The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

IDF and Syrian Army exchange fire in Beqaa; heavy fighting between PLO factions, and between Lebanese Army and Palestinian forces of Col. Said Musa near Army's Baalbek base, Syrians intervene; IDF surrounds, occupies Phalangist barracks at Kfar Falus, east of Sidon, in effort to evict militiamen.

Casualties:

1 IDF officer killed by Syrian fire; 2 killed, 8 wounded in Baalbek fighting; Christian and Druze militias permit convoys of food and medicine to reach Chouf towns of Bhamdoun and Aley, blockaded for past 35 days; bombs explode in 5 shops selling Israeli goods in Ain al-Hilweh camp; IDF releases following statistics on effect of redeployment: it is withdrawing from 600 of 3,400 sq. km. it now holds, 200,000 of the 750,00 civilians in this total area will come under control of Beirut, IDF frontline will be reduced from 118 to 113 km; more than 100 Palestinian and Lebanese women at Prime Minister's office demand intervention to secure release of men presumably kidnapped by Phalangists at time of Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: 2 Birzeit students sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for participating in last week's demonstration over killing of Hebron students; IDF imposes curfew on Tulkarm-Nablus road after settlers wounded by shots near Anabta.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat asks OAU and Nonaligned Movement to intervene against Syrian and Libyan attacks on PLO; McFarlane meets Gemayel, then flies to Israel.

UN: US vetoes, Zaire abstains, 13 states support Security Council resolution that Israeli settlements in occupied lands have no legal validity and constitute major and serious obstruction to peace.

Military Action:

IDF bombards PLO positions, residential areas in West Beirut by land, sea, air for 14 hours in fiercest fighting since invasion began; IDF makes only slight gains in advances on PLO positions, refugee camps south of airport and along coastal highway from Ouzai; IDF occupies Beirut airport, approaches edge of Burj al-Barajneh camp; Eitan says operations tightened siege; IDF strikes hit Sabra, Shatila, Burj al-Barajneh, Corniche Mazraa, Museum and Galerie Semaan crossings, Salam's house, Muslim residential areas on east side of West Beirut not previously shelled; 150 IDF bombing runs across Beirut drop an estimated 260 tons of bombs; IDF attempt to land troops along coast repulsed; ninth cease-fire called at 5 PM; PLO shells 10 East Beirut neighborhoods; PLO claims 30 IDF tanks, troop carriers destroyed.

Casualties:

IDF says 9, PLO says 80, Israeli soldiers wounded in fighting; heavy damage to buildings; Lebanese radio station reports 55 neighborhoods hit, most distant from Palestinian camps; all hospitals except one reported hit, as well as ICRC offices; fires burn out of control as smoke blankets city; 15 Lebanese killed, 40 wounded by PLO barrages into Phalangist-held territory; lack of electricity to operate water pumps continues shortage of water (one hour after cease-fire, IDF cuts water again); Lebanese police estimate 200 dead, 400 wounded from IDF bombardment; 50 IDF soldiers serving in Lebanon sentenced for looting since invasion began (in some cases, stole items from prisoners being transported to Israel from Sidon, Tyre); while damage to Palestinian neighborhoods enormous, PLO military losses reported small; reports of IDF use of phosphorus shells in civilian areas growing; parliament building hit; one of West Beirut's two remaining fire stations is destroyed, leaving three trucks to cover 10 square miles and protect a population estimated at 600,000.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon, in interview with David Brinkley, claims Beirut Airport under IDF control, reaffirms Israel's willingness to allow further time for mediation efforts, claims PLO seeks "immunity among the civilian population"; Israeli official, rejecting US appeals for military restraint, says IDF will respond maximally to PLO cease-fire violations, will not accept "war of attrition"; Cabinet meets, again postpones decision on whether IDF will enter city; Peace Now sends telegram to Begin claiming capture of West Beirut will not serve Israeli interests; Labor leader Danny Rosolio appeals for urgent meeting of Knesset's foreign affairs/defense committee; Shamir arrives in Washington for meeting with Reagan; Cabinet sets up ministerial committee under Mordechai Ben-Porat to work with Lebanese government on finding winter accommodations for thousands of Palestinian refugees left homeless in wake of invasion and to explore resettlement of refugees (must decide on UNRWA request to import tents for refugees); Mapam central committee urges government not to try to occupy West Beirut but to seek diplomatic solution; thousands participate in Rakah-sponsored demonstration against Lebanon war in Nazareth (participants include leaders of local Arab councils).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Sarkis protests IDF moves when negotiations are moving ahead; Salam calls Habib 10 times trying to arrange cease-fire; Wazzan makes passionate appeal to world leaders to intervene, as sit-in by Lebanese Muslim women continues at American University of Beirut.

