Circumstances

In June 1982, the Israeli troops invaded Lebanon and were capable of advancing to Beirut and occupying large parts of the country, save in the North and the Beqa’a. The invasion entailed the retreat of the Palestinian forces and the election of Sheikh Bachir Gemayel as President of the Republic. Gemayel advocated the signing of a peace agreement with Israel to secure its withdrawal from Lebanon. With large-scale US involvement, Lebanon began direct negotiations with Israel that culminated in what was known as the May 17 Agreement, after the Lebanese Cabinet had approved its content in its session dated May 14, 1983 and authorized Dr. Antoine Fattal, head of the Lebanese negotiating delegation, to sign it. In Parliament, the May 17 Agreement received 65 ayes, 2 nayes (Najah Wakim and Zaher Khatib) and 4 abstentions during the session held on June 14, 1983. 19 MPs did not attend.

Agreement Abrogation

The agreement elicited massive opposition from several political and sectarian groups, which translated into heightened violence in the country. Israel’s failure to keep its side of the agreement translated into a new wave of hostilities leading eventually to its abrogation during the same parliamentary session where the Cairo Agreement was cancelled. The May 17 Agreement was revoked pursuant to Law No. 25/87 dated June 15, 1987.

Today, after more than 30 years, a critical question remains hanging in the air: Was the signing of the May 17 Agreement a wise choice that could have spared Lebanon the atrocities of the Israeli wars in 1996 and 2006 had it survived or were the security arrangement annexes it contained more likely to turn Lebanon into an Israeli protectorate?

Full text of the May 17 Peace Agreement between the State of Israel and the Government of the State of Lebanon

The State of Israel and the Government of the State of Lebanon:

Cognizant of the importance of maintaining and promoting international peace based on freedom, equality, justice and respect for fundamental human rights;

Reaffirming their faith in the principles and objectives of the UN Charter and recognizing their right and obligation to coexist in peace with each other as well as with other states within safe and recognized boundaries;

Having agreed to end the state of war between them and to maintain lasting peace for both states and to avoid the mutual threats and the use of power;

Desiring to establish their mutual relations according to the provisions prescribed by this Agreement;

And having granted their delegates full authority to sign this Agreement in the presence of the US representative, they have agreed to the following:

Article 1

1- The Parties pledge to respect the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of each other and deem the existing international boundaries between them inviolable.

2- The Parties reaffirm that the state of wars between Lebanon and Israel has ceased to exist.

3- Pursuant to the paragraphs 1 and 2, Israel agrees to withdraw its armed forces from Lebanon according to the Annex of the present Agreement.

Article 2

In light of the principles of the UN Charter and of international law, the Parties agree to settle their disputes by peaceful means in such a matter as to promote justice, international peace and security, and justice.

Article 3

In order to provide maximum security for both Lebanon and Israel, the Parties agree to establish and implement security arrangements including the creation of a security zone, as provided for in the Annex of the present Agreement (the security zone constitutes a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty as it subjects the Lebanese armed forces to certain arrangements that limit their capacities)

Article 4

1- The territories of each Party shall never be used to launch hostile or terrorist activities against the other Party or its people.

2- Each Party shall prevent the existence or establishment of irregular forces, armed gangs or any organizations, bases, offices or infrastructure aimed at launching raids at or conducting terrorist acts against the territory of the other party, or performing any other activity that poses threats to the security of the other party and the safety of its people. To this end, all agreements and arrangements that permit the presence and operation on the territory of either Party of elements hostile to the other party shall be deemed null and void.

3- Without prejudice to their natural right to self defense pursuant to the international law, each Party shall refrain:

a- From performing, inciting, assisting or participating in any threats or any military, subversive, instigative or aggressive acts against the other Party, its population or property, both within its territory or originating there from, or in the territory of the other Party.

b- From using the territory of the other Party to launch a military attack against a third state.

c- From interfering in the internal or external affairs of the other Party (which signifies restricting the political and media liberties bestowed by the Constitution.)

4- The Parties ensure that preventive action and legal proceedings will be taken against all individuals and groups that commit any acts at odds with this Article.

Article 5

In conformity with their deal to terminate the state of war and within the framework of constitutional statutes, the Parties shall abstain from any form of hostile propaganda against each other.

Article 6

Save the right of innocent passage in accordance with international law, each Party will prevent entry into, deployment in, or passage through its territory, its air space and its territorial sea, by military forces, armament, or military equipment of any state hostile to the other Party.

