The IDF intercepts a Palestinian suicide bomber (the 16-yr.-old brother of a 15-yr.-old killed by the IDF on 1/3) nr. Nablus; to avoid capture, the bomber detonates his device, killing only...
IDF begins pulling out troops from West Beirut under mounting world pressure; thousands of Palestinians flee camps in panic, fearing return of Phalange/Haddad militias to...
IDF, PLO forces clash with rockets, artillery, gunfire near airport and in Burj al-Barajneh; Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon attacked by Phalangist forces, 40 houses...
Israeli forces advance to 15 miles from Beirut; one of the biggest air battles since the 1973 war takes place over Beirut (6 Syrian, 2 Israeli jets reported down); heavy...
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The IDF intercepts a Palestinian suicide bomber (the 16-yr.-old brother of a 15-yr.-old killed by the IDF on 1/3) nr. Nablus; to avoid capture, the bomber detonates his device, killing only himself; no group claims responsibility. The IDF fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths in Beita nr. Nablus, killing 1 Palestinian bystander. In Tel Aviv, 100,000 right-wing Israeli protesters (many affiliated with the settler movement) protest against rumored plans by Sharon to uproot Jewish settlements as part of a unilateral disengagement fr. the occupied territories. (AFP, HA, MM 1/11; NYT 1/12; VOP 1/11 in WNC 1/13; MM 1/13; NYT, PR 1/14; YA 1/14 in WNC 1/16; PCHR 1/15; JPI 1/23)
Right-wing settler activist Baruch Marzel announces a new Israeli political party, the Jewish National Front, which advocates the “transfer” of Arab communities to “new locations east of the Jordan River” and pledges “to ensure the immigration of 2 million Jews and the emigration of 2 million Arabs” in the coming yrs. Marzel says that the only group to submit a formal objection to the new party was the National Religious Party, which argued that the goals of the 2 parties were too similar. (Itim News Service 1/11)
Military Action:
IDF begins pulling out troops from West Beirut under mounting world pressure; thousands of Palestinians flee camps in panic, fearing return of Phalange/Haddad militias to camps following IDF withdrawal, before Lebanese Army can restore calm; Phalange and Haddad forces sighted setting up own roadblocks in West Beirut.
Casualties:
Red Cross continues to recover bodies, 130 recovered so far, no mass graves opened yet.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Controversy grows as media report government officials were aware that civilians were being killed in camps 36 hours before they intervened (denied by government officials); Haaretz, Davar, Jerusalem Post, Maariv call for ouster of Sharon and/or Begin, convening of national board of inquiry into Israeli complicity in massacre; Begin's office concedes Cabinet gave advance approval for IDF to allow Phalange/Haddad militias to enter camps last week; Israeli President Navon calls for independent inquiry into the massacre, Begin favors only investigating commission; National Religious Party joins Navon in pressuring Begin to allow a full investigation; Labor, Mapam, Shinui and Peace Now call for mass rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday; Palestinian leaders voice outrage at massacre; Palestinian youth throw stones at Israeli vehicles, set fire to tires in Ramallah and Nablus, police disperse crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets with no casualties; many stores close in protest, are forced open by Israeli soldiers; school openings in occupied territories postponed for two weeks; over 40 representatives of West Bank and Gaza refugees occupy UNRWA Jerusalem office to protest food ration cuts announced Sept. 1, UNRWA Employees' Union joins protest.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Palestine Central Council ends one-day meeting with statement condemning Israeli role in massacre, blaming Lebanese Army, US, France and Italy, and pledges to avenge killings; Camille Chamoun withdraws from race for Lebanese presidency as it becomes clear Amin Gemayel has votes to win.
Arab Governments: Egypt recalls ambassador to Israel but does not break diplomatic relations; Jordan's King Hussein accuses Israel of responsibility for massacre but urges positive Arab response to Reagan proposals, calls on PLO to join him to draw up federation plan along lines of Reagan proposal; emergency Arab League meeting in Tunis called at request of PLO delayed until tomorrow.
US and Other Counties: Reagan agrees to Lebanese request for return of US Marines, asks Israel to pull out of Beirut; Congress gives troubled support to decision, Weinberger doubts presence of Marines would have prevented massacre; several US Jewish leaders call for inquiry, demand that Israel cut all ties with Christian groups involved in massacre; USSR condemns Israel but blames US for "encouraging" Israel's "criminal aggression," proposes joint US-Soviet action to curb Israel; Indian Prime Minister Gandhi condemns massacre; 10-member European Community condemns massacre, demands Israeli withdrawal; Danish Foreign Minister meets with PLO leader Kaddoumi, says PLO must be associated with Middle East peace talks; Italian workers go on hour-long strike and attend rallies protesting massacre; Britain condemns massacre, demands Israeli withdrawal.
Military Action:
IDF, PLO forces clash with rockets, artillery, gunfire near airport and in Burj al-Barajneh; Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon attacked by Phalangist forces, 40 houses burned; cease-fire broken with bazooka fire and snipers in the Museum area; IDF air force attacks PLO positions in Beirut, allegedly destroying a PLO headquarters.
