The Palestine Chronology

Military Action: IDF jets, artillery, gunboats pound West Beirut for seventh day, ignoring Habib efforts to restore cease-fire (artillery duels, bombings hit camps, Lailake, Ouzai, Ramlet el- Baida, Bain Militaire, Manara, setting large fires; Fakhani, Raouche, Lebanese gendarmerie barracks, stadium and airport areas also hit); Canadian Ambassador's residence hit (he denounces IDF attacks on civilians); PLO reinforcs positions in West Beirut as PLO rockets land in East Beirut and near Presidential palace at Baabda; cease-fire goes into effect hours after Habib's return.

Casualties: WAFA reports 28 Palestinian casualties; Beirut police estimate 203 dead, 297 wounded today (one apartment building yields 82 bodies); petrol and diesel fuel in short supply, electricity and water still cut off in West Beirut; ICRC appeals to all combatants to "spare the civilian population" and hospitals, distributes maps to IDF marking all medical facilities.

Political Reponse:

Israel/ Occupied Trerritories: Begin says Habib seeks firm commitment from PLO on principle of withdrawal in next two days, claims Egypt, Jordan, Syria have agreed to take PLO fighters; Eitan accuses UNIFIL officers of providing intelligence information on IDF to PLO (strongly denied by Lt. Gen. Callaghan, who says many contacts with PLO initiated at IDF request).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Salam says neighborhood delegations plead for US help in getting water, electricity turned back on, urges Habib to pressure IDF; Habib, Sarkis, Wazzan meet; Salam talks by phone to King Fahd, Mubarak.

Arab Governments: Arab League committee meets in Saudi Arabia to fix common negotiating stance.

US and Other Countries: Reagan expresses guarded optimism on peaceful solution to Beirut crisis, refuses to publicly support creation of Palestinian state; State Department issues strongest statement to date deploring breakdown of cease-fire; Arab Women's Council in Washington initiates fast outside White House; Italian government condemns [DF bombings, accuses IDF of major cease-fire violations; US says PLO arms claimed by Israelis to come from Saudi Arabia were originally sold to Lebanese Army.

Military Action: IDF jets bomb Palestinian areas of Beirut for fifth day, blowing up major PLO ammunition dump in Ramlet el-Baida (raid initiated at 2:42 PM, same number as UN resolution); jets hit Shatila, Sabra, Burj al-Barajneh, Fakhani, Bir Hassan, Spinney's, Corniche Mazraa; IDF naval artillery pound areas, including Ouzai; artillery, rocket duels between IDF and PLO; French media asserts IDF bringing up toxic chemical shells for use in Beirut (reportedly used in battle for Beaufort Castle).

Casualties: Beirut radio reports 15 killed, 47 wounded today; 8 IDF soldiers wounded near Choueifat, south of Beirut; fires burn near stadium; ICRC resumes visits to Ansar detention camp after stoppage due to "IDF interference with ICRC work"; electricity remains cut off to West Beirut.

Political Responses: Israel/ Occupied Territories: Habib, Begin plan meeting today; Foreign Ministry spokesman Avi Pazner rules out direct negotiations with the PLO, even if it does recognize Israel; petrol prices rise 17 percent, cooking gas 24 percent because of invasion of Lebanon; Israel dismisses mayor, town council of Kalkilya (ninth municipality dissolved since March); IDF Army Colonel Eli Geva, commander of tank brigade outside Beirut, resigns, refusing to order his men to enter Beirut; Israeli newspaper Davar reports Israeli delegation is in US seeking mercenaries (especially US veterans) to fight in Lebanese war for Israel.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO claims IDF attacks are designed to "soften up" Beirut before assault on city, exhaust PLO ammunition.

Arab Governments: Egypt welcomes Arafat statement, calls on US to recognize PLO.

