FEARS FOR TALKS Israel Strikes At Lebanon Bases

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32395, 7 September 1970, Page 13

FEARS FOR TALKS Israel Strikes At Lebanon Bases

(N.Z.P.A.-Rcuter —Copyright)

BEIRUT, September 6.

Lebanon today charged that the Israeli forces which withdrew fpm Lebanese territory during the night returned this morning and were advancing towards the villages of Kafr Haman and Rashaya Fokhar in the south.

A Lebanese military spokesman said that the Israeli armoured forces, which began the attack at 6.30 a.m. were being engaged by the Lebanese artillery.

According to the spokesman two civilians were killed and the Palestine Armed Struggle Command said that 13 Arab commandos were killed in the two-day fighting in south Lebanon.

Yesterday’s attack was described as the biggest since

[the Israeli onslaught on the same area last May. The United Nations Security Council last night demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli forces which had crossed into Lebanon to strike at Arab guerrilla bases.

' The council acted in response to a Lebanese complaint that two Israeli companies, with air support, penetrated Lebanon causing

death, injuries and property damage. The Israeli Ambassador, Mr Shabtai Rosenne, said that all Israeli troops had already been withdrawn, although the Lebanese delegate, Mr Yahya Mahmassani, said he did not believe the force had been pulled out. Mr Rosenne denounced the council resolution as inequitable because, he said, it ignored the repeated attacks against Israel by Arab “terrorists” based in Lebanon. Informed sources reported widespread concern about the attacks in diplomatic quarters at the United Nations, and that the United Nations special envoy, Dr Gunnar Jarring, shared this apprehension.

Some sources said the efforts might be made to persuade Lebanon to restrain demands that Israel be condemned for the military action and that enforcement measures be applied.

Mr William Buffurp, an American delegate at the United Nations, soon to become the American Ambassador to Lebanon, expressed regret in the Security Council that the draft resolution, submitted by Spain, had been put in “in such haste” and without an adequate opportunity having been afforded to find out from an impartial source the precise situation. By passing the resolution, the council in effect declined to accept Mr Rosenne’s assurance that all the troops moved into Lebanon already had been withdrawn.

The Spanish ambassador. Mr Jaime de Pinies said the council had had previous experience of such assurances, which turned out from later evidence to be unfounded. The United States cast the only vote against the resolution.