The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

4 hours of artillery and rocket barrages between Phalange and Druze militias over 20 mile arc from Chouf to Junieh, Beirut suburbs worst hit since last summer; helicopter carrying US Marine commander fired on, no injuries; artillery and rocket battles in Tripoli between pro- and anti-Syrian militias; Gemayel orders Lebanese Army and Air Force to attack and silence any positions firing on Beirut; IDF officers in Bekaa say Syrian military activity in the area is defensive, no signs of preparation for attack.

Casualties:

6-7 killed, 25-34 injured in artillery barrages in Chouf and Beirut; 1 IDF soldier killed, 9 injured by artillery shell near convoy; 1 killed, 4 wounded in Tripoli; American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee resumes shipments of cement to assist in reconstruction of refugee camps in South Lebanon.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli officials seek clarification of points in draft troop withdrawal agreement, special envoys Habib and Draper answer questions at Foreign Ministry; Chaim Herzog sworn in as president of Israel, says that political and ethnic tensions among Israeli Jews constitute a danger from within; 500 Arab college and high school students demonstrate in Nazareth against discriminatory recommendations for university tuitionfee policy; Nablus court issues 6 more injunctions preventing private company from preparing land for Elkana D settlement near Bidya; Jerusalem resident, beaten by yeshiva students while rescuing elderly woman last month, hospitalized in serious condition after being beaten again; physician and lawyer in Ramallah jailed after their offices searched by Israeli tax collectors seeking retroactive payment of value added tax, boycotted by West Bank professionals and merchants.

Arab Governments: Jordanian official says there are no prospects for the resumption of political dialogue between King Hussein and PLO Chairman Arafat on a joint stand to enter peace process; Syrian President Assad visits Riyadh, meets King Fahd; Ba'ath Party official says that after Syria's heavy sacrifices it has the right to discuss, take issue with and even oppose particular PLO action, criticizes Arafat for treating all Arab states alike.

US and Other Countries: US lifts unofficial ban on Navy ships visiting Israel, supply ship USS Savannah docks at Haifa to replenish stocks of Sixth Fleet ships anchored off Beirut; Jewish businessmen in Virginia form political action committee (PAC) to back pro-Israeli candidates; National Association of Arab Americans' spokesman says 24 PACs have been formed by pro-Israeli, Jewish American activists, NAAA considers forming PACs as well.

Military Action:

Syrian troops carry out large scale war games; PLO forces put on full alert.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: 5 IDF reservists sentenced to jail terms during past 2 days for refusing to serve in Lebanon; journalists, academics and military officials begin 3 day conference in Jerusalem on news coverage during the Lebanon and other wars; border police shoot and kill 1, wound 2, arrest 9 when villagers seek to stop construction bulldozers preparing site for new settlement of Elkana D near village of Bidya; curfew in Qabatya after molotov cocktail thrown at gas station.

Arab Governments: Syrian President Assad meets with Lebanese foreign minister.

US and Other Countries: Shultz meets with Israeli defense and foreign ministers for line by line review of draft agreement, and with PM Begin; US denies Israeli press reports that Pentagon amended terms of agreement on sale of components for Lavi jet fighter, US will provide both parts and technology, but not secret technological data required by Israel for eventual co-production of parts.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Navon returns from US visit; Shamir says Reagan plan is only set of ideas and US policy will change in time; 1,000-2,000 Peace Now members occupy for a day unfinished West Bank settlement of Efrat, south of Bethlehem, blocking main road, putting up signs demanding halt to settlement, money to slums, no annexation, simultaneously stage successful diversionary demonstration in Elkana settlement near Nablus.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese leaders meet all day with US envoys Habib and Draper; President Gemayel sends special envoy Jean Obeid to Syria, where President Assad tells him Syria will not allow Israel to reap political or military gains from its invasion.

Arab Governments: King Hussein, Prime Minister Nudar Badran, and Chief of Staff Zaid Ben Shaker go to Baghdad for talks with Saddam Hussein.

US and Other Countries: US Marine Corps Commander General Robert Barrow says he's anxious to get 1,200 Marines out of Lebanon to avoid any incident such as a shootout which might discourage enlistment into the force, and Marine spokesman says there is a professional concern for the Marines' safety; Pentagon official says there are plans to send another battalion of Marines to Lebanon; Defense Security Agency Director Lt. Gen. Philip C. Gast in Beirut to assess ability of Lebanese military to absorb equipment already in the country or on its way.