Casualties:
Thousands continue to flee West Beirut, choking the one crossing left open (hundreds of Lebanese seeking to enter W. Beirut to bring out relatives and friends are barred by IDF); food, water, fuel, electricity remain cut off (UNICEF tells its personnel to leave); none of those leaving are being allowed to stay in East Beirut; only Lebanese, no Palestinians being allowed to leave (Phalange say this is at IDF orders); ICRC finally gets IDF permission for one truck of medicine, four of food to enter West Beirut.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israel Committee Against the War in Lebanon sponsors march through Tel Aviv; Women Against the War begin vigil outside Begin offices; Israel confirms receiving substantive proposal on withdrawal.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Amin Gemayel (Bashir's brother) enters West Beirut, says war needs to stop; PLO reportedly prepared to leave Beirut as Syria agrees to accept guerrillas; Wazzan, after meeting Habib, is optimistic evacuation will begin in a few days; Camille Chamoun says presidential elections cannot take place until crisis resolved; effort to reconcile B. Gemayel, Jumblatt fails.
Arab Governments: Syria, Egypt reportedly offer refuge to PLO guerrillas (Egypt's foreign minister later says PLO withdrawal must be preceded by establishment of a global resolution of the Palestinian problem); Arab governments reluctant to accept substantial numbers of guerrillas; PLO expresses anger at this hesitation to accept trapped fighters.
US and Other Countries: US officials say difference between US and Israel may affect military and economic ties (US seeks Saudi and Jordanian participation in Camp David); in Munich, West Germany 1,000 protest against IDF attacks on Beirut; Nicaragua breaks relations with Israel; Italy and Greece offer peacekeeping troops.
Military Action:
Israeli forces advance to 15 miles from Beirut; one of the biggest air battles since the 1973 war takes place over Beirut (6 Syrian, 2 Israeli jets reported down); heavy fighting in Tyre and Sidon continues, as Tyre residents are told via air-dropped leaflets to go to beaches to avoid bombings, city is shown in flames; 15,000 people try to enter city from countryside, saying they have no food; Israelis move 100 tanks into mountains east of PLO stronghold of Damour; Israeli shells re-portedly destroy a Red Cross center on the edge of Sidon; tank battles near Jezzine, and Israelis reportedly aim to cut highway to Syria; Israeli planes blast road 2 miles south of Beirut airport; fierce fighting between Israeli and Syrian troops on edge of Beirut; Israelis capture Lebanese president's summer residence at Beiteddine; third attack on Beirut sports complex.
Syrians engage Israelis on southern edges of Beirut, along Beirut-Damascus highway; major Syrian-Israeli tank battle shaping up in Chouf region, stronghold of PLO ally and Lebanese National Movement (LNM) leader Walid Jumblatt (temporarily out of country).
Fierce resistance from PLO units continues in Tyre and Sidon; a few PLO-fired rockets fall on northern Galilee, from enclave controlled by Syria; PLO and Lebanon accept UN call for a cease-fire.
Casualties:
Beirut residents stockpile goods and Palestinian suburbs almost deserted as residents fan out into city; Red Cross center in Sidon destroyed by Israeli shelling; thousands of refugees pour into Beirut from southern Lebanon; 10,000 people placed under Red Cross care in Tyre alone.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Prime Minister Begin lays out 4 conditions for withdrawal from Lebanon, including removal of all Syrian and PLO forces from Lebanon, creation of a 40 km demilitarized zone north of the Israeli border; Knesset defeats no-confidence vote, 94-3; Israeli Ambassador Arens meets with Deputy Secretary of State Stoessel, Defense Secretary Weinberger and Senator Percy as a former Israeli general meets the US press; Begin calls on Assad not to engage Israeli troops; UN reports continue to be censored; about 40 demonstrators opposed to the invasion are attacked in Tel Aviv.
Palestinians/Lebanese: Arafat meets with USSR Ambassador; Lebanese president appeals to Arab League to hold a meeting; Lebanon's UN Ambassador says casualties run into thousands, mostly civilians.
Arab Governments: Iranian volunteers reported arriving in Lebanon via Syria, as well as Palestinian volunteers from Jordan and Kuwait; Arab diplomats from Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrein, Jordan and Algeria ask the US to pressure Israel to withdraw immediately, accept cease-fire; Syria rejects any troop withdrawal from Lebanon, reacting to reports of new Israeli conditions for a withdrawal.
US: Reagan, in London, appeals for an end to hostilities; Haig later says US would not deny Israel the "right of legitimate self-defense."
UN: Lebanon and the PLO accept the UN call for a cease-fire; Israel rejects the Security Council demand for withdrawal. Lebanon circulates a petition condemning Israel, threatening sanctions if it does not withdraw. UNIFIL General Callaghan makes first offi-cial protest of the invasion to Israel.
