Border Checks

Heroes Remember

Border Checks

Transcript

As an unarmed observer, we were there to provide assistance. We were there to report to the UN any violations of land, sea or air transgression by invaders which was Israel and the South Lebanese army so anytime an Israeli plane flew over we reported it and they were not very happy with that, so going in and out from Israel where I was living was always about a six hour session because when you were coming out, your vehicle that you were driving would be stripped completely. The wheels taken off, x-rayed, they would lift the cap in the back of your gas tank and they'd have a probe going in there with a camera to see that there was no hidden explosions or anything like that. It was basically harassment because you'd see other vehicles that had a pass would just drive on through but because the job that you were doing and they weren't receptive to it, then you had to go through the agony of the six hour crossing to get across. After you've been out there for 11 days, you want to go back to your apartment it's hard to be patient for six hours while they're doing that and the more you protest the longer it takes so that was hard.

Description

When your mandate is to report Israeli intrusions in South Lebanon, you’re not always welcome at the Israeli border.

Fred Gallant

Born into an Acadian family in Mont-Carmel, Prince Edward Island, Mr. Gallant joined the Army and rose to the rank of Captain. He served two tours in Cyprus as part of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) during the 1970s and 1980s as Battery Captain. His methods helped many soldiers and his interventions most likely saved the lives of his own, and many Greeks and Turks. Years later, now a Major, he became a UN Military Observer as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), maintaining the peace between Israel, Lebanon and Syria. He worked in all three middle eastern countries and has some eye opening stories to tell.

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