rattachent 13. The delegation of Panama extends a most cordial welcome to the new members of the Council: to yourself, Ml'. President, as representative of Tunisia; to Mr. Amadeo, as representative of Argentina, and to MI'. Ortona of Italy, worthy representatives of peoples jusUy proud of their heritage of glorious civilizations. In welcoming you, 1 earnestly wish you success in your new and difficult task. 14. As a Latin Ameïican, 1 may perhaps l'l'fer with particular and sincere pleasure to Argentina's election to the Security Council. Panama has indissoluble and continually renewed bonds of friendship with Argentina, a country which, as its distinguished President, Ml'. Frondizi, said yesterday, shares the aspirations of the peoples of Latin America through its faith in the individual, in freedom, in law and in democracy. 15. We have only praise for the Argentine people, so ably represented in this Council by my friend, MI'. Amadeo. We may aIl be sure that his action in the Security Council will be guided by the principles of the Charter and by his adherence to the lofty ideals of man, for the Argentine people has a vigorous and unconquerable democratic tradition and the courage to take bold, constructive and fruitful action.

Before commenting on the issue which is bflfore us today, 1 would like to take just one moment of the Council's 17. We have just had the great honour of meeting the Chief of State of the Argentine Republic, President Frondizi. He has made a deep Impression on us aH, and on my fellow cïtiziens in the United States in particular. He is abl)' represented here by Ml'. Amadeo, whom 1 am very g!ad ta welcome as a colleague in the Security Council. 18. The represèntative of Ualy comes to the United Nations after serving his country with distinction in Washington. 1 therefore welcomc :\11'. Ortona as a new colleague here who has many friend::. in the United States. 19. You, Ml'. Presid"nt, the representative of Tunisia, are an old and valued colleague, whorn r welcome to a new position. 1 lOOK 10rward to this new association with one who has made such .1 respected record at the United Nations.

;\1[1'. President, 1 am glad of this oppl)rtunity to join in welcoming to this Council table three new countries, one of which, Sir, is your own. We have long-standing ties of friendship with allchese countries - Argentina, Ita[y and. Tunisia - and we are certain that they will make a notable contribution to the work of the Council. 1 should like to ~ongratulate the representatives of Argentina, Italy and Tunisia upon their election and to say how very much my delegation looks forward to cû-operating with them in furthering the peaceful purposes in which we are united. 21. MI'. TSIANG (China): My delegation wishes to join the other members of the Council who have extended greetings to the delegations of Argentina, Italy and Tunisia, who today for the first time take their seats in this Council. You, :VII'. President, Ml'. Amadeo of Argentina and Ml'. Ortona of Italy have aIl had distinguished careers and you have already rendered great services inside and outside the United Nations to the cause of peace and freedom in this world. Your joining us in this body, 1 am sure, will greatly contribute to the work of this Council. 22. :\Ir. GEOHGES-PICOT (France) (lranslaled [rom French): May 1 in turn paya tribute to the outgoing members of the Council, the represent3.tives of Colombia, Iraq and Sweden, and congratulate them on the valuablc contribution they have made to the Council's work. 23. We are also glad ta associa te ourselves with the words of welcome ta the new members, the representatives of Argentina, Ital y and Tunisia. The close and long-standing bonds of friendship between France and these three countries enhance my delegation's pleasure at seeing them as members of the Security Council, wheIc their experience will he of the greatest value. 25. May 1 at the same time express the gratifIcation of my delegation at the close co-operation we have had with the representatives of Colombia, Iraq and Sweden during the past year. 26. ML ARKADEV (Union of Soviet Socialist Repuh· lics) (translated trom Russian): May 1 take this opportunity, at the first meeting of the Security Council in 1959, to note the excellent spirit of co-operation displayed during the period which has just ended by the outgoing members cf the Council: the representative of Iraq, Ml'. Jawad, the representative of Sweden, MI'. Jarring, and the l'epresentative of Colombia, MI'. AraiIjo. 27. At the same time, 1 should like to we!come you, Sir, as the representative of Tunisia and as our President, and as sincerely to wekome the new members of the Council, the representative of Argentina, MI'. Amt.deo, and the representative of It[lly, MI'. Ortona. 1 would express the hope, and ine. :d the conviction, that the participation of these countries in the work of the Council will prove fruitful and will be of assistance in carrying out the tasks entrusted to the Council by the United Nations Charter. 28. MI'. AMADEO (Argentina) (transt(lted trom Spanish): May l, first of aIl, on behalf of my country and on my own behalf, thank you, MI'. President, for the warm words of welcome which you extended to my country on the occasion of its entry to this Council. 1 should like also to thank aIl the members of the Council who have unanimously joined in that warm welcome. 1 should lilœ to take this opportullity to assure my friend, the representative of Panama, that it will be a great pleasure to share with him the honour of speaking for the Latin American peoples in this Council. 29. My country is fully conscious of the responsibilities incumbent upon it as a member of the Security Council in view of the paramount importance assigned to that body by the United Nations Charter and its supreme task of safeguarding world peace. It is with the intention of faithfully carrying out the purposes of the Charter as they relate to the objectives of the Security Council that we begin our work here. 1 should simply like to repeat what was said during the thirteenth session of the General Assembly because it SUffiS up the spirit in which the Argentine delegation has assumed its seat in this Council: .. We shall support any effort, any possibility, however tenuous, to ease international tensions and to secure for the peoples of the world the peace and security for which they yearn." 30. MI'. üRTONA (ltaly): May 1 first of aIl thank you very much, on behalf of my Government and myself, personally, for the kind words with which you have welcomed my country in this Council. 1 have also been deeply touched by the greetings which have been i~ a special privilege that my appointment as permanent represenLativè of Italy ta th,~ United Nations should nearly coincide with the election of my country to the Secur;ty Council. 31. v.,'e are deeply conscious th~tt snch partic.ipation entails a serious responsibility. The Charter has entrusted to the Council a ta~k of primary importance for the maintenance of international peace and security in a c!imate of justice and preservation of humall rights. The persistence of tensions in preseJ.t international relations stresses even mûrê the responsibilities connected with this important task. The new scientific discoveries, while opening the road ta enormaus possibilities for the improvement of the conditions of life of mankind, have ms.de available weapons which may lead to its ultimate destruction. More than ever it is essential, in these circumstance5, that ail States settle their disputes by peaceful means. The Security Council should and can in our opinion give the lead and the example towards the ::tttainment of such peaceful settlements. 32. Needless to say, during its tenure of office Italy will do its utmost to support the authority of the Council, with the object of promoting - as it has endeavoured to do since its admission to membership in aIl other bodies of the United Nations - the purposes and principles of the Charter. And I look forward with keen interest to co-operating with the other dclegations represented here in the implementation of this task. Adoption of the Agenda The Palestine question: letter dated 26 January 1959 from the representative of Israel to the President of the Security Council (S/4151 and Corr. 1).

