Lebanon’s failure to prevent infiltration of Israel territory resulting in last week’s bus ambush near Meron where three Israelis died and nine others were wounded, was severely castigated last night by the United Nations chairman of the Israel-Lebanese Mixed Armistice Commission. The Lebanese delegate acknowledged Lebanon’s responsibility and said his country was taking strict measures to track down the killers and to prevent recurrence of such crimes.
The UN officer insisted that it was beyond denial that the attack on the bus was carried out by a specially organized group militarily trained in handling explosives, laying mines, setting up ambuscades and making use of terrain to aid and cover their activities. He called attention to the fact that the perpetrators of an earlier attack, on the settlement of Alma, were still in Lebanon and all measures taken by Lebanon to find them had proved inadequate.
The UN officer stressed the seriousness of the situation caused by this “unprecedented crime” and demanded that Lebanon take all measures to apprehend and bring to justice the culprits, and liquidate all organizations which might be behind the terrorist group.
The Lebanese delegate said he recognized the seriousness of the situation and its danger to peace and tranquility along the border. The Lebanese Government, he added was carrying out painstaking searches for the raiders and will take even stricter measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
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