UNITED NATIONS Distr. GENERAL SECURITY S/5401 COUNC'IL 24 August 196.3 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH REPORT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ln~JCF.'RN1.NG RECENT INrIDENTS IN MID l\1E'AR 'lEE DBI.ILITARIZED Z)NE :;REA'IED BY AR'II CLE V) PARAGRAPH 5) OF TEE IEFAEL-SYRIAN GE~EPAL tr~ISTICE AGREEME~T The Secretary-General of the United Nations has the honour to circulate herewith a report dated 2.3 August 196.3 received by him from the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization relating to incidents which are the subject of the letters dated 20 and 21 August 196.3 from the .. ."~ , Acting Permanent Representative of Israel addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/5.394 and S/5.396), and of the letter dated 21 August 196.3 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/5.395). Letter dated 23 August 196.3 from the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization addressed to the SecretarY-General 1. Enclosed please find my report on matters relating to the Israel complaint contained in Security Council document S/5.394, and to the Syrian complaint contained in Security Council document S/5.395. 2. I have given primary attention to the events leading up to the incidents of 19 and 20 August 196.3. I consider it necessary however to provide a panoramic view of the situation along the Israel/Syrian armistice demarcation line against which to examine these complaints, and to advise you of measures I have taken and measures of a general character I proposed should be taken to restore tranquility in the mission area. It might be of interest to note that military observers from twelve Member States have participated in the observation and investigation processes which have made this report possible. I consider that their devotion to duty and their objectivity reflect credit on them and on the United Nations. (Signed) Odd Bull Lieutenant-General 6.3-18041 / ••• ~-~ - ------------------------ S/5401 English Page 2 Report by the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce SUpervision Organization to the Secretary=General concerning recent incidents in and near the demilitarized zone created by Art:i.cle V, paragraph 5_, of the Israel-Syrian General Armistice A~reement 1. I have the honour to report on matters relating to the letters addressed to the President of the Security Council by the Acting Permanent Representative of Israel on 20 and 21 August 1963 (S/5394 and S/5396) and by the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic on 21 August 1963 (S/5395). The report will deal with: A. The events which led up to the current tense situation, B. A description of the Almagor incident on the night of 19 August 1963 as disclosed by the investigation report, C. A description of the exchange of fire on 20 August 1963 in the vicinity of Dardara farm in the central sector of the demilitarized zone as disclosed by the investigation report, D. The subsequent developments, and E. The measures taken and proposed by the Chief oY Staff to alleviate tension and restore peace and tranquility in the mission area. A. Events leading up to the current tense situation 2. The problem concerning the use of lands in the demilitarized zone created by Article V, paragraph 5, of the Israel-Syrian General Armistice Agreement has been the cause of friction between the parties and led in the past to serious incidents (see, for instance, the report by my predecessor dated 16 February 1960, S/4270). 3. turing a meeting in Damas~us on 9 February 1961 between my predecessor and the Syrian authorities, the latter expressed their interest in a status quo regarding the use of land in the demilitarized zone. The suggestion regarding such a status quo was communicated to the Israel authorities for their consideration. Both parties have since expressed their Willingness, in principle, to have the limits regarding the use of lanCl. in areas of the southern sector of the demilitarized zone (hereinafter called southern demilitarized zone) established and marked on the ground. There are, however, conflicting views as to the date on which such status quo should be based and also what parcels should be included. / ... 8/5401 English Page 3 4. The agricultural activities by members of Kibbutz Haon (MR 2087-2369) in the southern sector of the demilitarized zone have resulted in a number of recent complaints from the parties. 