The Palestine Chronology

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:

Mortar, rocket and artillery battles spread from Chouf eastward toward Bekaa, fighting only ends after IDF imposes curfew; IDF troops in Lebanon now estimated at 30,000, down from over 80,000 during summer.

Casualties:

2 IDF soldiers wounded, 8 Lebanese killed in past week's clashes in Chouf; UNRWA Commissioner General warns refugees face wretched winter worsened by lack of wage-earners detained by IDF; at Ain el-Hilweh, Lebanese landowners reclaim two-thirds of camp land; Lebanese hospital reportedly received drugs taken from Gaza Hospital; Meridor says Israelis to offer grants to refugees to purchase prefab homes.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir claims Habif is making pro-PLO statements, but State Department denies; Druze and Christian leaders meet in Haifa, but fail to reach agreement on plan to end Lebanese sectarian fighting; Begin sends telegram to Israeli Druze leader asserting IDF is trying to end clashes; 1,200 Bethlehem University students go on strike to protest Israeli orders that 8 foreign lecturers suspend teaching.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Elie Salem flies to London to renew plea for British troops to reinforce peacekeeping force; Haddad accuses Syria of provoking Phalange-Druze strife to undermine Israeli presence.

US and Other Countries: Habib meets with King Hassan in Morocco; Reagan spokesman Larry Speakes defends Administration opposition to increases in aid to Israel, says increase would come at expense of other allies and that aid levels had already risen 21 percent; White House announces Mubarak will visit Washington January 27, meet with Reagan; Chinese Community Party head Hu Yaobang urges Arab nations to recognize Israel's right to exist, in remarks welcoming Arab League delegation.

Military Action:

IDF jeeps and APCs come under RPG attack near Shuweifat; artillery, machine gun exchanges between Druze and Phalange in Aley, IDF rushes 50 APCs and tanks, 500 troops to area, imposes curfew and cuts traffic between Chouf villages; IDF forces withdraw from Yarze area housing Lebanese Army command and home of US Ambassador Dillon.

Casualties:

UNRWA begins distributing cement and stoves in Ain el-Hilweh; 1 attacker killed, 1 IDF soldier wounded in Shuweifat.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon tells Knesset committee Israel will withdraw to 40 miles above border only after PLO and Syria withdraw troops and Israeli prisoners are returned, but will stay there until Lebanon signs security agreement allowing direct IDF involvement in security arrangements; Shamir tells US Jewish leaders in Israel that multinational peacekeeping force is unnecessary for ensuring safety of South Lebanon; Jerusalem Post poll shows Sharon support dropping since massacre; Commission of Inquiry interviews Yiram Yair, IDF commander in area of camps during massacre, behind closed doors; Statistics Bureau puts price rise at 106 percent since start of year, and inflation rate may reach 138 percent by end of year; two week old memo revealed which ordered Israeli military governors to "neutralize to the maximum" pro-Jordanian elements among West Bank Arabs and to step up support for Village Leagues, in apparent attempt to block options for peace settlement involving Jordan; Likud MK Dror Zeigerman says government initiative in issuing memo would imply plan for ultimate annexation of occupied territories, and warns such a plan would turn the West Bank into "Israel's Viet Nam"; Peace Now issues statement condemning Civil Administrator for implementing "corrupt colonialist policies"; heads of Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian churches in Jerusalem threaten to close holy places over Christmas unless expulsion order against Armenian Deputy Patriarch Karanjian is rescinded, but Interior Ministry refuses to reveal basis for decision to not renew visa; Tehiya Party, at annual meeting, demands that Israel annex West Bank and Gaza; Nahal plans five outposts, three settlements in West Bank in coming year; Bethlehem University student council leader put under town arrest for six months.

US and Other Countries: French President Mitterrand, in Paris meeting, tells Arab League delegation headed by King Hussein that Arabs and PLO should recognize Israel; State Department issues unusually strong 2 page statement that Israel's deportation of teachers from West Bank universities (which are partly funded by US foreign aid) undermines peace negotiations.

Military Action:

IDF imposes curfew on several Chouf villages, including Kfar Nabrakh, Navrah and Brih, following artillery duels and Phalange attack on Druze doctor; Aley sealed off after land mine explodes near IDF jeep.

Casualties:

IDF medical teams treat wounded in Chouf villages, many evacuated; IDF arranges exchange of prisoners in Aley; Ain el-Hilweh a sea of mud after third day of heavy rains, only 16 UNRWA tents set up and 100 refugees sign up to purchase Israeli-made prefabricated houses.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir tells visiting US Congressmen that negotiations on IDF withdrawal from Lebanon could last many months, blames Syria; Israel links pull-out talks to Lebanese willingness to normalize relations with Israel (open borders, trade, tourism, unofficial missions in Jerusalem and Beirut); Tourism Minister Sharir reveals plan to promote tourism on West Bank to strengthen Israel's presence there; El Al workers go on strike.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO source in Tunisia says Fateh has approved plans to create Palestinian-Jordanian federation, with Jordan and Palestinian state as separate countries, has decided to reinforce PLO troops in Bekaa and North Lebanon, to resume military training for guerrillas evacuated from Beirut and to resume talks with Lebanese Government on Palestinian presence in Lebanon; PLO reportedly sets 2 conditions for "mutual and simultaneous recognition" with Israel-US pledge to talk to PLO in return and a US guarantee that PLO will be included in any peace negotiations on equal footing with other Arab parties; Lebanese Parliament, in 58-1 vote, gives Gemayel power to rule nation by decree for 6 months, gives vote of confidence to 10-member Cabinet, gives Gemayel full powers to deal with Israelis, Syrians, PLO and to restructure Army, revise tax structure, change criminal law, reschedule debts, control media, but Gemayel fails to win power to amend election laws, citizenship requirements and provincial boundaries without Parliamentary approval, also fails to extend special powers for 2 more months, as 32 legislators abstain or are absent; Gemayel meets with Druze and Phalange leaders, says he will seek US pressure on IDF to withdraw from Chouf area; Walid Jumblatt meets Gemayel at Baabda to discuss deteriorating security in Chouf area, declares Israel is responsible for bloodshed.