Before calling on the first speaker on my list I would draw the Council's attention to the letter from the representative of Israel to the President of the Security Council [5/4151 and Corr. 1], as weIl as to the report of the Acting Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine [S/4154 and Corr. 1]. These documents have been distributed to members of the Council. 35. On 13 December 1958 [844th meeting], the Security Council suspended its discussion of a cornplaint brought by Israel against the United Arab Rep1lblic concerning the incidents of 3 December. The Secretary-General has recalled that the maintenance of t.he cease-fire was the essence of the Armistice and that its violation carried with it the risk of a chain l'l'action involving steadily increasing ri:.;ks. After a decJaration by the United States that .. it is appropriate for the Council to address itself to these matters" [84.Jlh meeting, para. 9] a detailed discussion ensueu. In summarizing this debate, the President of the Security Council declared: .. We fully reeognlze the gravity of the action about which Israel has complained." [Ibid., para. 107.] The President went on to .. exrress the hopf. tllat the incidents of which we have now heard are of on isolated nature" and .. that the parties will do everything in their power to prevent recurrences, which would tend to create 1 new tensions in the Middle East." [Ibid., para. 109.} 1 36. It 1S now my duty to lnform the Scc:urity CouDcil that these hopes have not been fulfilled. On nurnerous occasions since the last meeting of the Security Council, farmers and shepherds in northern Gaiilee have been assailed by Syrian armed forces. On 23 January 1959 an attack by Syrian armed forces on Israeli shepherds working on Israel soil ended in fatal results, This is the third occasion within a few weeks on which a Syrian assault has had fatal consequences. The attacks themselves, however, have been of more constant occurrence. During the period covered by the complaint of 4 December 1958 [5/4123] and the present complaint, Israel has submitted 253 complaints to the Mixed Armistice Commission about penetrations by Syrian forces, twenty-two cornplaints of firing and 229 less serious complaints. There has been a far smaller number of Syrian cornplaints. 37. 1 invite the Security Council to consider the list of main events which have taken place on this frontier since 1 last addressed the Security Council in December 1958: (1) On 9 January a shepherd was attacked by Syrian fire in the Ma'ayan Barukh area. (2) On 12 January at approximatf'ly 1130 hours (local time) a unit of United Arab Republic (Syrian) soldiers penetrated about 200 metres into Israel and opened machine-gun fire on shepherds and their flocks near t.he village of Shamir. Following this attack the Syrian unit withdrew to Syrian territory. No fire was returned. (3) On 13 JanU"1ry Syrians opened fire on an Israel fisherman in the north-east corner of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), who came to retrieve his fishing nets. An Israel police boat which approached the spot was also subjected to Syrian fire. Fire was returned by 1 (7) On 15 January al 20JO hours (local lime) machinegun flre was again opcllL'd on Israel lishermen by Syrians from the direction of :\Ioussadiyé village. Fire \vas returned. 3'8.'" Since the incident of 23 January lhere have been two further incidents which illustrate the continuing character of these Syrian violations. On 26 January Syrian bullets pierced the wnter-pipes at Shamir. On 27 January machine-gun and rifle flr;~ was opened on shepherds grazing their flocks near Gonen, 200 metres inside Israel territory. 39. Ali these incidents occurred outside the demilitarized zone. Following each of them Israel lodged a complaint with the Mixed Armistice Commission. 40. The attack on the shepherds near Ma'ale Habashan on 23 January is thus Ilot an isolated incident. It is a climax, not a beginning. As a l'l'suit of Israel's cornplaint to the Mixed Armistice Commission, a full report of the incident lies before the Security Council [5(4154 and Gorr. 1]. This report makes it clear that the mortal attack came from .. shots fired from Syrian territory". The body was found in Israel territory where the entire engagement took place. The scelle of the assault lies outside the demilitarized zone and in a place where the frontier is clearly marked. Firing from the Syrian side into Israel territory continued weil after the original assault. There is evidence of this in paragraphs 13 and 14 of the report. It is noteworthy that while the Syrian authorities sought to l'vade responsibility by inventing a charge of prior Israel shooting, they prudently sought to avoid any investigation by the :\lixed Armistice Commission. The fact is that the whole engagement was initiated and maintained by Syrian forces and that no shots were fired by Israel at any stage. 41. :'vry Government cannot avoid the impression that the Syrian forces, which maintain machine-gun and artiIlery positions right up to the fr')ntier, are 42. TIll' :\1ixed Armistice Commission has carried out its function in investigating the complaint and determining the faets. The fact that it has done so t.hrough the present report rather than by endorsing a severely worded e.r parte l'l'solution by one of the complainants is not material. The Commission's competence extends to the important dutY of attesting the faets. There have been long periods of tranquillity during the past years when the procedural position of the Armistice has been precisely as it is taclay. lt would be quite wrong, therefore, ta believe that the present trouble arises from procedural causes. The issue is essentially noL of procedure, but of policy. What we bring ta the attention of the Security Council is the general situation of which the report is a symptom. 1 l'l'fer ta the situation created by the policy of Syrian forces III apparently regarding themselves as immune from the cease-tire provisions of the Armistice Agreement. 43. What is needed is no longer, therefore, a clarification of technical faets, but an impact of international opinion to prevent a further deterioration of the situation. For there are only three alternatives once a complaint on a attack has been made ta the Mixed Armistice Commission and the United Nations Truel' Supervision Organiz?iion has reported on it. One alternative is to sufTer the l'l'petition of such attacks. This is clearly inconceivable. Another is to withstand such aggression by direct action in self-riefence. This could be efTectively done, but it is surely desirabie on the broadest international grounds to sel' this as a last, and not as a first, l'l'sort. The third alternative is to seek the aid of the organ on which the Members of the United Nations have conferred responsibility for international security, in the hope that its Members will exercise their influence in support of th~ cease-fire provisions of the General Armistice Agreement. Thl' Israel forces have been operating under instructions not to open fire unless they are fired at. Can anyone reading this United Nations Truel' Supervision Orga- 44. lt ha!> bel'n reported that the United Arab Republic does not hoId thi" to be a mattez' wcrthy of consideration by the Security Council. A moment's reflection or analysis should sutfice to refute any such view. ln the first place the Security Council is already seized of this problem. the gravity of which its Presidpnt acknowledged on 1;) December [SUUl meeting]. In the second place Article 3-1 of the Charter envisages the discussion by the Sl'curity Council of " ... any dispute. or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order tn determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likl'1y to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security ", and Article 33 confers upon each ~Iember State the right ta bring such maLters to the Security Council. To say that the c'1ntinuation of this constant liring by Syrian forces into brael territory is .. likely ta endanger international peace and security" is surely to state an axiom lying b~yond any lleed of proof. The Council therefore will not Iind it ditlicult to reject the contention that it ought ta wait until aggressions with small casualties have had time ta become aggressions with large casualties or ta develop into a series of chain reactions. To deny the preventive element ln the responsibility of the Security Council would be an injury both to Middle Eastern peace and to the utility and prestige of the United Nations system. The Security Council in all responsibility and humanity will surely llnd satisfaction in having the opportunity to consider such ,events while they are still under a measure of emotional contro\. 45. l\Iy Government has previously drawn attention to the danger arising from tbe Syrian artillery bombardment of Israel villages. We hope th"t our submission ta the Security Council has had some effect. But a danger hardly less acute arises from the fact that Syrian posts neal' the Israel frontier do not have a policy consistent with the cease-fire provisions of the General :\rmistice Agreement and of the Charter. We therefore seek ta engage the attention and responsibilitv of the Securitv Council to the end that th~ ceas~-llre be restored as an injunction rigorously binding on the Syrian forces. 