US and Other Countries: Rep. McCloskey calls for cut-off of military aid to Israel because of use of cluster bombs; controversy continues around statement signed by Arafat in meeting with Congressional delegation (White House rejects statement as "unclear"); Representative Rahall (D-WV) notes "hellish destruction" in West Beirut; Habib meets Jordan's King Hussein in London, briefs UK Foreign Secretary Pym, flies to Israel; Canada plans to send $1.8 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon; France hails Arafat statement.

Military Action:

IDF jets attack in Bekaa (claims 3 Syrian SAM-8 batteries south of Chtaura, 1 F-4 destroyed; Syria claims IDF loses 24 tanks, 4 rocket launchers, admits it loses 16 tanks); jets also attack Palestinian targets in Beirut after mock air raids, reconnaissance flights (Fakhani, Bir Hassan, Ramlet el-Baida, Sabra, airport areas hit, 1 jet reportedly hit); shelling of airport, Burj al-Barajneh, Sabra, Shatila, as IDF warships shell Burj al-Chatila, as IDF wat ships shell Burj al-Barajneh and Ouazi (2 IDF armored cars, 1 tank, 1 mortar position reportedly knocked out) .

Casualties:

Four Syrian soldiers killed, 6 wounded in IDF raids; WAFA reports 51 wounded, killed in today's raids; Lebanese officials report 11 IDF soldiers killed in Wednesday's guerrilla attack in Sidon; PLO reports two IDF soldiers killed, four wounded last night near Sidon as halftrack hits landmine; 12 IDF casualties reported near Aley; IDF troops enter Karantina power station in East Beirut, turn off electricity to West Beirut at 11 PM (results in loss of all water to West Beirut as water pumps are halted; cutoff interrupts Bashir Gemayel TV address in which he nominates himself as Lebanese president); Sidon authorities begin bulldozing remains of Ain el-Hilweh (IDF disclaims any responsibility for plight of camps' refugees, refuses to allow tents to be brought in).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Cabinet gives diplomatic process more time, is reportedly split over all-out attack on Beirut; Minister Yitzhak Moda'i says Israel rejects linking PLO-IDF withdrawals, accepts linking only Syrian-IDF withdrawals.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Bashir Gemayel nominates self as Lebanese president; PLO opposes withdrawal until safeguards arranged for 650,000 Palestinian civilians in Lebanon, acceptable host countries found, and Palestinian right to self-determination affirmed by US or UN; two-hour battle between Phalange and Druze flares in Aley (two killed; IDF separates forces); Sarkis and Cabinet hold emergency meeting to discuss IDF undermining of government authority in southern Lebanon using Haddad militia (Sarkis publicly condemns IDF occupation of southern Lebanon for first time); Wazzan says Lebanese government rejects proposals for interimpartial withdrawal of PLO from all of Lebanon.

Arab Governments: Syria threatens major response, with new weapons, if IDF continues attacks.

US and Other Countries: Habib meets Saudi leaders, then flies to Cairo; Habib's consultant status with Bechtel Corporation initiates call by Senator Pressler (R-SD) for him to resign (rejected strongly by White House); US AID says $850,000 in aid for American University Hospital to be flown to Cyprus for shipment.

UN: UN delays Security Council meeting sought by France, Egypt to discuss Lebanese situation.

Military Action:

IDF jets, artillery attack Palestinian areas of West Beirut for second day (Fakhani and stadium areas, Burj al-Barajneh, Shatila, Ramlet el-Baida, Lailake, road into airport hit); Bekaa quiet (IDF rebuilding, resurfacing roads in area); two PLO attacks on IDF, one an ambush of soldiers near Bhamdoun, the other on military command center in Sidon (IDF, assisted by Phalangists, seals off city, sets curfew, searches vehicles and houses for guerrillas).