US and Other Countries: Reagan stresses need for cease-fire as State Department says fighting undermines chances for peaceful PLO withdrawal from Beirut.

UN: Security Council debates resolution calling for deployment of independent observers to monitor situation around Beirut; Council later unanimously demands immediate cease-fire throughout Lebanon, authorizes Secretary General to deploy military observers to check compliance (Israel reportedly withholding agreement, pending Cabinet decision, to deployment of observers around Beirut).

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.

Military Action:

IDF armored units fight fierce artillery, rocket duels with PLO forces inside Beirut as PLO, for first time, fires back on wide range of IDF gun positions in East Beirut; fighting appeared to intensify following Israeli announcement of little headway in negotiations and consideration of an Israeli military option; IDF rockets landing at rate of 30 per minute, as Burj al-Barajneh, Sabra, Shatila Lailake and the coastal road near the airport are all hit; PLO forces fire on E. Beirut areas of Hadeth, Ashrafiya, Furn al-Shubbak, Dbaye and near Baabda; 51 shells reportedly land in presidential compound; direct hit on IDF motor pool below palace reported, setting fire to 4-5 trucks and armored vehicles and causing unspecified casualties; PLO shells also hit government hospital in Baabda, near Hotel Alexandre and near IDF press center as well as Aramoun hills area; 2 IDF tanks destroyed trying to advance on airport; French Ambassador's residence set on fire during shelling, as well as Raouche seafront; shelling tapers off after 12 hours following cease-fire announcement on Beirut radio; IDF camps set up at Zahrani, and near Tyre; Damour, Khalde, and in the Chouf and Arkoub areas.

Casualties:

Beirut radio reports "large numbers" of casualties on both sides; few ambulances venture into areas being shelled; 3 IDF soldiers killed and 28 wounded in fighting around Beirut; fires burn for hours in shelled areas of W. Beirut; Phalangist radio reports 20 killed, 80 wounded in city; shell hits Barbir Hospital killing 5 patients, wounding 11; blood supplies reported to drop below a safe level; street shootings by feuding militias continue in Beirut; 82 persons reported killed, 211 wounded in artillery battle, according to Beirut radio; hundreds of buildings reported wrecked or burned in Beirut; civilian death toll during invasion now put between 15- 20,000 by various sources, 85-90 percent estimated to be civilians by relief agency directors, who believe IDF count only Lebanese as civilians and regard all Palestinians as combatants; an estimated 6,000 Palestinian refugees have returned to Rashidiyeh and 5,000 to Ain el-Hilweh; according to the Red Cross, lack of public sanitation still a major problem, bodies still being recovered under the rubble; Sidon's mayor estimates housing needed for 40-60,000 residents (20,000 of these Palestinians), is unable to estimate re-building costs; Archbishop Haddad of Tyre says 26,000 Palestinians displaced by IDF invasion, estimates structural damage to buildings at $60 m.; local teachers, public officials in Nabatiyeh appeal to Begin to release young Nabatiyans held by IDF; IDF agrees to increase size of assistance unit in Nabatiyeh to cope with huge influx of refugees from north.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet says little progress made, as Begin studies military options; news poll of 1,164 Israelis finds only 29 percent favor "breaking" into Beirut, 68 percent opposed; Shamir tells US AID official McPherson that Israel will allow ICRC visits to Palestinian detainees next week; McPherson completes a tour of southern Lebanon to assess best way to expend $65 m. allocated for Lebanese relief; military ser-vice for conscripts extended 3 months; Deputy Chief of Staff Levy says IDF will "realistically" be deployed along their current lines through the winter; new agreement with Haddad to extend Haddad's military control from south of the Litani River to just north of Sidon.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Fighting brings negotiations to a halt; PLO insists on US or UN recognition of PLO's centrality in the Mideast as price for withdrawal, calls on US to speak directly to the PLO; Bashir Gemayel says Phalangists will not get involved in latest fighting; Wazzan accuses Israel of trying to sabotage negotiations, hints talks may be called off unless US gets Israel to halt Beirut bombardment; Wazzan reportedly unable to deliver PLO 11-point plan.

Arab Governments: Syria broadcasts appeal for PLO to stand and fight in Beirut; Egyptian Foreign Minister Ali says Sharon's idea of a Palestinian state set up in Jordan violates Camp David.

US and Other Countries: Proposal to send US troops to Lebanon draws skeptical reactions from Congressional leaders; Weinberger says US studying whether IDF improperly used US weapons during its invasion of Lebanon; Sen. Percy says Israel broke faith with the US by invading Lebanon and US support for Israel waning.