46. There are, of course, mallY intricate problems which have theil' scene on the Syrian-Israel frontier. Some of these arise from the unexpected fact that after ten years of duration the armistice has not been developed into permanent peace. When a provisional structure endures beyond the time for which it was 47. Mf. LOl'TFI (United Arab Hepublic) (trans/aled Irom French): We are called upon today, at the request of the representative of Israel, to acquaint ourselves with the circumstances surrounding an incident which tool, place near the demarcation line and in which an unfortunate shepherd was killed. This incident was the subject of a complaint which was submitted to the Security Council on 26 January [Sin51 and Corr. 1] and which reqllested a special meeting of the Security Council to l'OBsider the matter. 1 must confessl.hat the word .. special" is new ta me. l wonder whether it means an l'mergency meeting of the Council. At ail events the Council did not consider that there was any urgellcy about this request for a meeting, as the letter from the representative of Israel would seem to imply. 48. We are faced \vith an incident which is simply one of the kind which occur along frontiers and are usually called frontier incidents. lt is an incident of a local nature which, in our view, is far from justifying a special meeting of the Security Council. lt is one of those cases which unquestionably come within the competence of the Mixed Armistice Commission. lt is for that Commission to take action after an investigation by the observel'S. The Security Council is not even in possession of aIl the informa-Lion which would enable it to come to a decision in the matter. 49. Israel's aim in submitting this complaint to the Security Couneil bears absolutely no relation to the provisions of the Charter or even to the practice of the Council. Israel's aim, as 1 already explained at the Council's meetings in December last, is to spread tendentious propaganda designed to distort the truth and arouse public opinion either for l'casons of domestic poli~y of concern only to Israel or for financial reasons, as certain newspapers and radio broadcasts have stated. 50. We bdieve that Israel's behaviour can only damage the Council's prestige, and 1leave it to members to judge that behaviour for what it is worth. To use the Security Council for propaganda purposes, for objectives outside the pur':iew of the United Nations, is certainly not an attitude that conforms \Vith the Charter, and, as you know, this is not the first time that Israel has emp!oyed such methods. If Israel does not change its attitude, it will ultimately frce 1 OfTicial Hecords of the Security Council, Fourlll Year, Special Supplement No. 2. 51. We consider therefore that this matter should not have been brought before the Security Council, as it is a matter for the Mixed Armistice Commission to investigate; under article VII, paragraph 7, of the General Armistice Agreement between Israel and Syria signed on 20 J uly 1949, complaints of this kind are to be referred to tht.> Armistice Commission. Paragraph 7 reads as foHows: .. Claims or complaints preser' èd by either Party relating to the application of this Agreement shaH be referrt.>d immediately to the :\Iixed Armistice Commission throllgh its Chairman. The Commission shall take such action on ail such claim~ or complaints by means of its observation and investigation machinery as it Illay deem appropriate, with a view to eqllitable and mlltually satisfactory settlement." 2 This text seems perfectly clear and needs no comment. 52. The representative of Israel has now drawn our attention to Articles 3-1 and 35 of the Charter. Under these Articles the Security Council has general jurisdiction, but it seems to me that when there exists a body which has been established by agreement between the two parties under the auspices of the Security Council, recourse should flrst be had to that body, particularly in the case of an incident of the kind submitted by the Israel delegation. 53. Furthermore, it has always been the Security Council's practice to uphold the application of the General Armistice Agreement and to give the Mixed Armistice Commission an opportunity to examine complaints of this kind. This is clear from the statements of the majority of members of the Council, particularly those made at the meeting heId on 15 December 1958, from which with your permission 1 shaH now quote. 54. The representative of the United States said, for example: .. When the Council met on 28 May 1957 to consider developments in this area, the United States pointed to the need for greater respect for the provisions of the Israel-Syrian Armistice Agreement and for greater resort to the machinery provided for by that Agreement." [844lh meeting, para. 10.1 55. The representative of Canada stated: " ... we should like ta emphasize the necessity, if peace is to be preserved, of both parties cooperating fully, in a spirit of confidence and compromise, with the international mediation machinery that is available to them, and particularly with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization." [Ibid., para. .56.] 57. The represenlaLive of t1H' Soviet l'nion said: .. 1 believe lhal lhe correct course would be for the Council lo urge both sides scrupulously to observe the Armistice Agreement and, above aIl, if any dispute should arise, to have l'l'course to the machinery establislwd under that Agreemenl." 1Ibid., para. 65.] 58. Lastly, ;\11'. Jarring, the representative of Sweden, speaking as Presidenl of the Security Council, expressed the following view: .. 1 am cerlain lhe Council agrees that incidents of the nalure we have been discussing are regrettable, but aIs') that they l'an be l'fTecLively deall \Vith by the Chief of StafT and his Organization. We fully recognizc the gravity of the action about which Israel has complained. The Council will, 1 feel confident, agree that the authority of the United Nations should be respected and that the parties should continue their co-operation with the Chief of StafT of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the spirit of the General Armistice Agreement." [Ibid., para. 107.] fj9. This statement clearly shows that the President of lhe Security Council considered that all the incidents discussed by the Council, including the artillery fire which Israel was the first to start, were regrettable, that they could be efTectively dealt with by the Chief of Staff and his Organization and, lastly, that the parties should co-operate with the Chief (Jf Staff in the spirit of the General Armistice Agreement. 60. Naturally, in stating his complaint the representative of Israel followed a practice which has unfortunately become familial' to us, and quoted only that part of the President's statement which deals with the gravity of the action about which Israel complains, while omitting the otller parts, which are equally if not more important. 61. Thus it would indeed secm that the mcmbers of the Council, in their statements at the 844th meeting, supported the view which 1 have the honour of putting before you today namely, that incidents of this kinc' should be examined by the l\Iixed Armistice Commission. Moreovcr, lhe latest incident with which Isracl's present complaint deals is really a local incidcnl of a kiml which occurs vcry frequently and which can in our view be settled only within the framework of the Armistice Agreement. 62. lt was in this spirit and in order to act in accordance with thc opinions expressed at the last meeting that my Government very recently decided to place 63. The decision takcn on 39 December 1958 reads as follows. 1'0 avoid wasting your time 1 shall l'l'ad the conclusion: .. The Egyptian-IsraeI2\tIi.l;ed Armistice Commission, .. Finds that on 20 December 1958, Israeli jet fighter aircraft crossed the international frontier and penetrated into United Arab Republic (Southern Region) air space; .. Finds lurther that the Israeli and United Arab Republie aircraft were involved in air combat over Egyptian territory; .. Decides that this hostile act is a serious violation of article fT, paragraph 2, of the General Armistice Agreement; .. CaUs upon the Israeli authorities to cease immediately such air srace violations and restrict the operations of their aircraft to areas sufficiently distant from the Armistice Demarcation Line and international frontier." 64. The second decision, taken on 13 January 1959, reads as follows: .. The Egyptian-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission, .. Finds that on 8 January 1959, Israeli jet fighter aircraft crossed the international frontier and penet.rated into United Arab Republic air space; .. Finds lurther that the Israeli and United Arab Republic aircraft were involved in air combat over Egyptian territory; .. Decides that this hostile act is a serious violation of article 1I, paragraph 2, of the General Armistice Agreement; .. Condemns Israel for such hostile action; .. CaUs upon Israeli authorities to cease immediately such hostile air violations." 