Israel filed a complaint today with the Security Council over a new series of mine-laying incidents which Israel called a “resumption” of raids.
The complaint was contained in a letter submitted by Ambassador Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative, to the president of the Security Council. Mr. Comay asked that the letter be circulated among Security Council members but did not ask for a meeting on the complaint. The letter described the incidents as “fresh instances of armed raids into Israel territory for the purpose of laying land mines on roadways.”
The letter said that on December 9, two British Mark-2 type mines were discovered and deactivated on a track in the Lachish area which had been planted within 48 hours before their discovery not far from the Jordan border. “From leaflets found in the vicinity of each mine in Arabic and crude Hebrew, it appeared that the El Fatah organization claimed to be responsible,” the letter stated. El Fatah is an Arab commando group. The letter said that the two instances were reported to and investigated by the Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission.
On December 28 a similar mine was found and deactivated on a track parallel to the Syrian border, the letter reported, adding a complaint was lodged with the Israel-Syrian Mixed Armistice Commission. The letter said U.N. military observers found footprints of one person leading from the site to the Syrian border. On December 29 another Mark-2mine was found on the same track near the site of the first mine. The letter stressed that “this type of military anti-tank mine is in regular use by the Syrian armed forces. The same type of mine was used in many previous incidents reported to the Council.
“Members of the Council are familiar with the pattern of terrorist and sabotage raids into Israel for the last two years and there can be no doubt that the danger to peace and security in the area constituted by this type of organized guerrilla activity from neighboring states into Israeli territory,” Ambassador Comay said in his letter. He stressed that the Israeli Government “takes a grave view of the resumption of these raids.”
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