Casualties:

Salam says David Dodge (US educator kidnapped earlier in July) reportedly alive; WAFA says 56 killed, wounded in today's raids (estimates 182 casualties from IDF raids on West Beirut, Bekaa valley yesterday); civilians remain despite extensive damage in Fakhani (many buildings burn); IDF makes little effort at civil administration in the Bekaa, allowing Phalange to be in control; IDF continues blockade of West Beirut (despite some food getting through, doctors report rise in nutrition-related diseases).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir says PLO does not want to leave Beirut, warns US of "grave danger" in tampering with UN Resolution 242; General Eliezer, in London, claims only 31,000 refugees have resulted from the Lebanese war (excluding Beirut), puts Arab deaths at 1,300 (including 1,000 "terrorists"); Eitan says Israel will not tolerate "war of attrition"; Israel plans to sell some of captured PLO weapons to Third World countries to offset the cost of the war; Begin signs agreement with the ultranationalist Tehiya Party (which opposes the Camp David Accords); 40 Palestinian women's societies in the occupied territories issue a statement demanding an end to the invasion, reaffirming their support for the PLO.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO denounces IDF raid as political act; PLO security actively seeking Dodge's release; PLO-Lebanese negotiations at a standstill while Habib tours Arab capitals; PLO spokesman says negotiations could be helped if US spoke directly to the PLO; Salam meets Wazzan, proposes timetable to make interim PLO withdrawals to other parts of Lebanon more acceptable; Bashir Gemayel, seeking support for his presidential bid, meets with Druze leader Arslan as slayings raise tensions between Phalange and Druze; Shiite Deputy Al-Zani released by Haddad forces; PLO representative in Paris slain by bomb (Abu Nidal and Jewish Armed Resistance both claim responsibility); Arslan meets with Israeli Druze leader Tarif, accompanied by Likud MK.

Arab Governments: Habib meets with Assad and Khaddam in Damascus (Syria reasserts view that focus of negotiations should be on achieving IDF withdrawal).

US and Other Countries: Weinberger cancels trip to California in concern over possible IDF invasion of Beirut; US officials reportedly see possibility of direct dealing with PLO if US forces sent to Beirut; Interior Secretary Watt's letter to Israeli Ambassador Arens, urging American Jews to support Administration energy policies to ensure US support for Israel, causes furor and is disavowed by White House.

Military Action:

IDF armored units trade intermittent artillery fire with PLO in W. Beirut following night of fierce shelling; IDF shelling wrecks Algeria's six-story embassy and Summerland resort hotel, damages embassies of Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and UAE; PLO shells injure guard at presidential palace, land near residence of US Ambassador; IDF jets drop flares; 8 IDF shells hit Beirut racetrack; Phalangists resume blockade of food and fuel from West Beirut after IDF eased blockade yesterday; IDF units report capture of 600-700 PLO fighters, mainly in the Chouf mountains in the past week; IDF soldiers patrol villages in the area to prevent violence between Druze and Christian villagers.

Casualties:

Nine IDF soldiers reportedly wounded in past 24 hours; private Lebanese radio station reports 12 Palestinians killed, 18 wounded; Israeli Economy Minister Meridor, heading aid program in southern Lebanon, claims only 10 Sidon buildings damaged beyond repair (Sidon's mayor says hundreds); 50-60 people are being arrested each week in the Sidon area alone on suspicion of being PLO members/ sympathizers; ICRC still denied access to IDF's "civilian detainees" except for 18 injured being held in an Israeli hospital; refugee estimates of civilian dead in Ain el-Hilweh run to "thousands"; despite reports by IDF Druze unit which attacked camp with little PLO resistance, large areas of camp were devastated, hundreds buried under the rubble; death toll for Beirut alone since June 4 put at 2,683.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israel reportedly sent Reagan documents indicating "mercenaries" from Asia/Africa fought with PLO and that M-16 rifles sold by the US to Saudi Arabia were found in southern Lebanon; Sharon says all PLO and Syrian forces must leave Lebanon before IDF will withdraw; Israel rejects use of multinational force as "buffer" between IDF and PLO forces; Foreign Ministry official Kimche and Israeli military intelligence officer Saguy meet with Habib in Beirut; several cabinet ministers opposed to IDF assault on Beirut even if negotiations fail; 300 IDF reservists in Tel Aviv call for an end to the war in Lebanon.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Negotiations make little headway as PLO insists on political concessions, protection for Palestinian refugees in return for evacuation; PLO also reported to insist on retaining heavy as well as light weapons; Habib meets with Wazzan, Sarkis, Butros; Salam accuses Sharon of ordering Friday bombardment to sabotage talks; Wazzan insists US and other peacekeeping troops be deployed in W. Beirut before the PLO evacuation to protect Muslims from possible reprisals by Phalangists; Habib suggests PLO evacuation by sea using French, Canadian, Belgian or Greek navy escort; PLO's Khalaf predicts IDF will take Beirut "bit by bit."