65. Thus, as you will see, for these incidents which took place after the last meetings of the Security Council, Israel \Vas twice condemned. It is needless to add that Israel propaganda, before the Mixed Armistice Commission took its decision, immediately accused the United Arab Hepublic of aggression against Israel air space. Happily, the Mixed Armistice Commission took the decision it did and demollstrated to world public opinion that Israel was guilty once again. ln spite of that, we confined ourselves to discussing these incidents, whose importance is ~n no way compa- 66. We consider, as 1 have just said, that this complaint by Israel should be referred back to the Mixed Armistice Commission. There is moreover a precedent in the matter of which 1 venture to remind the Council. On 17 November 1950, the Security CouncH adopted a resolution which reads as follows: .. The S('curily Council, .. Recalling its resolution (...] wherein it (...] noted that the various Armistice Agreements provided that the execution of the Agreements would be supervised by Mixed Armistice Commissions whose chairman in each case would be the United Nations Chief of StafT of the Truce Supervision Organization or his designated representative... !' .. CaUs upon the parties to the present complaints to consent to the handling of complaints according to the procedures established in the Armistice Agreements for the handling of camplaints and the settlement of points at issue; .. Requests the Israel-Egyptian l\Hxed Armistice Commission to give urgent attention to the Egyptian complaint of expulsion of thousands of Palestine Arabs." (5/1907.] 67. It follows from this resolution, therefore, that the Security Council decided to refer consideration of the Egyptian complaint to the Mixed Armistice Commission, even though that complaint concerned a far more important problem than the local frontier incident which is the subject of Israel's complaint today. 68. 1 shaH comment briefly on the Israel complaint. The representative of Israel, in trying to give his complaint greater weight, mentioned seven incidents which, to IIJ'A.ke his case, he described as new attacks by the Unlted Arab Republic; he maintains that the intensity of these attacks increased during the fortnight prior to the incident which the Council is called upon to consider today. Israel, however, failed ta mention that the incidents so reported were not investigated by the United Nations observers, nor were they investigated by the Syrian-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission in order to verify the facts; this means that they have not been corroborated. 69. 1 couId, myself, easily produce here ~ list of complaints subrnitted by the competent authorities of the United Arüb Republic to the Mixed Armistice Commission. Such a list would, 1 believe, be somewhat lengthy: for the period from 3 to '27 January alone, it includes ninety-five complaints, twenty-one of which relate to incidents of a fairly serious nature. 1 shaH not, however, take up the Council's time by enumerating these complaints, as they are now before the Mixed Armistice Commission, which is where they should normally be, 1 might also add that if 1 had counted the complaints submitted after 15 December, 70. Israel's recourse to the Security Council today in connexion with a purely local incident is further evidence of its intention to persist in its refusai to recognize the function of the :\lixed Armistice Commission and make tne Commission's existence completely pointless. 71. The repn'sL'ntatiVL' of Israel also failed to mention that sorne of the incidents reported in his complaint ,vere connected with the illegal activities of the socalled Israel police bouts in the Defensive Area of Lake Tibcrias in violation of annex IV, section III, of the General Armistice .\greement prohibiting the presence of naval forces in the area; these activities "lere also in contravention of thè provisions of the l'l'solutions adoptecl by the :\Iixed Armistice Commission relating to the presence of such forces in the said area. 7'2. The representative of Israel let his imagination roam still further by referring to Lake Tiberias by some ne\v name. This we regard as one of a host of disturbing signs which bode no good for places that many consirler to be historic. 73. Furthermore, in his complaint, the representative of Israel uses the word .. aggression ". He qualifies as aggression an incident which no one could seriously describe as such. Any acts of aggression - armed, premeditated aggression- "lhich have been committed along the demarcation lines have been instigated by Israel. 1 do not need to recapitulate them; 1 did so at the last meeting of the Council. The most l'l'cent "las the one committed at Lake Tiberias in the same area. As is known, it resulted in the death of more than fifty persons on the Syrian side, and "las condemned by the Security Council as a violation of the General Armistice Agreement and of the Charter of the United Nations. It was an act of armed and premeditated aggression by the Government of Israel. It "las not an incident involving shepherds on the demarcation line. lt is not the forces of the United Arab Hepublic which disturb the peace in the area; it is the policy of Israel which refuses to co-operate with the (Tnitecl :\ations Truel' Supervision Organi zation. 71. :\Iay 1 also cleal very briefly with the document which has been ll'ade available to the Council for the informatioll of its n1l'mbers. 1 refer to document S;t1;")-1 and Corr. 1 containin~ the report of the Acting Chief of StafT of thr Cnited )iations Truel' Supervision Organization in Palestine on the incident of 2:3 Janllary 1959. Although, for the reasons 1 have already mentioned, 1 do not think it useful or desirable to present to the Council in cle'l our own version of the incidents concerned, or to dis~ ,:;S this report at length, 1 nevertheless consider it necessary to make a number of comments. .. 76. ConLrary La the categorical statement in the Israel com,1laint of 26 January 1959 ta the President of the Security Council that no I1re was returned from Israel territory, the report of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, which reproduces in paragraph 2 the very terms used in the Israel complaint, shows that I1re was in fact returned by the second Israeli shepherd. Paragraph 13 of Lhe report also indicates that on 23 January, at 1520 hours, "the United Nations observer who carried out the investigaLion heard from Lahavot Habashan several single shots." Lahavot Habashan was the point of departureof the Israeli herd and shepherùs. 77. The I1rst statement by the second Israel shepherd, who according ta paragraph 8 of the report was the only witness ta the incident of 23 January, appears in paragraph 9 of the report. This Iirst statement, taken on the day of the incident at approximately 1715 hours, does not indicate the direction from which the shots were fired or who Iired them. The second statement, made voluntarily by the .'lame witness on 24 January-i.e., the day after the incident-when he had had time and the opportunity to receive advice, brought sorne Syrian soldiers onto the scene of whom there has been no mention whatever in the version he had given on the previous day. This second statement which the Israel witness hastened tü make thus becomes extremely suspect. 78. As to the fact mentioned in paragraph Il of the report, that the slain Israeli shepherd's Sten gun did not appear to have been fired recently, we must point out that the weapon in question was brought back to Lahavot Habashan by sorne Israelis, and it has not been established that this was the weapon used by the victim when he was alive. 79. ;\10reover, paragraph 12 of the report shows that the investigation made on the Israel side produced no physical evidence such as indications of bullet strikes on rocks, or empty casings. 80. The unwarranted assertion in the Israel complaint that machine-gun fire from a Syrian military position had interfered with the search for the dead shepherd should be considered in the light of the faet that numerous shots were continuously being I1red from ail directions until approximately 1600 hours and that in the circumstances it is difficult to assert with the assurance of the Israel complaint that the shots came from a machine-gun or a sub-machine-gun fired from a Syrian military position. 81. Nothing in the statements of the Israel witness or in the report indicates that the death of the Israeli shepherd from Lahavot Habashan was a wilful murder or that it was caused by the armed forces of the United 82. These Lew comments on the report of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organizatiop. are far from exhaustive, but they clearly show that the Israel complaint which the Security Council is called upon ta examine today is not at aIl as convincing as the representative of Israel would seem ta suggest. By bringing this complaint directIy before the Security Council, which is the highest United Nations authority, and by passing the machinery provided under the General Armistice Agreement for examining and disposing of camplaints of this nature, the Israel leaders apparently wish ta produce a dramatic effect and ta add passion ta their propaganda by exploiting this kind of incident ta the full. Fortunately the facts will in the end reveai their intentions ta the world. 83. Obviously the loss of precious lives, which is always ta be deplored regardless of its immediate or remote causes, could ta a large extent be avoided if the Armistice \.greement were applied. We believe there is very li. tIe chance of reducih~ the number of these incidents if the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is unable ta obtain Israel's co-operation and ta ensure compliance with the prt visions of the Armistice Agreement. 84. My delegation, as 1 stated here on 15 December last [8441h meeting], will certainly assist and co-operate with the Truce Supervision Organization and the Mixed Armistice Commission as in the pasto We believe this to be the only way to reduce local incidents of this kind on the demarcation lines to a minimum and to ease the tension referred to by the Chief of Staff in his report of 5 December 1958 [8/4124]. There is, however, one condition: Israel must change its attitude and agree to co-operate with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organizativn.