Article 7

Except as provided in the present Agreement, nothing will preclude the deployment on Lebanese territory of international forces requested and accepted by the Government of Lebanon to assist in maintaining its authority. New contributors to such forces shall be selected from among states having diplomatic relations with both Parties to the present Agreement.

Article 8

1- a. Upon entry into force of the present Agreement, a Joint Liaison Committee will be established by the parties, in which the USA will be a participant, and will commence its functions. This Committee will be entrusted with the supervision of the implementation of all areas covered by the present Agreement. In matters involving security arrangements, it will deal with unresolved problems referred to it by the Security Arrangements Committee established in subparagraph c below. Decisions of this Committee will be taken unanimously.

b. The Joint Liaison Committee will address itself on a continuing basis to the development of mutual relations between Israel and Lebanon, inter alia the regulation of the movement of goods, products and persons, communications, etc.

c. Within the framework of the Joint Liaison Committee, there will be a Security Arrangements Committee whose composition and functions are defined in the Annex of the present Agreement.

d. Subcommittees of the Joint Liaison Committee may be established as the need arises.

e. The Joint Liaison Committee will meet in Israel and Lebanon, alternately.

f. Each Party, if it so desires and unless there is an agreed change of status, may maintain a liaison office on the territory of the other Party in order to carry out the above-mentioned functions within the framework of the Joint Liaison Committee and to assist in the implementation of the present Agreement.

g. The members of the Joint Liaison Committee from each of the Parties will be headed by a senior government official.

h. All other matters relating to these liaison offices, their personnel and the personnel of each Party in connection with the implementation of the present Agreement will be the subject of a protocol to be concluded between the Parties in the Joint Liaison Committee. Pending the conclusion of this protocol, the liaison offices and the above-mentioned personnel will be treated in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Convention on Special Missions of 8 December 1969, including those provisions concerning privileges and immunities. The foregoing is without prejudice to the positions of the Parties concerning that Convention.

2- During the six-month period after the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanon in accordance with Article I of the present Agreement and the simultaneous restoration of Lebanese governmental authority along the international boundary between Israel and Lebanon, and in light of the termination of the state of war, the Parties shall initiate, within the Joint Liaison Committee, bona fide negotiations in order to conclude agreements on the movement of goods, products and persons and their implementation on a non-discriminatory basis.

Article 9

1- The Parties take all the measures necessary for the abrogation of treaties, laws and regulations deemed in conflict with the present Agreement, subject to and in conformity with its constitutional procedures, within one year from the entry into force of the present Agreement.

2- The Parties undertake not to apply existing obligations, enter into any obligations, or adopt laws or regulations in conflict with the present Agreement.

Article 10

1- The present Agreement shall be ratified by both Parties in conformity with their respective constitutional procedures. It shall enter into force on the exchange of the instruments of ratification and shall supersede the previous agreements between Israel and Lebanon.

2- To Annex, the Appendix and the Map attached thereto, and the Agreed Minutes to the present Agreement shall be considered integral parts thereof.

3- The present Agreement may be modified, amended, or superseded by mutual agreement of the Parties.

Article 11

Disputes between the Parties arising out of the interpretation or application of the present Agreement will be settled by negotiation in the Joint Liaison Committee. Any dispute of this character not so resolved shall be submitted to conciliation and, if unresolved, thereafter to an agreed procedure for a definitive resolution.

Article 12

The present Agreement shall be communicated to the Secretariat of the United Nations for registration in conformity with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Done at Kiryat Shmona and Khaldeh this seventeenth day of May, 1983, in triplicate in four authentic texts in the Hebrew, Arabic, English, and French languages. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English and French texts will be equally authoritative.

For the Government of Republic of Lebanon: Antoine Fattal

For the Government of the State of Israel: David Kemhi

For the Government of the United States of America: Maurice Deiber

Annex of Security Arrangements

1. Security Region

a. A Security Region in which the Government of Lebanon undertakes to implement the security arrangements agreed upon in this Annex is hereby established.

b. The Security Region is bounded, as delineated on the Map attached to this Annex, in the north by a line constituting “Line A”, and in the south and east by the Lebanese international boundary.

2. Security Arrangements

The Lebanese authorities will enforce special security measures aimed at detecting and preventing hostile activities as well as the introduction into or movement through the Security Region of unauthorized armed men or military equipment.