US and Other Countries: Assistant Secretary of State Veliotes, in interview, says PLO proposal for "mutual and simultaneous" recognition with Israel was step backward in negotiating process as Israel will never agree; British Foreign Secretary Francis Pym arrives for 2 day stay in Jordan.

Military Action:

Phalange forces, backed by IDF, have artillery duels with Syrian-supported Lebanese leftist militia; Phalange-Druze conflicts reported (nephew of Gemayel reportedly killed); Muslim/Christian conflicts around Tripoli; 2 Israeli generals visit Jumblatt's center, demand that his forces surrender artillery and mortars; Phalange moves into Chouf and Sidon, replacing Lebanese gendarmerie; Israeli jets hold mock battles over Beirut, dropping flares over Palestinian refugee camps; PLO bolsters positions inside W. Beirut; Phalange shoot from behind IDF lines.

Casualties:

Israeli government developing plans for security of southern Lebanon not involving international help (arms and uniforms given to villagers); observers report more physical damage in Tyre than Sidon (where casualties higher); Lebanese bankers protest IDF attempt to violate bank secrecy in Sidon; IDF asks Druze/Phalange leaders to stop fighting between followers (Phalange reportedly using arms against Druze; IDF caught in cross-fire); villages of Jumblatt refuse to be disarmed (Druze Likud Knesset member asks Sharon to restrain Phalangists "who draw their strength from the Defense Minister").

UNRWA reports that 50 percent of houses in 6 Palestinian refugee camps near Sidon/Tyre are destroyed, 40 percent of refugees have fled, UNRWA convoy scheduled to leave Jerusalem for Tyre today (draws on stocks in Gaza and West Bank); two-thirds of two camps near Tyre destroyed (no clear report on third camp); Ain el-Hilweh reportedly "virtually wiped out," Rashidiyeh suffers less damage; 200,000 tons of aid from France, West Germany, Denmark waiting in Cyprus for IDF permission to ship; Canadian physician who worked in Sidon says 50 percent of 10,000 killed by IDF invasion were children under 13 (his hospital was bombed 4 times, he saw pellet bombs dropped on refugee camps, and saw Palestinian prisoners beaten with clubs and metal-tipped whips).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin disagrees with message from Haig that PLO should be allowed token political presence in Lebanon if Lebanon agrees (says that despite his statement in the US that Israel had no intention of entering Beirut, with IDF on Beirut's periphery "it was another matter," and urges Beirut residents to "flee for your lives"); Israeli Cabinet agrees to give negotiations more time, extends "deadline"; officials indicate Saudi plans for airlift might be acceptable; Foreign Ministry condemns EEC call for involvement of PLO in negotiations; Labor Alignment resolution opposing military action in Beirut gets 47 votes (Likud resolution gets 60, reference to multinational policing of 28-mile zone conspicuously absent); cost of war put at $2.5 billion for Israel ($1 b. in direct costs, $1.5 b. in indirect costs from resultant economic slowdown; equals 10-15 percent of GNP); IDF service extension for those essential for war effort being discussed; officials claim PLO takes advantage of peace negotiations; 200 protest Israeli invasion near Prime Minister's office (including 15 reservists back from Lebanon, who say they have signatures of 200 soldiers opposed to the war); trial of 20 Palestinian youths for guerrilla actions begins in Lydda and Ramal-lah; Israeli Druze leader asks Begin to restrain Phalange attacks on Lebanese Druze.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Phalange party plans to nominate Bashir Gemayel for Lebanese President; negotiations stall as no Arab countries indicate willingness to accept all PLO fighters; Lebanese continue to flee Beirut, leaving streets deserted; Wazzan puts civilian deaths at 15,000 (IDF Colonel Kadar says deaths number only a few thousand-in excess of 440 civilian deaths cited by Begin last week); Wazzan, after meeting with Habib, rejects Israeli conditions; PLO forces in Tripoli vow to fight on regardless of any settlement in-volving PLO forces in Beirut; PLO privately reiterates willingness to leave Lebanon (form of evacuation and surrender of arms left un-resolved); PLO meets with Salam.

Arab Govemments: Saudis reported active diplomatically; Arab League representatives meet in Taif to continue discussion of common approach to IDF invasion (includes Syrian, Saudi, Lebanese, PLO, Algerian and Kuwaiti envoys).

US and Other Countries: Reagand enies giving Israel "green light" for invasion, says it resulted from PLO rocket attacks on Israel; Senator Percy says IDF invasion of W. Beirut would be "unacceptable" because of civilian casualties; State Department official warns of risk of renewed fighting if PLO and Lebanon do not come to terms soon; Haig sends message saying PLO should be allowed some political presence in Lebanon if Lebanese authorities agree; French Foreign Minister Cheysson, after meeting with Egyptian envoy Ghali, speaks of PLO as representing Palestinian people; Greek Ministry of Culture supervises huge concert in Athens to aid Palestinian children; Nigerian parliament passes resolution condemning Israel; protests held in cities in USSR; USSR accuses Israelis of using chemical weapons in Lebanon supplied by US.