Having listened to the statements just made hy the representatives of Israel and the United Arab Republic and having studied the documents which are before the Council, 1 should like ta make the following bricf remarks. 86. lt is only sorne six weeks since the Security Council last considered the situation on the Israel-Syria border as a result of a serious incident there which involved substantial artillery exchanges. At that meeting [8441h meeting] the Secretary-General gave it as his firm view that no military action of any kind in contravention of the cease-fire clauses of the General Armistice Agreement was justified except in the most obvious self-defence. This view was strongly supported by the United Kingdom and by other members of the ventions 87. As to this !atest incident, we have in document S{4154 a summary report from the Acting Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. lt is difficult, 1think, for the Security Council on the basis of this report to furm a .i~ldgement on the incident. It appears that there is no witness on the Israel side who can testify to the precise circumstances in which the shepherd was kiHed. What, however, can be said on the basis of this report is that an Israeli shepherd was shot dead on Israel territory and that there can be no reasonable doubt that he was shot by either a Syrian soldier or a Syrian civilian. 88. It seems to me that the first essential, if matters are to be improved, is that there should be strong and unequivocal instructions from the military authorities in both countries to their milital'y and para-military personnel in the border areas not to open tire unless they are tired at. The representative of Israel has told us that Israel's forces have orders in this sense. 1 am sure the Council would welcome an assurance from the representative of the United Arab Republic that similar instructions have been issued or will be issued without delay ta the military posts on the Syrian side of the border. 89. The Security Council has, of course, a special responsibility in connexion with the situation on the borders between Israel and its Arab neighbours, and the members of the Council wil! always follow events there with close attention. The basis for tranquillity on these borders must he strict respect for the General Armistice Agreements, and it is the first responsibility of the Governments concerned to adhere faithfully to these Agreements. 1 certainly do not wish ta question the right of the Government of Israel ta come to the Security Council when in its opinion the general situation along any particular border has become so serious that this course is essential. But, on the other hand, we must not overlook the machinery on the spot which has been established by the Uniteu Nations to supervise the working of the Armistice Agreements and to deal with incidents locally. It is, 1 think, to be regretted that the parties do not find it possible ta make the machinery provided by the Mixed Armistice Commission work more effectively. It is our hope that efforts may be made on bo~'_ sides ta ensure that it does so. 90. ML LODGE (United States of America): The United States regrets that, for the second time in the short space of eight weeks, the Security Council confronts a complaint about incidents occurring along the Israel-Syrian border. We are especially sorry that this most recent incident resulted in loss of life. Partly because full l'l'sort has not been had to the competent 91. First it is appan'Ilt that greater modl'ration und restraint are necessary along the border. Strict orders should be giwn, for example, ta the military com- IIH\llllers on both siùl's tu prohibit ail Iiring except in l'aSl'S of ohyious self-ddt'nce, and llH'asures should be taken to assul'l' ~hat thl'sl' orders an' l'arried out. l'Ill' l l nitl'd States urges that the partil's undertake to do lhis. 92. Secondly, it is fitting to comment on tht' procedure for dealing with complainls such as the one now pending. Clearly, uny country has tlH' right to bring a complainl ta thl' SCl'urily Council at any tirrH'. As 1 said on 15 lkl'embcr: ..... we are gratifil'd lhat when the :\lixed Armistice Commission was unable to funclion, l'l'course was had to the Security Council ruthcr than to further military action." [8.J-Ilh meeting, para. 13.] 93. But in the present l'ase specifie United ~ations machinerv has been established in the area and is both available' and l'ully competent to deal with just such rnatters. Under such circurnstances the United States cannot agree that l'l'course is properly sought in the Security Council in the first instance. The United States believes that with proper use of the United Nations machinery which exists in the area most such cases could be decided there. 94. Moreover, a detailed exarnination of these complaints by the United Nations agencies on the spot, including a meeting of the ;vIixed Armistice Commission, l'ven if it did not succeed in solving the particular prob!em, w0uld undeniably place the Council in a rnuch better position to form a judgement on the merits of the case and to deal with it efIectively. Departure l'rom this important principle tends ta establish a precedent which could lead to progressive atrophy of the local United Nations machinery. This could have grave consequences for the maintenance of peace and stability. 95. The parties to any of these unfOltunate incidents could hest show their good faith and respect for the authority and assistance of the United Nations by propel' l'l'sort to the :\Iixed Armistice Commission and full co-operation with the United Nations Truel' Supervision Organization, both in the nrl'a involved herc, as \vell as else\vhere along the dl'marcation lines. 96. Those concerned l'an only expect the United Nations to be able to grant the fullest measure of protection to their interest if they participate in good faith in the work of the organs established by them and supported by the United Nations for the express purpose of maintaining peace. 98. We have carefully studied the report of the Acting Chief of StaIT of the United ;,rations l'ruce Supervision Organization in Palestine on the incident of 23 January 1959 [S/l/:H and C~rr. 11. The report does not seem to establish the merits of the two versions on the issue. My delegation, however, should like to express its conccrn and regret over the recurrence of incidents of a similal' nature on the demarcation line. The ultimate cause of t'lese incidents can be attributed ta the tense situation existing b<.ltween the two parties concerned. 99, 1'0 l'l'duce tension and to promot~ tl1~ return of permanent peace in the region, it i'i e·;)enti:ll, in our view, that ill the first place the provi'iions of the General Armistice Agreement be respeded in goùd faith between the parties concerned. It might he f sorne advantage to recall the resolution of Il August L919 [SI1367] in which the Security Council .. Heaffirms [. . .] the order contained in jts l'l'SOlution of 15 July 1948 to the Government~ [. .] concerned, pursuant to Article 40 of the Charter of the United Nations, to observe an unconditional cease-fire [...] relies upon the parties to l'usure the continued application and observance" of the Armistice Agreements.3 100. 1 may say also that the provisions of article II l, paragraphs 2 and 3, article IV, paragraph 3, and article V, paragraph 4 of the General Armistice Agrt-ement between Israel and Syria are of particular importance and form the basis of the Agreement. 101. In the second place, may 1 say that the parties to any dispute may find practical advantage if they first of ail seek a solution by negotiations or by l'l'course to regional agencies or arrangements or by other peacefui means of their own choice. This is one of the fundamental principles recommended by the Charter, as we understand it. We feel that there may be sorne benefit if the Security Council should aet as a final l'l'sort on the oasis of full knowledge of aH the information available and of the merit of this information. 102. We feel, therefore, that the :\lixed Armistice Commission set up by the General Armistice Agreement should not be left paralysed. We feel especially so because the incidents on the demarcation line in particular seem to be under the jurisdiction of the Mixed Armistice Commission. In our view, the provisions of the General Armistice Agreement - for example, article III, paragraph 3 and article VII, paragraph lare rather clear on this issue. 103. In the third place, 1 should like to say that if the injunction of the Security Couneil against l'l'sort to military force is not respected or is rendered ina OITicial Records o[ the Security Council, Fourth l'car, No. 37, p. :~. 104. Mi". GEOHGES-PICOT (France) (/ransfa/rd jl'om French): Once again in less than two months the Security Council has before it a complaint submitted by the Government of Israel in connexion with l'vents on the Syrian frontier. In the interval, Isral'1 has complai'1ed seven times to the Mixed Armistice Commission about similar occurrences in which happily no lives were lost. 105. According to the version of the incident of 23 January given by the report of the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. the Israeli shepherd was .. mortally wounded by a shot or shots fired from Syrian territory [5{4154, para. 4]. Although the circumstances surrounding the incident have not been made entirely clear, the report nevertheless shows that there were Syrian soldiers in the vinicity. However, it is not on the incident itself - regrettable though it is since it resulted in the death of a man - that 1 think we should dwell. These l'vents considered in isolation would not cop..stitute a threat to peace and security and shoulrl normally be dealt with on the spot. Ii is their increasingly frequent recurrence in the same f..ea which must give rise to deep concern. It creates an atmosphere of constant tension and a feeling of insecurity which in turn lead to further incidents, and we know that l'ven minor incidents are always likely ta deteriorate into serious ones or l'ven into veritable acts of war. 106. At our meeting on 15 December [844th meeting] the Secretary-General used the expression .. chain l'l'action" to describe this situation. That is precisely the danger, and 1 wish to express my Government's deep anxiety on the subject. 107. Towards the end of the same meeting, the President of the Security CounciI, summing up the debate, stressed the need to break the present trend and solicit the full support [of the authorities of Israel and the United Arab Republic] for our efforts to attack the underlying problems which are at the source of the tension [Ibid., para. 108]. The hopes voiced at that time have not been fulfilled and the frl'sh series of ihcidents which the Council is now considering impress upon us l'ven more strongly the vital necessity of remedying the existing state of affairs. 