The following security arrangements will apply equally throughout the Security Region except as noted:

a. The Lebanese Army, Lebanese Police, Lebanese Internal Security Forces, and the Lebanese Auxiliary Force (ANSAR), organized under the full authority of the Government of Lebanon, are the only organized armed forces and elements permitted in the Security Region except as designated elsewhere in this Annex. The Security Arrangements Committee may approve the stationing in the Security Region of other official Lebanese armed elements similar to ANSAR.

b. Lebanese Police, Lebanese Internal Security Forces, and ANSAR may be stationed in the Security Region without restrictions as to their numbers. These forces and elements will be equipped only with personal and light automatic weapons and, for the Internal Security Forces, armored scout or commando cars as listed in the Appendix.

c. Two Lebanese Army brigades may be stationed in the Security Region. One will be the Lebanese Army Territorial Brigade stationed in the area extending from the Israeli-Lebanese boundary to “Line B” delineated on the attached Map. The other will be a regular Lebanese Army brigade stationed in the area extending from “Line B” to “Line A”. These brigades may carry their organic weapons and equipment listed in the Appendix. Additional units equipped in accordance with the Appendix may be deployed in the Security Region for training purposes, including the training of conscripts, or, in the case of operational emergency situations, following coordination in accordance with procedures to be established by the Security Arrangements Committee.

d. The existing local units will be integrated as such into the Lebanese Army, in conformity with Lebanese Army regulations. The existing local civil guard shall be integrated into ANSAR and accorded a proper status under Lebanese law to enable it to continue guarding the villages in the Security Region. The process of extending Lebanese authority over these units and civil guard, under the supervision of the Security Arrangements Committee, shall start immediately after the entry into force of the present Agreement and shall terminate prior to the completion of the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

e. Within the Security Region, Lebanese Army units may maintain their organic anti-aircraft weapons as specified in the Appendix. Outside the Security Region, Lebanon may deploy personal, low, and medium altitude air defense missiles. After a period of three years from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement, the provision concerning the area outside the Security Region may be reviewed by the Security Arrangements Committee at the request of either Party.

f. Military electronic equipment in the Security Region will be as specified in the Appendix. Deployment of ground radars within ten kilometers of the Israeli-Lebanese boundary should be approved by the Security Arrangements Committee. Ground radars throughout the Security Region will be deployed so that their sector of search does not cross the Israeli-Lebanese boundary. This provision does not apply to civil aviation or air traffic control radars.

g. The provision mentioned in paragraph e. applies also to anti-aircraft missiles on Lebanese Navy vessels. In the Security Region, Lebanon may deploy naval elements and establish and maintain naval bases or other shore installations required to accomplish the naval mission. The coastal installations in the Security Region will be as specified in the Appendix.

h. In order to avoid accidents due to misidentification, the Lebanese military authorities will give advance notice of all flights of any kind over the Security Region according to procedures to be determined by the Security Arrangements Committee. Approval of these flights is not required.

i. (1) The forces, weapons and military equipment which may be stationed, stocked, introduced into, or transported through the Security Region are only those mentioned in this Annex and its Appendix.

(2) No infrastructure, auxiliary installations, or equipment capable of assisting the activation of weapons that are not permitted by this Annex or its Appendix shall be maintained or established in the Security Region. (3) These provisions also apply whenever a clause of this Annex relates to areas outside the Security Region.

3. Security Arrangements Committee

a. Within the framework of the Joint Liaison Committee, a Security Arrangements Committee will be established.

b. The Security Arrangements Committee will be composed of an equal number of Israeli and Lebanese representatives, headed by senior officers. A representative of the United States of America will participate in meetings of the Committee at the request of either Party. Decisions of the Security Arrangements Committee will be reached by agreement of the Parties.

c. The Security Arrangements Committee shall supervise the implementation of the security arrangements in the present Agreement and this Annex and the timetable and modalities, as well as all other aspects relating to withdrawals described in the present Agreements and this Annex. To this end, and by agreement of the Parties, it will:

(1) Supervise the implementation of the undertakings of the Parties under the present Agreement and this Annex.

(2) Establish and operate Joint Supervisory Teams as detailed below.

