Base for Terror Missions

The PLO bands are free to pursue their terror operations against Israel by passing through UNIFIL-controlled areas. The most tragic such incident occurred in April 1980, when the children's home at Kibbutz Misgav Am, situated on the Lebanese border, was attacked. Three children, and one adult, were brutally shot. But there have been scores of other attempts, most of which have been foiled by the Israel Defence Forces (I.D.F.)

Since October-November 1980 the terrorists have redoubled their efforts to infiltrate through the UNIFIL zone to commit acts of sabotage and murder against the population of Southern Lebanon and against Israel's border villages. Occasionally, armed terrorist squads are intercepted by UNIFIL guards, but then they are simply escorted back out of the UNIFIL zone and released there, after which their arms are handed over by UNIFIL to the PLO "liaison officer" in Tyre. Such treatment naturally fails to deter the terrorists from further attempts to infiltrate southwards. The UNIFIL zone thus serves as an organisational base for the PLO, as well as a launching pad for hostile operations against Israel and Southern Lebanon.

Between June and December 1980 there were 69 successful infiltrations by terrorists through the UNIFIL zone.

The UNIFIL zone has also become a P.L.O. sanctuary from pursuit and counteractions by the I.D.F. According to members of the terrorist squad captured on 15 December 1980 near the Israeli village of Zar'it on the Lebanese border, they had been instructed to surrender voluntarily to UNIFIL personnel on completion of their mission, so as to secure a safe retreat to their parent base. The P.L.O. enjoys a measure of sympathy among many of UNIFIL's soldiers, despite the hostilities against them, as well as an "accepted" status in the eyes of UNIFIL command, and, of course, in the eyes of the United Nations. By contrast, UNIFIL fails to recognise the Christian/Shi'ite forces of Major Haddad in the area.