108. We are today considering l'vents which are not due to differences of interpretation of the armistice agreements or regarding the delineation of the demar- 109. MI'. üRTONA (Italy): The l'vents which have been brought to the attention of the Security Council by the letter from the repre~entative of Israel [5/4151 and Corr. 1) deserve, in our view, careful consideration. It must be taken into account that these events follow closely upon other outbreaks of violence with which this body had to deal a few weeks ago. The resulting situation is a disturbing one which should be carefully weighed by the parties concerned. It must be noted, moreover, in this connexion, that the report of the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization submitted to the Council last month [S/4124) pointed to a substantial increase in the number of complaints lodged by Israel and the United Arab Rcpublic with respect to the same period of the prel'l'ding year. 110. The delegation of ltay has carefully considered the faets related in the Israel complaint as weil as in the report of the Acting Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization [8/4154 and Corr. 1). As members of the Council are aware, the Secretary- General has recently completed a fruitful and extensive visit to the area, and we endorse the general appraisal of the situation prevailing there that he gave upon his return. While we can infer from this appraisal of the situation that it shouid not be viewed in an unduly pessimistic way, it appears clear from the various incidents which are still occurring that the situation in the zone cannot yet be considered satisfactory or to be such as to respond to the expectations of the Council. 111. It must be borne carelUlly in mind that the occurrence of repeated and often smaU incidents may weil cause the situation to deteriorate further. There is no doubt therefore that it still l'l'quil'es consideration and most serious thought. In other words, the l'l'petition of incidents makes it necessary that the spotlight should still be kept on the zone until a l'cal amelioration takes place with a cessation of ail incidents. 112. The Italian delegation thinks that while it is the dutY of the Security Council to cali upon the parties to exercise the utmost restraint and vigilance so as to prevent the recurrence of similar incidcnts in future, the desirability should once more be emphasized of a fuller l'l'course to the machinery provided in the Armistice Agreement. Stability and peace in the area l'est essentially on a strict compliance with the provisions of the Armistice Agreement and the propel' functioning of the Mixed Armistice Commission. In saying so we do not question the right of the parties concerned to appeal to the Security Council when they L 113. 'l'Ill' report of the Acting Chief of StalT confirms that Lhe incident of 23 January can be considered in itseif a minaI' UIll', although tlll'rt' has been a los5 of life which Wt' cl'rtainly regret. But we rt'alizl' on tlll' other hand that this inddl'nt is not isolated and follows some other similar occurrences ail of which, fortunatl'1y, we!'l' rather circumscribed. We think, however, that such occurrences could be prevl'nt.ed in the future by the exercise of due cart" and we alsn feel thal mol'l' strict instructions rnight bl' given by both parties ta tJll'ir l'l'slll'ctive police and arrned Llrces in the area sa as to avoid further violation of the Armistice Agreement. Furthermore, civilian activilies in ihe an'a should also be taken into account, because as past experit'nce has demonstrated they n'present a potential source of difliculties, and consequcntly should be kept under continuous vigilance to tilt' utmost possible extent by the local authorities. 11·1. As pointed out before, the situation refern'd to this Counci! cannot be viewed without concern, since the continuation of such acts of violence may lead to a general reaction of which the ultimate result could be a further deterioration of the situation. We certainly and earnestly hope, therefnre, that al! the parties concerned, bearing in mind such potential dangers, will do their utmost to aet in conformity with the spirit of the provisions of the Armistice Agreement. 115. Ml'. ARKADEV (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated Iram Russian): AIter studying the documents submitted for consideration by the Security Council :..nd aIter hearing t.he statements of both sides. that is, Israel and the L,nited Arab Hepublic, the Soviet delegation feels it necessary to make a few comrnents on the question under discussion. 116. First of ail, may 1 remind you that sorne weeks ago, in the middle of Decernber last year, the Security Council was forccd to hold several meetings to consider a similar complaint by Israel. At that time, a number of members of the Council pointed out that lhere was no foundation for Israel's appeal to the Council and stressed the need for the parlies ta the con flicl strictly to observe thr Armist.ice Agn'l'ment and ln use the machinery provided for in lhat Agrcemenl whenever any border incidents occurred. Now the Governmrnt of Israel is appealing once ..lOre to the Security Council and, it must be said, disn'garding once again the procedure laid down in tilt' Armistice Agreement. In his statement, moreovcr, the l'Cpresentative of Israel, without explaining why his Government continues to boycott the Mixed Armislice Commission, manifestly tried to exaggcrate the issue and to place ail the responsibility for border incidents on the United Arab Republic. However, if we take the 117. Hépublique convaincante, des sentant de a la faits de 117. ln his statementthe representative of the United Arah Hepublic, in our opinion, quite convincingly demonstrated the groundlessness of the accusations contained in the Israel representaLive's letter to the Pn'sident of the Council and in his statelllent at this Illel'ling. More partieularly, the repn'Sl'ntative of th..' Unill'd Arab Hepublic gave the CouIlcil sorne important additional faets relating to border violations by the Israel Air Force. 118. également sentant que Nations et prévue peut s'est arabes, ne trations soumis d'armistice temps à 1959) blique d'armistice. sorte 118. Wc eonsider that the Security Council should also take note of the staleml'llt by LIll' represl'ntative of L11l' llnited Arab Hepublic that his Governml'nt co-operates with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and adheres strictly to the procedure for settling disputes provided for in the Armistice Agreement. In particular, wc cannot l'ail to note that, in those cases where Israel was the initiatOI' of provocative activity on !leI' borders \Vith the Arab States, the Government of the United Arab Hepublic did not use the incidents for propaganda purposes in the Security Council but submitted its complaints for consideration by the EgypUan-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission. As is weil known, only recenUy the Commission twice (29 December 1958 and 13 January 1959) condemned Israel for hostile acts against the United Arab Republic, in violation of the Armistice Agreement. Il called upon Israel to ensure that there was no l'l'petition of such acts. 1Hl. From ail this we are forced to conclude that in appealing to the Security Council, Israel is not guided by the desire to help to give full elTect to the Armistice Agreement, but is pursuing otIler ends, and in particular, that it is seeking to divert attention l'rom its own violations of the Agreement and thus to justify its unwillingness to co-operate with the Arab countries within the framework laid down by the Armistice Agreenwnt. 119. en du la il propres son cadre 120. In the opinion of the Soviet delegation, the Security Council should recommend both sides to refrain l'rom any action which might lead ta border incidents and conflicts and indicate to the Government of Israel the necd to abide strictly by the provisions of the Armistice Agreement. 120. dl' de conflits tion respecter d'armistice. 121. Ml'. HALSTEAD (Canada): The Canadian delegation is chagrined ta find that within such a short time since the Security Council last met to consider a serious incident on the border between Syria and 121. La intervalle le 122. 1recall that the President of the Security Council, when we last met, made a statement exhorting the parties ta prevent recurrences of suell incidt'nts. He said, if 1 might quote him once more: .. The Council will, 1 feel confident, agree that the authority of the United Nations should be respected and that the parties should continue their co-operation with the Chief of Staf1' of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the spirit of the General Armistice Agreement." [8441h meeting, para. 107.] 123. He went on to say: .. I venture to express the hope that the incidents of which we have now heard are of an isolated nature. 1 am convinced that the parties will do e'verything in their power to prevent recurrences, which would tend to create new tensions in the Middle East." [Ibid., para. 109.] 124. This exhortation has apparently not been heeded, and this is a matter of the deepest disappointment to my delegation. 125. On the other hand, it is encouraging ta note that a greater measure of restraint was shawn on tbis latest occasion than in the incident of 3 December 1958 which the Council had ta consider at its previous meeting. On this latest occasion the incident was fortunately not allowed ta develop ta dangerous proportions. We hope that this restraint indicates a determination on the part of both parties ta improve their relations along the border that divides them. We also hope that the talks which the Secretary- General was able to have during his recent visit to the area have served to strengthen, and will continue to strengthen, what we trust to be a general disposition not to let matters worsen. 136. We have studied the report of the Acting Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization [5/4154 and Corr. 1]. According ta this report, it appears to be agreed that an Israeli shepherd was mortally wounded by a shot or shots fired from Syrian territory while he was in the vicinity of the armistice demarcation line. Beyond that, however, it hardly seems possible, on the basis of the evidence in the report before us, to reach any definitive conclusions on the rights and wrongs of the incident. 127. My delegation does not take this incident lightly. We also would not wish ta sel' the Security Council shirk its proper responsibilities for peace and security in the region and would regard most seriously any disposition on the part of either party in the future to take matters into their own hands. However, we are not dealing here with just an isolated incident. We are dealing with a situation of heightened tension and • 26 1~8. In the view of my delegation, an essential clement of further efforts in this direction is full utilization of all aspects of the existing United Nations machinery. While we realize that each of the parties represented on the Mixed Armistice Commission may abject to certain aspects of the attitude towards that Commission shown in the past by the other party, we nevertheless consider that it is the dutY of both, and indeed that it is to the advantage of both, to meet together in the forum so provided. Without such participation and without the tireless efforts of both parties to continue to try to reach mutaal accommodations, it will not be possible to eliminate sorne of the fears and misunderstandings that have contributed to the recent incidents. 128. que pour qu'offrent en à telle partie pas des fourni. inlassable un des les 129. It is our view that the Security Council's own consideration of such complaints, when that is found necessary, is also likely to be rendered more fruitful if preliminary recourse to the Mixed Armistice Commission machinery has clarified those points on which further action by the United Nations might be effective. 129. de celle les si mixte au pourrait 130. dant d'un un aujourd'hui. de Nations 130. MI'. TSIANG (China): ln the course of the years the Security Council has had to deal with a large number of items, often similar to the one before us today. ln all such cases my delegation has usually relied on the reports of the United Nations Truce Supervision Orgâuization. We have had to do that for the simple reason that my delegation - in fact, my Government - has no other direct source of information about incidents along the frontiers in Palestine. In the present instance, it is unfortunate that, although we have the report before us (S/4154 and Corr. 1], it is not conclusive. Therefore, my remarks will have to be more guarded and briefer than usuai. ~ous délégation n'a qui de un il nécessairement coutume. 