(3) Address and seek to resolve any problems arising out of the implementation of the security arrangements in the present Agreement and this Annex and discuss any violation reported by the Joint Supervisory Teams or any complaint concerning a violation submitted by one of the Parties.

d. The Security Arrangements Committee shall deal with any complaint submitted to it not later than 24 hours after submission.

e. Meetings of the Security Arrangements Committee shall be held at least once every two weeks in Israel and in Lebanon, alternately. In the event that either Party requests a special meeting, it will be convened within 24 hours. The first meeting will be held within 48 hours after the date of entry into force of the present Agreement.

f. Joint Supervisory Teams

(1) The Security Arrangements Committee will establish Joint Supervisory Teams (Israel-Lebanon) subordinate to it and composed of an equal number of representatives from each Party.

(2) The teams will conduct regular verification of the implementation of the provisions of the security arrangements in the Agreement and this Annex. The teams shall report immediately any confirmed violations to the Security Arrangements Committee and ascertain that violations have been rectified.

(3) The Security Arrangements Committee shall assign a Joint Supervisory Team, when requested, to check border security arrangements on the Israeli side of the international boundary in accord with Article 4 of the present Agreement.

(4) The teams will enjoy freedom of movement in the air, sea, and land as necessary for the performance of their tasks within the Security Region.

(5) The Security Arrangements Committee will determine all administrative and technical arrangements concerning the functioning of the teams including their working procedures, their number, their meaning, their armament, and their equipment.

(6) Upon submission of a report to the Security Arrangements Committee or upon confirmation of a complaint of either Party by the teams, the respective Party shall immediately, and in any case not later than 24 hours from the report or the confirmation, rectify the violation. The Party shall immediately notify the Security Arrangements Committee of the rectification. Upon receiving the notification, the teams will ascertain that the violation has been rectified.

(7) The Joint Supervisory Teams shall be subject to termination upon 90 days notice by either Party given at any time after two years from the date of entry into force of the present Agreement. Alternative verification arrangements shall be established in advance of such termination through the Joint Liaison Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Joint Liaison Committee may determine at any time that there is no further need for such arrangements.

g. The Security Arrangements Committee will ensure that practical and rapid contacts between the two Parties are established along the boundary to prevent incidents and facilitate coordination between the forces on the terrain.

4. It is understood that the Government of Lebanon may request appropriate action in the United Nations Security Council for one unit of the United Nations Interim forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be stationed in the Sidon area. The presence of this unit will lend support to the Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces in asserting governmental authority and protection in the Palestinian refugee camp areas. For a period of 12 months, the unit in the Sidon area may send teams to the Palestinian refugee camp areas in the vicinity of Sidon and Tyre to survey and observe, if requested by the Government of Lebanon, following notification to the Security Arrangements Committee. Police and security functions shall remain the sole responsibility of the Government of Lebanon, which shall ensure that the provisions of the present Agreement shall be fully implemented in these areas.

5. Three months after completion of the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanon, the Security Arrangements Committee will conduct a full-scale review of the adequacy of the security arrangements delineated in this Annex in order to improve them.

6. Withdrawal of Israeli Forces

a. Within 8 to 12 weeks of the entry into force of the present Agreement, all Israeli forces will have been withdrawn from Lebanon. This is consistent with the objective of Lebanon that all external forces withdraw from Lebanon.

b. The Israel Defense Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces will maintain continuous liaison during the withdrawal and will exchange all necessary information through the Security Arrangements Committee. The Israel Defense Forces will cooperate during the withdrawal in order to facilitate the reassertion of the authority of the Government of Lebanon as the Israeli armed forces withdraw.

Appendix

In accordance with the provisions of the Annex, the Lebanese Armed Forces may carry, introduce, station, stock, or transport through the Security Region all weapons and equipment organic to each standard Lebanese Armed Force brigade. Individual and crew-served weapons, including light automatic weapons normally found in a mechanized infantry unit, are not prohibited by this Appendix.

1. Weapon systems listed below presently organic to each brigade in the Security Region are authorized in the number shown:

Tanks 

- 40 tanks

- 4 medium tracked recovery vehicles

Armored Cars

- 10 AML-90/Saladin/etc.