Arab Governments: Syria continues to refuse to accept more than PLO leadership.

US and Other Countries: France agrees "in principle" to send peacekeeping troops to Beirut if all parties to the conflict and the UN agree; Draper, in Syria, fails to persuade it to accept PLO guerrillas; White House officials say the US "would welcome" use of French troops in Lebanon; USSR warns France not to submit to Washington's "dangerous plans"; Habib sets August 1 as date to begin PLO evacuation; Greece offers ships to facilitate PLO evacuation; Pope sends message to president of Israel urging honorable treatment of defeated Palestinians.

UN: UNIFIL spokesman says the number of persons in the UNIFIL area has doubled with the influx of refugees fleeing fighting in the north, many with no roof over their heads.

Military Action:

IDF and PLO forces fight rocket, tank and artillery duels across Beirut in evening after a day of intermittent shelling; thousands of civilians flee to shelters; Palestinian areas of Barbir and Mazraa reportedly hard hit along with southern outskirts; PLO fire targets IDF emplacements in Hadeth, near East Beirut; shells land at major crossing points, Beirut racetrack, the airport and Burj al-Barajneh; 10 members of 50-man Lebanese security guard unit at airport wounded in shelling; Lebanese Defense Ministry indirectly accuses PLO of starting outbreak by shelling Galerie Semaan crossing; IDF using C-130 Hercules planes to ferry arms and equipment into Lebanon; IDF has reportedly widened and improved a small airstrip at Ansar, west of Nabatiyeh near detention camp.

Casualties:

Beirut experiences major gas shortages, gunfights break out at gas lines; despite token IDF troop pullback to let Wazzan pass and Israeli denial that food was being kept out of W. Beirut, IDF soldiers continue to turn away food lorries as well as fuel and medicine; IDF spokesman says Israel has captured 9,000 suspected PLO guerrillas, 30-60 reportedly being arrested every day; small bands still hiding in hills east of Sidon, occasionally attacking IDF troops; Lebanese police estimate 50 killed, 200 wounded in fierce artillery and rocket duels in the evening; Beirut's 3 main hospitals report 515 killed, 2,200 wounded at their facilities alone since the invasion.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Mayor Rashid al-Shawa of Gaza is dismissed by the Israeli Defense Ministry, becoming the seventh Arab mayor ousted since March after refusing to lift a 2-month municipal strike against cooperation with new Israeli "civil administration"; 35 IDF reserve soldiers involved in Entebbe rescue in 1976 protest the war in Lebanon in letter sent to Begin; 86 reserve officers and soldiers recently released from their units ask Defense Ministry not to be sent back to Lebanon, appeal for evacuation of all Israeli troops; Communications Minister Zipori opposes setting final deadline for getting "terrorists" out of Beirut; demonstrators in Nablus stone IDF soldiers, tear gas and gunfire used to disperse demonstrators; military authorities ban request of Palestine Bank in Gaza Strip to collect money for Lebanon war victims.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Beirut negotiations falter amidst contradictory signals: PLO leader Kaddoumi's statement in London that PLO has agreed to leave Beirut countered by PLO statement in Beirut that PLO has not agreed to leave country, only to move its headquarters from Beirut; adviser to Arafat Hani al-Hassan affirms agreement with Lebanese Government to pull PLO out of Beirut when an international force sanctioned by the UN and containing Americans enters the capital to guarantee the PLO's safe exit and protect remaining Palestinian civilians; Habib reportedly resists deployment of international force before PLO withdrawal to avoid any implicit US recognition of PLO; PLO rejects pullout by sea; PLO insists on maintaining political presence in Lebanon; Wazzan ends 5-day boycott of negotiations, takes PLO demands to Baabda following easing of IDF blockade; Bashir Gemayel states opposition to US troops entering Lebanon, says Lebanese Army should secure W. Beirut; Habib contacts Sharon, who reportedly favors a military solution.