131. 1 should like to say first of all that my delegation deplores this incident of 23 January. We deplore it first of all because it involved loss of life. Though the circumstances are not clear, it is an established fact that an Israeli shepherd was killed on 23 January, and killed by fire from across the frontier. We deplore this incident because of this loss of life; and, secondly, we deplore this incident because of the possible chain reaction which might follow. To me this phrase "chain reaction ", used by several speakers here this afternoon, is not an empty phrase. The atmosphere in Palestine is too tense. expression orateurs tendue. .. The whole country [that is, Israel] is virtually a frontier. Nowhere do men live and work far from the presence of hostile guns. If shepherds peacefully grazing their flocks can be killed by foreign forces from across the frontier, it af1'ects the sense of physical security oi the entire nation. No Government can accept a situation in which the machine-gun posts of a foreign country are free to kill its cit\zens and to surround peaceful work on its territory with constant danger. The Government of Israel really cannot accept that position." [para. .JI above.] 133. The life which the people of Israel have to live is such that incidents of the type with which we are dealing may have graver consequences than in other countries where circumstances are different. Therefore, 1 feel that the Security Council cannot dismiss this incident as a small, trivial border incident. 134. Then there is another point that 1 should like to make. MI'. Eban in the course of his statement used the word .. aggression". 1 think that word is used incorrectly. 1 cannot imagine that the killing of a shepherd is an action of a State or of a Government. 1 cannot imagine any Government directing an action of this type and formulating a policy on that sort of basis. Although, as 1 said, 1 confessed at the beginning of my statement that 1 do not know aIl the circumstances of this incident, 1 cannot accept any description of it as an aggression. What is it? It is the result of lack of discipline among the military, para-military, and even civilians along the frontier. It seems peculiar that in this region, even civilians go about their civilian pursuits armed. Any lack of discipline on the part of these people - sorne military, sorne para-military, sorne just ordinary civilians - any carelessness, any impulse to pull the trigger would result in an incident of this kind. 1 think 1 am correct in attributing this incident to such causes or in describing it as of such a nature. 135. Therefore, 1 join the others who have spoken before me in appealing to both parties to enforce the strictest discipline among aIl personnel bearing arms along the frontier - whether they are military, paramilitary or civilian. In such a situation, if a Government fails to enforce discipline 1 would say that it has failed in fulfilling its international obligations. That is the second point that 1 would like to make. 136. 1 have a third point to make. 1 am not sure that incidents of that kind should be brought to the .. 137. J'ai partage délégations la en prétendre inscrite son d'un queront maintenir s'efforçant tice. 137. :VII'. lLLUECA. (Panama) (translaled Irom Spanislz): 1 shall make a brief statement. The Panamanian delegation sharcs the concern expressed by other delegations concerning the incidents which are said to have taken place on the frontier between Israel and the United Arab Republic in Galilee. Without going intn the substance of the question and without presuming to draw conclusions concerning the item on our agenda, my delegation wishes to express the hope that the parties will behave with the greatest calmness and moderation and wiil make l'very effort to exhaust aIl possible avenues in order to maintain peace and tranquiIlity in the region and to ensure full compliance \Vith the Armistice Agreements. 138. ayant donne

1 cali upon the representative of Israel, who has asked to exercise his right of l'l'ply. 139. voudrais que 139. :VII'. EBAN (Israel): 1have a few brief observations at this concluding stage of today's meeting. 140. de essentielle Conseil sentants France, mort, naissance regrets. 140. The central issue which the Security Council has faced has been that of human life. It is the loss of life which stands in the centre of the issue that we have brought to the Council. The representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Canada and China have aIl expressed regret at this loss of life, and wc, of course, accept these expressions of regret with emotion and appreciation. The representative of the Soviet Union also joined ln the expression of regret, but he also noted one feature of the position which 1 think is iIIustrative of the entire situation to which we have drawn the Security Council's attention. The fact that peaceful shepherds cannot graze their flocks in the Galilee area unarmed is a vivid index of the lack of security, peace and tranquillity in this region. The Security Council and the United Nations as a whole will surely not have achieved its function in this area until people can go about these peaceful pursuits without the necessity of carrying weapons of defence. ég~lel1lent évidence illustre appe!l' en leurs frappante n'existent et se dans d'armes pacifiques. 1 constances çaient deviendraient contesterait tence 1H. 1 can assure the Council that, if our shepherds in the Galilee region did go about unarmed in t hese conditions, there would be such a toll of life in this area that nobody would deny the relevance of the issue to the responsibility of the Security Counci!. 142. incident 142. What we face is not an isolated incident, but a succession of events leading to loss of life. Week 1'13. This is the central issue which creates the tension, the l'motion and the insecurity to which Ml'. Tsiang has movingly rderred. IL is essential that it should be understood that the question of security of life stands in the centre of our preoccupation. This is not like tilt' discussion of a pontoon bridge, with which Syria occupied the Security Council for many meetings. lt is not like a discussion about non-existent trees, \Vith which another Arab Government occupied many hours of the attention of the Security Council. Il is a discussion about human life that has been lost and about the security and immunity of human life in the future. The Security Council cannot possibly address itself to a theme more worthy of its diglùty or of its prestige. 1 stress this because a great deal of attention and discussion has been devoted around this table to questions of procedure. 144. Whatever the importance of thesc questions, those of us who have watched the development of this problem over the years must reach the conclusion that its importance has been exaggerated in this discussion. It is perhaps paradoxical but true historically that the period of greatest tension on the Israel-Syrian frontier was the period when the Mixed Armistice Commission used to meet and accept these somewhat vehemently worded ex parte resolntions week after week, whereas the period of greatest relative tranquillity has until now been the period during which the CUITent procedures have been adopted by both sides - namely, th~ procedures of submission to the Mixed Armistice Commission, of investigation by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and of reference to the Security Council in such cases where isolated instances merged into a serious and cumulative trend. 145. The problem that we face is Ilot how to record the Ioss o(life, but how to prevent it. One way to prevent it, as the representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Japan, Italy and China have said, would be for strict instructions to be given to military outposts close to the frontier and for those instructions to be enforced. The fact that seven or eight Governments assemblerl here have expressed the opinion that there Ilceds to be improvement either in the character of these instructions or in their enforcement 1 think answers the question whether or not the Security Council has any l'ole to play in this discussion. 146. The Mixed Armistice Commission, composed of three junior officers, two of them from the interested parties and one from a neutral State, cannot possible generate the amount of moral influence or of impact upon governmental opinion that is, we hope, the result of such an expression of view by seven or eight or more 147. It is very doubtful whether amongst the hundreds of exhortatory or denunciatory resolutions adopted by the Mixed Armistice Commission, many of them even reach the address to which they are directed in the sense of being brought to bear at the highest and most decisive level of governmental responsibility. 147. résolutions tice, soient c'est-à-dire hautes prises. 148. Perhaps 1 can best iIIustrate this by one reference ta the address of the representative of the United Arab Republic. He spoke abûut Lake Kinneret. He complained about that designation of the Lake in the north of Israel. He complained that 1 was giving new names ta these lakes. Of course, the State of Israel has the power to name parts of its territory by any device that it wishes, but if the representative of the United Arab Republic will read a certain bf)ok name)y, the Hebrew Bible - and especially Numbers (34, 11) and Joshua (13, 27) - he will find that th~ Lake in the north of Israel has been called Lake Kinneret for 3,000 years. Lake Tiberias, after the Emperor Tiberius Gracchus, is a name given to the lake for less than 1,900 years. 148. serait-elle la et se aux d'Israël son demeurant, unie et de nord Quant l'empereur 149. Perhaps the inner truth of the problem is the refuf'll of the United Arab Republic and other Arab Governments to recognize Israel either in its historical or in its contemporary epochs of existence. But the point about Lake Kinneret or Lake Tiberias, if he would wish it so to be named, is this: that there is a whole series of Mixed Armistice Commission resoJutions on the files calling on Syria to cease interference with Israel fishing boats on Lake Kinneret, a whole collection of such resolutions. The problem arises: what is the use of another resolution calling upon Syrian forces ta do that which previous resolutions have called upon them to do? Surely, if it becomes a trend or a general practice for such firing to take place.. the proper recourse is to a body commanding greater influence than the Mixed Armistice Commisf.ion. 149. République arabes passé Mais - République la de invitant pêche collection tions, résolut~on des de de faire que 150. sur ses israélienne, recommencent 150. With relatively peaceful conditions existing on every other frontier between Israel and its Arab neighbours, after certain periods of tranquillity on this frontier itself, the sudden recrudescence of almost constant firing upon Israel civilians from the Syrian 151. Thal is why Wl' complained to 111l' Seeurity Couneil about t\1l' nrtiller\' bombardnll'nt ur Israel villag!'s in m'l'as l'al' from an;' seem' of original outbreak, and thal is why we feel lhat we haw been justiliL'd in calling the attention of the Security Counril both ta the existetH'1' of this praetiee by Syrian forces ignorillg the eease-Hre and to the ubviously grave consequences that wouId L'nSlll' from any continuation of that practice. If our frank exposition and wal1ling does bring an end to U1l'se shootings, the Security Council need have no cause tu regret that in this dispute l'l'course to it will have had a salutary efl'eet.

