Reports that 5000 of Bashir Gemayel's militiamen, sent to Israel for training right after Israeli invasion, were to come under direct IDF control; Reagan approves Lebanese...
Phalange maintains roadblocks in East Beirut; IDF bus and escort jeep fired on between Nahariyeh and Zahrani; IDF roadblock at Kfar Silat hit by Rocket-propelled grenades,...
IDF, claiming PLO breaches cease-fire, attacks Palestinian neighborhoods, artillery positions in West Beirut by land, sea, air (hour-long air strike hits Ramlet el-Baida,...
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Military Action:
Reports that 5000 of Bashir Gemayel's militiamen, sent to Israel for training right after Israeli invasion, were to come under direct IDF control; Reagan approves Lebanese request for US Marines to join French and Italian troops in mobile patrols through East Beirut; car bomb explodes near US Marines camp outside Beirut, one Marine and two civilians injured.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: One British and one US doctor and US nurse from Gaza Hospital, in testimony before Commission of Inquiry, say they heard gunfire but were unaware of massacre until after it was over, saw hundreds of Palestinian refugees lined up along Sabra Street under guard when they were forced to leave hospital, Phalange had many walkie-talkies, contrary to Sharon's testimony; overheard IDF officers refer to presence of Haddad men in area, saw tractors in Shatila with Hebrew markings; 360-room luxury hotel at Taba near Eilat opens despite Egyptian protests; Shamir tells Knesset committee that Egypt has broken many Camp David agreements; Israel reportedly asks Roumania's help in securing release of IDF POWs held in Syria; Shamir says Arens supports continued settlement on West Bank.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat ends visit to Bucharest, issues joint statement with Ceausescu calling for renewed diplomatic peace efforts; Gemayel visits Morocco, talks with King Hassan focus on speeding up withdrawal of foreign forces and Moroccan offer to send 22,000 troops for peacekeeping; Gemayel meets with PLO leader Salah Khalaf in Morocco; Wazzan warns that Lebanese who collaborate with Israel may lose their citizenship, accuse Israel of paralyzing Lebanese Government functions.
Arab Governments: Mubarak restates Egyptian objections to Taba hotel opening, says Egypt will proceed with talks.
UN: US Ambassador Kirkpatrick says UN critics of Israel aim at "annihilation of Israel."
Military Action:
Phalange maintains roadblocks in East Beirut; IDF bus and escort jeep fired on between Nahariyeh and Zahrani; IDF roadblock at Kfar Silat hit by Rocket-propelled grenades, second attack in a week; all Israeli buses must now be escorted by a jeep with an automatic weapon and at least 6 armed soldiers; IDF increases patrols in South Lebanon refugee camps in response to fears of renewed Phalange violence; IDF decreases presence in Druze villages; IAF flies surveillance over Bekaa.
Casualties:
Israeli health ministry announces Lebanese Government has ordered Sidon hospital to end cooperation with Israeli health authorities, no longer purchase medical supplies or allow treatment of patients in Israel; Israeli Economic Minister Meridor says, in Knesset, that IDF will protect Palestinian refugees, provide them with materials to build more permanent structures.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon, in first public session of Commission of Inquiry, says Israeli Cabinet decided on June 15 to use Phalangists in "anti-terrorist" operation, reveals one Haddad soldier killed and two captured by IDF for being part of group involved in massacre, claims Eitan first told him, at 9 PM Friday, 24 hours after it began, that "the Christians had harmed the civilian population beyond what was expected," says he did not inform Begin until next day; Sharon repeatedly seeks to have testimony closed to public and later testifies for 3 hours in secret, thrust of testimony puts onus for Friday evening casualties on Eitan, says IDF estimate 700-800 died during massacre.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO announces PLO units will move from Syria to join PLA units in Jordan; leftist organizations express shock at Frem statement rejecting disarming of Phalange until all foreign forces have left Lebanon, protest Phalange searches.
Arab Governments: Egypt has refused entry to West Bank Palestinians; Tunisian Foreign Minister Beji Caid Essebsi appeals again for US recognition of the PLO.
US and Other Countries: Report by US Defense Department survey team on Lebanon's military needs presented to Weinberger; US official says Lebanon and Israel have agreed to hold negotiations on troop withdrawals with US participation; Canadian sales of Israel Bonds up 10 percent; Shultz, in Ottawa, says meeting with Hassan very constructive, says Hassan's statements imply Arab recognition of Israel, also says present size of peace-keeping force in Lebanon adequate; Norway's Labor Party to seek direct contact with PLO.
UN: Iran's challenge to Israel's General Assembly credentials undermines Arab-sponsored compromise, catches delegates by surprise.
Military Action:
IDF, claiming PLO breaches cease-fire, attacks Palestinian neighborhoods, artillery positions in West Beirut by land, sea, air (hour-long air strike hits Ramlet el-Baida, Sabra, Lailake, Shatila, Burj al-Barajneh, Verdun Street, stadium, race track areas; bombardment follows rocket, artillery duels between IDF and PLO; fighting shatters growing optimism as trucks collect garbage for first time in ten days, hundreds of cars seek to enter West Beirut); Habib arranges new cease-fire for 9 PM.
Casualties:
Heavy casualties from IDF bombardment of W. Beirut; IDF blockade of all water and electricity into West Beirut continues for fifth day (risk of typhoid/ paratyphoid epidemic rising; all main West Beirut reservoirs dry; private wells becoming depleted, increasingly unpotable); huge fires started in Palestinian neighborhoods; hospitals, experience critical shortages of food, water; two IDF soldiers reported wounded; IDF refuses to allow entry of $1 m. in US-provided medical supplies into West Beirut (after intervention of ICRC, supplies earmarked for AUB Hospital allowed in); IDF burns three vegetable-laden trucks near southern suburbs; Tyre still without electricity; PLO offers to compensate UNRWA for blockaded relief supplies PLO refuses to allow to be removed from Beirut.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin tells Knesset before bombing starts that IDF will step up military pressure on Beirut if PLO does not leave (claims Habib has failed to receive "unequivocal commitment" by PLO to withdraw, reportedly opposes proposal to keep IDF out of sight of Beirut-Damascus highway during any PLO retreat); IDF plan for storming West Beirut reportedly finalized; Begin postpones trip to Africa scheduled for Monday; Shamir dismisses Arab League statement, flies to Switzerland and the US.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: New PLO proposal for leaving Lebanon presented to Wazzan; Salam expects agreement between PLO and Lebanese government in "a week to 10 days"; Wazzan accuses IDF of picking political rather than military targets to press home its demands, threatens to suspend negotiations unless blockade ended; Camille Chamoun criticizes blockade as "cruel," "unjustifiable"; Butros returns from Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia unoptimistic, reportedly rejects PLO proposed withdrawal timetable; PLO reportedly insists that only regular troops of the Palestine Liberation Army should leave.
Arab Governments: Egypt's Foreign Minister Ali meets with Reagan in Washington, seeks to link PLO withdrawal from Beirut with longterm solution to Palestinian problem; Iraq claims Iranian offensive crushed.
US and Other Countries: Reagan meets with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ali in Washington.