Arab Governments: Syria refuses to receive PLO guerrillas from Lebanon, saying they should stay in Lebanon until they return to Palestine; Arab League delegation including PLO's Kaddoumi in London for talks.

US and Other Countries: Morris Draper, Habib aide, reportedly sent to Syria to get it to accept PLO forces temporarily; Habib reportedly rejects two-stage withdrawal; US Sixth Fleet waits off Lebanese coast; White House officials expect negotiation breakthrough soon, describe IDF cut-off of water and electricity as "outrageous"; issue reportedly taken up by Reagan in letter to Begin; Habib plan reportedly calls for IDF pullback of 1 km. while PLO forces begin evacuation; State Department says US "deeply regrets" Shawa dismissal; Britain declines role in peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Military Action:

IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food, gasoline, medical shortages and brings negotiations to a halt; Wazzan says all water, electricity cut and all roads into W. Beirut closed; IDF tanks try to move on airport (4 vehicles hit in fierce PLO resistance); 2 shells land near Presidential Palace at Baabda; Lebanese officials say IDF forces 3 engineers to remove key piece of pumping machinery from water works serving West Beirut; fifth cease-fire called at 4 PM by IDF, though shelling continues beyond deadline (last cease-fire June 25); IDF forces advance to edge of airport runways; IDF only advances block by block against fierce PLO resistance (despite pleas, no PLO members surrender); now an estimated 90,000 IDF troops in Lebanon; Phalange cuts off port road on IDF orders.

Casualties:

Four cars of ICRC and convoy of 14 food trucks turned back from W. Beirut; residents of city line up at stores in panic buying of food; gasoline scarce; American University Hospital has only 2 days of oxygen; gunfights at gasoline stations reported; few of W. Beirut's estimated 200,000 Lebanese and Palestinian residents leave; ICRC protests lack of protection for and access to prisoners; severe housing shortage develops at Nabatiyeh as refugees arrive from north.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: BenPorat of Telem joins Cabinet; Sharon, Kimche, Habib reportedly meet; Mapam Secretary-General calls for end to water and food blockade (joined by Labor Party's Yossi Sarid); special regulations passed around June 9 reportedly allow for 3 months detention with no provisions for legal counsel or informing detainees' families; 6 wounded outside Hebron by Village League members; Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University reopens (closed since June 11 after student protests of invasion).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Groundswell of Lebanese resentment of IDF and support for Wazzan reported; PLO reported to send contribu-tion to Nicaragua for children affected by May floods; Lebanese officials protest IDF cutoff of water.

Arab Governments: Egypt accepts Iraq's invitation to summit meeting in September (after 3-year total isolation); Egypt says US role in Lebanon vital, that Israeli invasion is under-mining peace process and stability of region; PLO, Moroccan, Kuwaiti leaders meet USSR leaders; Syrian President Assad returns after talks with Saudi King Fahd; only Algeria and Syria reportedly willing to take PLO.

US and Other Countries: US officials say cease-fire essential to negotiations, pressures IDF to ease pressure on Beirut, following strong message from Saudi Arabia; USSR Foreign Minister Gromyko rules out military involvement in Lebanon; Arab women begin silent vigil outside White House; Nicaragua says it is sending solidarity mission to Beirut.