cal! upon the representative of the United Arab Republic, who has asked to exercise his right of l'l'ply, 153. MI'. LüllFTI (United Arab Republic) (lranslaled Irom French): 1 do not propose, at this late hour, to l'l'ply to the representative of Israel. Moreover, bis second intervention contributed nothing new. From the statements of Council members he drew somewhat persona! conclusions which do not correspond exactly with what 1 understood from these statements. 154. In any l'vent, 1 wonder whether 1 should not ask a question. The representative of Israel tells us that he came before the Security Council on each occasion because the Council had greater influence where incidents were involved. 1 should like tü ask him this question: has Israel complied with the Security Council's l'l'solutions concerning the situation on the demarcation lines? Has Israel forgotten the acts of agression WhlCh have repeatedly been condemned in this Council? 155. However, that was not my purpose in asking for the flOOL 1 wish to thank the Council members who share our views regarding the competence of the Truce Supervision Org~nization and the Mixed Armistice Commission to deal, at least in the Hrst instL-nce, with incidents such as those which arc the subject of the Israel delegation's complaint. 1 have already made known tu the Council our desire V rnaintair .he armistice agreements. 1 am also certain tht the instructions given to our troops on the dernarcation line l'ail for observance of those agreements. SALES AGENTS FOR UNITED DEPOSITAIRES DES PUBLICATIONS OHANA Univorslty Bookshop. of Ghana, P.O. GREECE·GRECE Kauffmann Baok,hcp, A....ones. GUATEMALA Socledad Econômlco-Financil'ra, 14.33, Guotemalo HAITI librairie 'tA la 111·B, Port-au-Prmoe. HONDURAS librerla Paoomeriro.a, HONG KONG-HONG-KONG The Swindon Book Kowloon. ICELAND-ISLANDE BokaYerzlun Slefusar f., Austurstraetl INDIA-lNDE Orient Longmans, dras. New Delhi Oxford Book Delhi & Calcutto. P. Varadachory INDONESIA·INDONESIE Pembongunan, Djakarta. IRAN "Gulty", 482 Fordowsi IRAQ-IRAK Mockenzie's Bookshop, IRElAND-IRLANDE SIotlanery 0ffIœ. ISRAEl Blumsteln l s Booblare:. and 4B Nochlot ITALY-lTAUE librerlo Commbùo1torlo Gino Capponi Azl>lll IslA. RolllO. JAPAN-JAPON Maruz8n Company, Nlhonboshl. Tokyo. JORDAN-JORDANIE Joooph 1. Bohous Box 66, AmlRCln. KOREAoCOREE ARGI:NTlNA·ARGENTINE Editorial Sudamerlcano, S.A., Ablna 500, Buenos Aires. AUSTRAlIA.AUSTRALIE Melbou:onc Unlvorsity Pross,369/71 Le"," dole Street, Melbourne C.l. AUSTRIA·AUTRICHE Gerold & Co., Graben 31. Wlon. 1. B. WüllerstorU. Markus Slttlkusstro"o 10, Solzburg. BElGIUM.BElGIQUE Agence ot MonogeMes do la Preete, S.A., 14-22, rue du PenH, BruxoKes. BOllVIA.BOlIVIE librorfa Sclecclones, Casilla 972, la Pœ. BRAZll·BRESll Livrarle Agir, Rua Mexico 93-0, Cabla Postal 3291, Rio de Jonoiro. BURMA·BIRMANIE Curator, Govt. Book Depot. Rangoon. CAMBODIA-CAMBODGE Entreprise khmère dt! librairie, Phnom- Penh. CANADA The Queen', Prioter, Ottawa, Ontario. CEYlON·CEYlAN Lake House Bookshop, Assac. Newspapers of Ceylon. P.O. Box 2«. Colombo. CHllE-CHILI Editorial dei Podflco. Ahumada 57, Santiago. Ubrerla Ivens. Casilla 205, Santiago. CHINA-CHINE The World Book Co.. L1d.. 99 CIoung King Road, 151 Sedian, Talpoh, Talwan. The Commerdol Preu, Ud., 211 Hanan Rd.• Shanghai. COlOMBIA.COlOMBIE Ubrerla Buchholz. llagot4. Ubrerla América, MedeDbI. Ubrerla Nacional. lido.. Ilananqvlla. COSTA RICA Imprenta y llbrerfo Treps, Aportodo 1313. San JoS§. CUBA la Casa Belga. O'Reilly 455. la Habaooo. CZECHOSlOVAKIA·TCHECOSlOVAQUlE ë..ko>lavenskY Spisovolel. N6rodnl'frldo 9. Proho 1. DI:NMARK·DANEMARK 500r Munksgoord. lId.. !'lllrregode 6. K~benhavn. le. DOMINICAN REPUBlIC- REPUBLIQUE DOMINICAl. Ubrerlo o"mmlcona. Mercedes 49. CI... dad T",jilla. ECUADOR.EQUATEUR Ubrerlo C1entlllco. Gvayoqul " Qwlto. a SALVADOR·SALVADOR Manuel Navas y Ckl., la. Â'#enkla .r 37. San Salvador. ETHIOPIA.ETHIOPIE International Press Agency, P.O. Box 120. Addi. Abobo. FlNLAND-FINLANDE Aitateeminen Kirjakauppo, 2 keekuskotu, HelsinkI. FRANCE Editions A. Pédone, 13, rue Sol!fflot, Puris (Ve). Eu~Yoo Pubns~1ng Cbongno. Seo.!. lEIlANON-UllAN Kboyot's Collego 92-94. rue BIIss, 'JBERJA J. Momotv t'amora, lUXEMBOURG Ubrairie J. Setwmn.er, MEXICO-MCXIQUE Editorial Her""". 41, México, D.f. MOROCCO-MAROC Bureau d'études industrielles, 8, Ilobal. NETHERLANDS-PAY5-IlAS N.V. Mortinus 9, '~GraVllnhage. NEW ZEALAND-NOUVElLE.ZELANDE United Nations land. C.P.O. 1011. NORWAY·NORVEGE Johon Grundt gushgl. 7A, Oslo. G~RMANY.AllEMAGNE R. Eisenschmidt. Schwontholer Strasse ~9. Fronkfurt1Main. Efwert & Meurer, Houptstrasse 101, BerlJn-Schëneberg. Alexander Horn, SpiegelgClSSe 9, Wies- b:aden. W. E. Saarbach, Gertrudenstrcme 30, Kain (1). Orders and inquiries Irom countries where soles agenis have oot yet he~n appoinfed may he sent ta: Soles and Circulation .5eclion, United Notions. New Yorle, U.S.A.; or Sales Section. United Nations Ollice, Po/ais der Notions, Geneva, Switzerland.