Tripoli cease-fire breaks down soon after visiting Syrians depart; grenades and sporadic sniper fire; artillery duels and ambush in Chouf, as Druze and Christian leaders...
Phalange militia ambushed in Aley's main square, rocket and artillery barrages exchanged, as Druze militia accuses Phalange of bringing in reinforcements; fighting...
Lebanese police move into buffer zones between battling militias, call cease-fire in Tripoli after four days of fighting; IDF lifts two-day old curfew in Aley, reimposes it...
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Military Action:
Tripoli cease-fire breaks down soon after visiting Syrians depart; grenades and sporadic sniper fire; artillery duels and ambush in Chouf, as Druze and Christian leaders try to restore cease-fire; Haddad militia commander Ahmed Sheet blown up by car bomb in Nabatiyeh; other sabotage acts in recent weeks in Nabatiyeh reportedly aimed at IDF forces.
Casualties:
3 killed, 10 wounded in Tripoli; 1 killed, 3 wounded in Chouf; 21 others wounded in Nabatiyeh explosion.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin, in speech to World Zionist Congress, sees good chance of pullout agreement soon, reaffirms settlements are essential; Begin meets with Habib and Draper, who carry proposals to skirt issue of Jerusalem as venue for talks; Israeli military authorities close down Construction and Public Institutions Employees Union headquarters in Ramallah for two months, confiscate union files, arrest union secretary.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem, in meeting with Shultz, warns that lengthy occupation would lead to Israeli annexation of South Lebanon, Syrian/PLO protectorate in North Lebanon.
Arab Governments: Syrian Presidents Assad and Foreign Minister Khaddam meet with Gemayel special emissary Jean Obeid, express openness to partial, simultaneous withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, provided this is linked to a total withdrawal of IDF forces, affirm that Lebanese security forces should patrol Tripoli; Egyptian President Mubarak, in Vienna, calls on PLO to recognize Israel and declares support for Reagan peace plan.
US and Other Countries: Reagan sends letter to Begin urging Israel to agree to withdrawal timetable hours after Habib and Draper meet in Jerusalem with Begin; US announces $5 m. grant, $15 m. loan to Lebanon to help rebuild damaged homes; State Department sources say Israel is offering to sell Central American countries stocks of weapons captured from PLO; over 175 Representatives sign a letter to Reagan asking him to deny advanced weapons to Jordan unless Jordan participates in peace process; in Senate, Kennedy has almost 60 co-sponsors for resolution opposing more aid to Jordan if it continues to boycott peace talks.
UN: Israel and Lebanon join in unanimous General Assembly condemnation of September massacre, but Israel votes against another provision that calls massacre act of genocide; four other resolutions passed which demand that Israel rescind annexation of Golan Heights, support Lebanese efforts to restore its authority throughout its territory, deplore destruction of Palestinian cultural heritage during invasion and ask Israel for restitution.
Military Action:
Phalange militia ambushed in Aley's main square, rocket and artillery barrages exchanged, as Druze militia accuses Phalange of bringing in reinforcements; fighting continues in Baal Mohsen and Bab el-Tabbaneh areas of Tripoli as both sides fire on police officers trying to arrange cease-fire; UNIFIL troops involved in firefight.
Casualties:
3 Phalange killed, one IDF soldier wounded in Aley; 7 dead, 12 wounded in Tripoli, where all businesses close during fighting; UNIFIL kills 1, wounded 3 militiamen; mothers and children of Phalange forces in Chouf hold protest march in Beirut demanding state intervention to end fighting; UNRWA says homes found for Palestinian refugees.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin aide David Levi confirms plans to expand settlements in West Bank; IDF officer links Sharon to brutality toward West Bank Palestinians.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat flies unexpectedly to Damascus, reportedly to heal rift between himself and PLO groups based in Syria, make friendly overture to Syrian government.
Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister Hassan Ali says Israel and PLO are delaying peace process, calls on PLO to recognize Israel.
US and Other Countries: US proposes shuttle diplomacy instead of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
Military Action:
Lebanese police move into buffer zones between battling militias, call cease-fire in Tripoli after four days of fighting; IDF lifts two-day old curfew in Aley, reimposes it after 3 hours as fighting erupts; leader of Shiite Amal militia kidnapped by Phalange.
Casualties:
2 killed, 3 wounded by sniper fire in Aley during curfew break (110 estimated killed in Chouf fighting in past 6 weeks); US-led bomb squads searching for unexploded weapons and munitions have found 250 kinds of explosives from 17 countries.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon says only 479 killed in massacre (only 20 children, 15 women), contradicting his own Commission testimony; Ezer Weizman may head new center party.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Elie Salem leaves Britain without firm commitment on troop expansion but is "satisfied."
US and Other Countries: India refuses visas for two Israelis to attend international airport chiefs' conference in New Delhi.
UN: General Assembly calls for creation of Palestinian state and Israeli withdrawal from lands seized in 1967 (Israel, US, Canada and Costa Rica vote no, 23 abstentions, 113 vote yes).
