Israel’s Policy Toward Lebanon Spelled Out; Includes Territorial Independence of Lebanon

The Israel government set forth the four principles that guide its policy toward Lebanon in a note to the United Nations Security Council today. The note was in reply to a complaint lodged by Lebanon a week ago over Israeli incursions against guerrilla bases on Lebanese territory. The four principles stated in the Israeli note are: respect for the political and territorial independence of Lebanon and non-intervention in its internal affairs; negotiations on a final peace settlement based on the present territorial boundaries; scrupulous maintenance of the cease-fire by both parties on the basis of the 1967 cease-fire agreements and reciprocity, including the unequivocal responsibility of the Lebanese government to prevent armed attacks from its territory against the territory and population of Israel; and the right of self-defense against all armed attacks by all appropriate means.