5. A chronological summary of the complaints lodged by Syria concerning agricultural activity by Israel in the southern demilitarized zone from 19 May 1963 to 18 August 1963 and of the reports made by the United Nations military observers who investigated these complaints, when an investigation was requested and completed, is contained in Annex I. 6. rl chronologj cal summary of the complaints lodged by Israel concerning firing by Syrian military positions into the Haon fields in the southern demilitarized zone from 23 June 1963 to 18 August 1963 and of the reports made by the United Nations military observers \~10 investigated these complaints, when an investigation was requested and completed, is also contained in Annex I. 7. A chronological summary of the complaints lodged by Israel and Syria concerning firing, illegal cultivation, c~c., in the central sector of the demilitarized zone (hereinafter called central demilitarized zone), particularly the Hula area and the Almagor-Jordan delta area, from 19 May 1963 to 19 August 1963, and of the reports made by the United Nati.ons military observers who investigated these complaints, when an investigation was requested and completed, is contained in Annex II. B. Almagor incident on the night of 19 August 1963 8. At 1715Z, 19 August 19630P (observation post) telta (MR 2083-2556) reported that approximately seventy-five rounds of heavy machine gun fire in bursts of five to six rounds per burst were heard. The firing, the origin of which could not be observed, seemed to be about 1,500 metres north-west of OP telta. 9. On 19 August 1963, at 1830, an Israel verbal complaint (No. 1~924) alleged: "On 19 August 1963, at approximately 1715Z, a tract.or of Kibbutz Almagor was ambushed in the Kibbutz field by Syrians who had previously penetrated into Israel territory. TvTO men of the tractor team were seriously wounded. A.t the same time heavy machine gun fire vTas opened fx'om the Syrian military positions in the delta of the Jordan in the central demilitarized zone at Kibbutz Almagor. Investigation requested. I1 10. On 20 August 1963, at 0730Z, Lt. Colonel Falarcleau, Chief Operations Officer UNTSO, received a telephone call from Lt. Colonel Caleff, teputy Director of Armistice Affairs, stating that the latest information Colonel Caleff S/5401 English Page 4 had received was that two men had been killed instantaneously by the ambush and that the third man had fled pursued by machine gun fire and grenade. Colonel Caleff stated that the ambush consisted of ten Syrians who were outside the demilitarized zone at the western side at MR 20700-25670. Colonel Caleff said that Israel would not do anything until they had made a complete investigation and requested that we ask the Chairman to distribute the investigation report as soon as possible. 11. On 20 August 1963, at 1125Z, the Senior Israel Delegate passed the follOWing message: lI~\mend my message (complaint) of last night to read two men of tractor team ,{ere murdered. 11 12. On 20 August 1963, at 1000Z, the Chairman ISMAC (Israel-Syrian Mixed Armistice Commission) had a meeting with the Senior Syrian Delegate at which the Almagor incident was raised. The Chairman pointed out that the map reference shm{ed that the Israel tractor was in Israel territory and he asked the Senior Syrian delegate for an explanation for the shooting and wounding of two tractor drivers. The Senior Syrian Delegate denied that any Syrians ,{ere inv·olved and said that they had no interest in what went on in Israel territory. He could make no suggestion as to who might have done the shooting. The Chairman pointed out that the investigation was proceeding. 13. On 21 August 1963, at 1230Z, the Chief of Staff of UNTSO had a meeting with Mr. Salah Eddine Bitar, President of the Council of Ministers and Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting took place at Mr. Bitar's request. Referring to the shooting incident on 19 August in the Almagor area, Mr. Bitar stated that the Government of Israel announced that two soldiers had been killed. Twice in the conversation Prime Minister Bitar assured the Chief of Staff that Syrians had not killed soldiers anywhere and that they had had nothing to do with the shooting of these two soldiers. 14. The complaint concerning the Almagor incident (No. 4924, see paragraph 9 above) was investigated on 20 August 1963. Five witnesses were interrogated. (1) The first witness said that at approximately 1715Z, he and two other men from Almagor Kibbutz while on a tractor were ambushed (at approximately MR 20680-25670). He was able to escape and returned to the Kibbutz, leaving the two companions behind. He returned to the scene of the incident with a party from the Almagor Kibbutz and found his two companions casualties. He was not injured during the ambush. 8/5401 English Page 5 (,"2) The second 'vitness, the Deputy Commander of Almagor Kibbutz, stated that at approximately 1715Z bursts of fire were heard to the south of Kibbutz. He organi zed .