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...
1,300 Syrian-controlled Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) troops travel to Syria in first overland evacuation (760 PLO guerrillas leave by sea for Tartus); US Marines patrol...
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...
Read more
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:
1,300 Syrian-controlled Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) troops travel to Syria in first overland evacuation (760 PLO guerrillas leave by sea for Tartus); US Marines patrol port; PLO turns over weaponry to LNM forces in Beirut; Lebanese Army redeployment delayed by continued Muslim opposition to Gemayel.
Casualties:
2 IDF soldiers wounded by stray bullets during evacuation; 1 IDF soldier killed, 5 wounded by land mine explosion under their bus near Tyre; Radio Beirut reports 1 Lebanese soldier, 3 civilians wounded near Green Line.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon continues fundraising in US, meets with Weinberger and Shultz (indicates Israeli unwillingness to share military information with US while sanctions imposed); Israeli police violently disperse Palestinian women demonstrating in front of US Consulate in East Jerusalem to protest US involvement in Lebanese war (several arrested, including an Israeli woman journalist); Israeli judge exempts Israeli companies from paying income tax on their operations in the occupied territories.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat praises PLO resistance; Gemayel, Sarkis praise Arafat agreement on evacuation, discipline of evacuation; West Beirut Muslims continue to refuse cooperation with Gemayel unless he prioritizes Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, returns to consensual decision-making.
Arab Governments: Foreign Ministers conference begins preparations for September 6 Arab summit; Libya charges Arab summit aims to recognize Israel.
US and Other Countries: US reaffirms commitment to Jordanian sovereignty, security; White House announces Defense Secretary Weinberger to visit Lebanon, Israel, Egypt next week; Senator Percy, in visit to Beirut, meets Habib, Sarkis, Gemayel.
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.
