The United Nations Security Council was on notice from Israel today that an intensification of attacks on Israeli territory from Jordan and Lebanon obliged Israel to take “defensive measures” for the protection of its territory and population” subjected to the constant danger of murder and injury.” Israel accused Jordan, in a letter to the Security Council delivered Monday of responsibility for more than 120 attacks from Jordanian territory during the last week of December and charged that there had been 19 armed attacks from Lebanon in the last ten days.
In about 30 of the attacks from Jordanian territory, Ambassador Yosef Tekoah reported, “Israeli villages in the Jordan and Beit Shean valleys were shelled indiscriminately.” He said the attacks from Jordan territory have continued in the first days of January.
The attacks from Jordan, the Israeli envoy declared, “are part of a campaign of aggression aimed at inflicting casualties and destruction on the Israeli civilian population.” He warned that “aggression from Jordan in violation of the cease-fire cannot be tolerated. Israel must insist on strict and reciprocal observance of the cease-fire and reserves the right of self-defense against armed attacks emanating from Jordanian territory.”
LEBANESE AGGRESSION IS FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF UN CHARTER
Mr. Tekoah told the Security Council that Israel held Lebanon responsible for the abduction of a civilian watchman from Metulla and for other acts of aggression by “raiders from Lebanon.” He pointed out that “aggression from Lebanon has grown considerably in the wake of the agreement concluded on November 3, 1969 between the Government of Lebanon and terror organizations, through the mediation of the United Arab Republic Government.”
Under this agreement, he reminded the Security Council, “Lebanon permits these organizations to operate in and from its territory in flagrant violation of the cease-fire and the United Nations Charter.” He pointed out that “the Government of Israel has repeatedly called on Lebanon to realize the grave responsibility it has assumed in pursuing this policy of aggression and to desist from it.” Lebanon, however, he said, “has not modified its attitude and aggression from its territory against Israel have further increased.”
The Israeli envoy then declared that “under these circumstances, Israel is obliged to take defensive measures for the protection of its territory and its population subjected, as a result of Lebanon’s policy, to the constant danger of murder and injury.” Previously, Lebanon had complained to the Security Council against the Israeli punitive action last Friday involving the seizure of hostages at Qalla and Tal-Nahas. The Lebanese, however, did not ask for a Security Council meeting.
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