Summary
The armistice agreement between Lebanon and Israel signed on 23 March 1949 at Ras En Naqoura, in its own text an instrument whose provisions are dictated exclusively by military considerations and prejudice no rights, claims or positions in the ultimate peaceful settlement of the Palestine question, and whose Armistice Demarcation Line follows the international boundary between the Lebanon and Palestine (Lebanese-Israeli General Armistice Agreement, PDF p.4-5).
Details
- It establishes a general armistice between the Parties’ land, sea and air forces in pursuance of the Security Council resolution of 16 November 1948, requires withdrawal to the Demarcation Line, reduction to defensive strength and mine clearance within ten days, and provides for the exchange of all prisoners of war at Ras En Naqoura within twenty-four hours of signing (Articles III, V and VI, PDF p.4-6).
- Its Annex caps each Party’s defensive forces at 1,500 officers and enlisted men, itemized by unit and weapon, with no other Lebanese forces south of the general line El Qasmiye-Nabatiye Ett Tahta-Hasbaiya and no other Israeli forces north of the general line Nahariya-Tarshiha-Jish-Marus (Annex, PDF p.8-9).
- It creates the Lebanon-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission, headquartered at the frontier posts north of Metulla and at En Naqoura (Article VII, PDF p.6-7).
- It is not subject to ratification, comes into force immediately on signing, and remains in force until a peaceful settlement is achieved, with revision or suspension of provisions other than Articles I and III by mutual consent at any time or, after one year, through a Secretary-General-convoked conference (Article VIII, PDF p.7-8).
Related pages
Lebanese-Israeli General Armistice Agreement, Lebanon, Israel, Ras En Naqoura, Egyptian-Israeli General Armistice Agreement (Rhodes, 1949)