UNITED
N ATI O N S·
Distr.
GENERAL
SECURITY
COUNC'IL
8/3385
4 April 1955
ORIGINAL: EmLI8H
LE~TER
DATED 4 APRIL 1955 FRCM THE REPRE8ENTATIVE OF ISRAEL ADDRE88ED
TO THE ~RF.8TnENT OF THE 8ECURITY COUNCIL
1 have the honour, on instructions frem my Government, to submit the
following eemplaint for eor.sideration by the 8ecurity Couneil,at an urgent
meeting:
Complaint by Israel against Egypt eoncerning:
Repeated attaeks by Egyptian regular and irregular armed
farees and by armed marauders from Egyptian-controlled territory
against Israel armed force s and ,eivilian lives and property in
Israel, to the danger of the peaee ond security of the arca and
in violation of the General Armistice Agreement and the
resolutions of the 8eeurity Council; with special referenee to:
l.
the armed assault at Patish en 24 March' 1955 (8/3376);
2.
repeatcd attacks by mining and gunfire on Israel army
units patrolling the Israel-Egyptian border at the Gaza
strip between 26 March and 3 April 1955;
3.
the attack on an Israel army patrol and on the village
of Nahal Ozon 3 April 1955.
In the 10 days whieh have
~::er;J.llders
r~l::.:p[;cj"lsince
the:,:..,:.;t:.ul-L. by armed Egyptian
on u. l.;cddir-g party at Patish on 24 March which was condemned by the
Mixed Armistice Commission on 27 March as
11
a brutal and murderous
L.c'l,
of
aggression", another 15 incidents of apartieularly serious nature have
oceurred on the border between Israel and the Egyptian-controlled Gaza, strip.
Mest of these have taken the character of well-planned attacks on IDobile
Israel patrols by means of land mines laid in Israel territory followed by
fire from fixcd Egyptian army positions.
Two such attacks in the ncighbourhood
of Kissufim, on 12 March and 19 March, were subsequently
~ondemned
in strong
terms by thc Mixed Armistice Commission, which noted the aggravation of the
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Pnge 2
situation caused by Egypt's continued non-compliance with her obligations under
the Annistice Agreement.
The rulings of the Mixed Annistice Ccmmission
however, have had no effect whatsoever on the Egyptian authoritics, with the
result that the last week has witnessed a mounting tide of such attacks
culminating in a violent assault on an Israel army patrol near Nahal OZ and
on the village of Nahal Oz itself on 3 April, in which 2 Israel soldiers were
killed and
16 wounded.
A list of the uttacks, since
l.
On
26 March, follows:
26 March an Israeli patrol northwest of Nirim was attacked by
automatic and rifle fire from Egyptian positions.
the fire.
2.
The patrol returned
The exchange of fire continued for one and a half hours.
On 26 March Egyptian marauders attacked an Israel patrol Goutheast
of the demilitarized zone of Nitzana.
In the exchange of fire 1 soldier
was wounded.
3.
On 27 Morch 4 Egyptian soldiers from the Gaza strip penetrated into
Israel territory north of Sheikh Nabhan.
An Israel patrol drove them
back ocross the border.
4.
On
27 March an Israel patrol in the vicinity of Nitzana was attacked
by a group of armed infiltrators.
When the patrol returned fire, fire
was opened upon it from an Egyptian position across the border.
5.
On 27 March an Isr8eli soldier was wounded in a clash with
~n
armed
group of marauders near Beeri.
6.
On 28 March an Israeli army corrmand car was blown up by a land mine
west of Nirim.
Two Israeli soldiers were wounded, 1 of'whcm died latero
Egypt was condemned by the Mixed Armistice CCffimission on 31 March.
The
Commission noted with great concern that despite Egyptis obligations
under the General Armistice Agreement and previous Mixed Armistice
Corrilllission decisions the reported Egyptian attacks against Israel haa
not ceosed.
The Armistice Corrmission called upon Egypt to terminate
such attacks.
7.
On 28 March, at noon, an Israel patrol in the vicinity of
Kissufim was attacked by fire frem an Egyptian position across the
demarcation lineo
I
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8.
On28 March, in the afternoon, Egyptiun positions attacked with
automatic fire an Israel patrol southwest of Kissufim in Israel
territory.
9.
The patrol did not return the fire.
On 30 March un Israel patrol in the vicinity of Bikeat Abu Arif
encountered armed marauders preparing to place a land mine under cover
of armed Egyptians across the demarcation lineo
fire on the patrol.
mortar fire.
The marnuders opened
At the same time an Egyptian army position opened
The Israeli patrol returned fire and forced the marauders
to retreat across the border.
10.
On 31 March an Israel army command car was blown up by Egyptian
raiders north of Sheikh Nabhan.
11.
On 31 March an Israel cClT.l!Jand car struck a demolition raíl placed
by marauders on the road near Nahal Oz.
12.
On 1 April an Israel army command car was blown up and ccr:aged by
a lund mine north of Kissufim.
One Israeli soldier was injured.
Following the explosion an Egyptian army position openea fire on the
Israel patrol.
13.
On 1 April un Israel patrol chased away an Egyptian marauder
digging a placemcnt for a land mine on a road west of Nir Y:i.tzhak.
14.
On 2 April an Israel
Nahal Oz.
cow~and
car was blown up by a land mine near
Five Israeli soldiers were injured.
After the explosion
3 Egyptian army positions directed mortar, machine-gun und rifle fire
at the wreckage wounding another Israel soldier.
Only after returning
fire were the Israelis able to reach the wounded and administcr first
aid.
15.
On 3 April,
at approximately 1730 hours, machine-gun fire was
opened on an Israel patrol consisting of 3 ccmmand cars in Israel
territory, from 2 Egyptian'army positions, at MR 10431016 and
MR 10131013.
Israel
reinforc~ments,
subjected to heavy Egyptian firing.
sent to extricate the patrol were
The Egyptiuns directed mortar fire
against the Israel units and ugainst the villuge of Nahal OZ.
As the
heavy Egyptian shelling made withdrawal impossible, and casualties on
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the open ground were mounting, thc Israel unit commander was forced to
advunce upon the Egyptiun post with urmoured cars.
lasted tilJ_ 1905 hours.
The exchange of fire
Israeli casualties were 2 soldiers killed and
16 wounded.• 4 of them seriously.
My Government has instructed me to lay the detaiJs of these incidents
before the Security Council, und to seek relief from the intoleruble situation
created by this continued und purposeful Egyptian aggression against Israel.
I have the honour to request that thts letter be circulated to 0.11 the
members of the Security Council.
Pleas8 accept, Sir, etc.
(Signed) Abba Ebo.n
Permanent Representative of Isruel
to the United Nations
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