Armored Personnel Carriers 

- 127 M I 13A I/ VCC-L, plus 44 M 113 family vehicles

Artillery/ Mortars 

- 18 155MM towed howitzers (also 105MM/122MM)

- 12 120MM mortars 

- 27 81MM mortars (mounted on M-125 tracked mortar carriers)

Anti-tank Weapons 

- 112 RPG 

- 30 anti-tank weapons (106MM recoilless rifle/ TOW/ MILAN) 

2. Air Defense Weapons 

- 12 40MM or less guns (not radar-guided)

- 2. Brigade Communications Equipment:

- 482 AN/ GRC-160 

- 74 AN/VRC-46 

- 16 AN/VRC-47

- 9 AN/VRC-49 

- 43 GRA-39 

- 539 TA-312

- 27 SB-22

- 8 SB-993 

- 4 AM/GRC-106

3. Brigade Surveillance Equipment:

- Mortar locating radars 

- Artillery locating radars

- Ground surveillance radars 

- Night observation devices 

- Unattended ground sensors

4. In accordance with the provisions of the Annex, armored vehicles for the Internal Security Forces will be as follows:

- 24 armored wheeled vehicles with guns up to 40MM

5. In accordance with the provisions of the Annex, there will be no limitations on the coastal installations in the Security Region, except on the following four categories:

- Coastal sea surveillance radars: 5

- Coastal defense guns: 15 50MM or less

- Coastal air defense guns: 15 40MM or less (not radar-guided)

- Shore-to-sea missiles: None

6. The Lebanese Army Infantry Brigade and Territorial Brigade in the Security Region are each organized as follows:

- 1 Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company Off: 14 Enl: 173 

- 3 Infantry Battalions Off: 31 ea Enl: 654 ea 

- 1 Artillery Battalion Off. 39 Enl: 672 

- 1 Tank Battalion

- 3 Tanks

- 1 Reconnaissance Company Off: 37 Enl: 579

- 1 Logistics Battalion Off: 26 Enl: 344 

- 1 Engineer Company Off. 6 Enl: 125 

- 1 Anti-Tank Company Off: 4 Enl: 117

- 1 Anti-Air Artillery Company Off: 4 Enl: 146 

- Total: 4,341 Off: 223 Enl: 4,118

Off: = Officers; Enl: = Enlisted men.

Agreed Minutes

Article 4.4 

Lebanon affirms that Lebanese law includes all measures necessary to ensure implementation of this paragraph.

Article 6 

Without prejudice to the provisions of the Annex regarding the Security Region, it is agreed that non-combat military aircraft of a foreign state on non-military missions shall not be considered military equipment.

Article 7 

It is agreed that, in the event of disagreement as to whether a particular state is “hostile” for purposes of Article 6 of the Agreement, the prohibitions of Article 6 shall be applied to any state which does not maintain diplomatic relations with both Parties.

Article 8.1.b

It is agreed that, at the request of either Party, the Joint Liaison Committee shall begin to examine the question of claims by citizens of either Party on properties in the territory of the other Party.

Article 8.1.h

It is understood that each Party will certify to the other if one of its personnel was on official duty or performing official functions at any given time

Article 8.2 

It is agreed that the negotiations will be concluded as soon as possible.

Article 9 

It is understood that this provision shall apply mutatis mutandis to agreements concluded by the Parties pursuant to Article 8, paragraph 2.

Article 10

It is agreed that both parties will request the United States of America to promote the expeditious resolution of disputes arising out of the interpretation or application of the present Agreement.

Article 11

It is agreed that the phrase “an agreed procedure for a definite resolution” means an agreed third-party mechanism which will produce a resolution of the dispute which is binding on the Parties.

Annex

Paragraph 1.b 

It is agreed that, in the portion of Jabal Baruk shown on the map attachment to the Annex, only civilian telecommunications installations, such as television facilities and radars for air traffic control purposes, may be emplaced. The restrictions on weapons and military equipment that are detailed in the Appendix to the Annex will also apply in that area.

Annex

Paragraph 2.d 

The Government of Lebanon affirms its decision that the Territorial Brigade established on April 6, 1983, mentioned in subparagraph c, will encompass the existing local units which had been formed into a near brigade-sized unit, along with Lebanese Army personnel from among the inhabitants of the Security Region, in conformity with Lebanese Army regulations. This brigade will be in charge of security in the area extending from the Israeli-Lebanese boundary to “Line B” delineated on the map attachment to the Annex. All the Lebanese Armed Forces and elements in this area, including the Lebanese Police, Lebanese Internal Security Forces and ANSAR, will be subordinated to the brigade commander. The organization of the existing local units will be adapted, under the supervision of the Security Arrangements Committee, in conformity with the Table of Organization for the Territorial Brigade as shown in the Appendix.

Annex

Paragraph 2.g 

1. An area extending from: 33 degrees 15 minutes N 35 degrees 12.6 minutes E; to 33 degrees 05.5 minutes N 35 degrees 06.1 minutes E; to 33 degrees 15 minutes N 35 degrees 08.2 minutes E; to 33 degrees 05.5 minutes N 35 degrees 01.4 minutes E; which is at present closed for civil navigation, will be maintained by Lebanon.

2. In order to prevent incidents, there will be continuous communications between the southern command of the Lebanese Navy and the Israeli Navy in order to exchange information concerning suspected vessels. The procedures for the abovementioned exchange of information will be established by the Security Arrangements Committee.

3. The Lebanese Navy will act promptly in order to ascertain the identity of such suspected vessels. In emergency cases, there will be direct communications between vessels.

Annex

Paragraph 3.f 

1. The Joint Supervisory Teams will carry out their functions in recognition of the fact that the responsibility for military, police, and other control operations rests with the Lebanese Armed Forces, police, and other authorized Lebanese organizations, and not with the teams.

2. If the Joint Supervisory Teams uncover evidence of a violation or a potential violation, they will contact the proper Lebanese authorities through the Security Arrangements Supervision Centers created pursuant to the Agreed Minute to paragraph 3.f(5) of the Annex, in order to assure that Lebanese authorities take appropriate neutralizing and preventive action in a timely way. They will ascertain that the action taken rectified the violation and will report the results to the Security Arrangements Committee.

3. The Joint Supervisory Teams will commence limited activities as early as possible following the coming into force of the Agreement for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the Israel Defense Forces withdrawal arrangements. Their other supervisory and verification activities authorized in the Annex will commence with the final withdrawal of the Israeli armed forces.

4. Joint Supervisory Teams will conduct daily verifications if necessary during day and night. Verifications will be carried out on the ground, at sea, and in the air.

5. Each Joint Supervisory Team will be commanded by a Lebanese officer, who will recognize the joint nature of the team when making decisions in unforeseen situations, during the conduct of the verification mission.

6. While on a mission, the Joint Supervisory Team leader at his discretion could react to any unforeseen situation which could require immediate action. The team leader will report any such situation and the action taken to the Security Arrangements Supervision Center.

7. The Joint Supervisory Teams will not use force except in self defense.

8. The Security Arrangements Committee will decide inter alia on the pattern of activity of the Joint Supervisory Teams, their weaponry and equipment, their mode of transport, and the areas in which the teams will operate on the basis of the rule of reason and pragmatic considerations. The Security Arrangements Committee will determine the overall pattern of activity with a view to avoiding undue disruption to normal civilian life as well as with a view to preventing the teams from becoming targets of attack.

9. Up to a maximum of eight Joint Supervisory Teams will function simultaneously.

Annex

Paragraph 3.f and 5 

1. Two Security Arrangements Supervision Centers will be set up by the Security Arrangements Committee in the Security Region. The exact locations of the Centers will be determined by the Security Arrangements Committee in accord with the principle that the Centers should be located in the vicinity of Hasbaya and Mayfadun and should not be situated in populated areas.

2. Under the overall direction of the Security Arrangements Committee, the purpose of each Center is to:

a) Control, supervise, and direct Joint Supervisory Teams functioning in the sector of the Security Region assigned to it.

b) Serve as a center of communications connected to the Joint Supervisory Teams and appropriate headquarters.

c) Serve as a meeting place in Lebanon for the Security Arrangements Committee.

d) Receive, analyze, and process all information necessary for the function of the Joint Supervisory Teams, on behalf of the Security Arrangements Committee.

3. Operational Arrangements:

a) The Centers will be commanded by Lebanese Army Officers.

b) The Centers will function 24 hours a day.

c) The exact number of personnel in each Center will be decided by the Security Arrangements Committee.

d) Israeli personnel will be stationed in Israel when not engaged in activities in the Centers.

e) The Government of Lebanon will be responsible for providing security and logistical support for the Centers.

f) The Joint Supervisory Teams will ordinarily commence their missions from the Centers after receiving proper briefing and will complete their missions at the Centers following debriefing.

g) Each center will contain a situation room, communications equipment, facilities for Security Arrangements Committee meetings, and a briefing and debriefing room.

Annex

Paragraph 3.g

In order to prevent incidents and facilitate coordination between the forces on the terrain, “practical and rapid contacts” will include direct radio and telephone communications between the respective military commanders and their staffs in the immediate border region, as well as direct face-to-face consultations.