6 / 15150 Results
  • June 14, 1983

    Military Action:

    Artillery fire exchanged between Phalangist and Druze militias in Souk al-Gharb and Aitat villages; IDF reports 3 attacks, no casualties: RPGs fired at convoy, small arms...

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  • May 22, 1983

    Military Action:

    Phalange and Druze exchange artillery and small arms fire in Chouf after Druze sheikh killed by land mine in Kfarhim.

    Casualties:

    23 killed, up to 100...

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  • February 18, 1983

    Military Action:

    IDF has blown up five vehicles suspected of being booby-trapped in past two weeks; Lebanese Army blocks IDF patrol at new checkpoint south of Beirut; IDF Merkava tank hit...

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  • September 28, 1982

    Military Action:

    IDF leaves Beirut port and Galerie Semaan but keeps some units at airport; IDF presence in East Beirut also diminished; US Marines expected to land within 48 hours at port...

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  • July 19, 1982

    Military Action:

    IDF jets make repeated reconnaissance passes over Beirut as IDF armored units dig in around airport and trade small arms fire with PLO guerrillas in southern suburbs; PLO...

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  • July 3, 1982

    Military Action:

    IDF armored troops seal off West Beirut as Israeli and Palestinian gunners trade artillery, machine-gun fire in southern suburbs, in first major clash in 8 days; IDF drops...

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Military Action:

Artillery fire exchanged between Phalangist and Druze militias in Souk al-Gharb and Aitat villages; IDF reports 3 attacks, no casualties: RPGs fired at convoy, small arms fire at military police HQ and roadside bomb as convoy passes near Ansar prison camp; fighting in Tripoli between pro- and anti-Syrian groups.

Casualties:

1 person killed, 15 injured in Tripoli fighting.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese parliament approves troop withdrawal agreement by 65-2 vote, with 4 abstentions.

US and Other Countries: Weinberger says US-Israel memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation against Soviet threats in Middle East, suspended since December 1981, could be restored any time Israeli government wishes.

Military Action:

Phalange and Druze exchange artillery and small arms fire in Chouf after Druze sheikh killed by land mine in Kfarhim.

Casualties:

23 killed, up to 100 kidnapped in Chouf fighting.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Detectives investigating murder of 2 Russian nuns suspect fanatical Jewish opponents of Christian activity in the Holy Land, Russian convent and other Christian institutions in Jerusalem recently daubed with swastikas; 90% of government-employed doctors refuse to work in escalation of strike actions for higher wages begun March 2; High Court rules that Druze residents of Golan Heights must carry Israeli identity cards; Chief of Staff Levy says reserve duty will average 60-65 days this year if IDF remains in Lebanon for protracted period; Cabinet formally ratifies agreement with Lebanon.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem, in Paris, says Syrian position on Lebanese-Israeli-US accord is not final; Habib arrives in Beirut for meetings with Lebanese officials.

Arab Governments: Iraq says US-arranged Lebanese-Israeli accord constitutes a chain on Lebanon's sovereignty; Kuwait minister says agreement is an infringement on the rights of the whole Arab nation; Col. Qaddafi says rebellion in PLO has his material and moral support.

Military Action:

IDF has blown up five vehicles suspected of being booby-trapped in past two weeks; Lebanese Army blocks IDF patrol at new checkpoint south of Beirut; IDF Merkava tank hit by RPG fired near Beirut-Damascus highway, Phalange radio attributes attack to Druze militia, says artillery and small arms fire continued for hours; Lebanon reportedly will introduce compulsory military service on April 18.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: David Kimche, head of Israeli delegation to Lebanon negotiations, meets Habib.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: At PNC, 29 new members added to council, of whom 23 are reportedly senior PLO officers loyal to Arafat; Saiqa leader Isam al-Qadi calls for rejection of Reagan plan and struggle to thwart it; smuggling of vegetables from Israel to Lebanon increasing, valued in January at about $300,000; value of Israeli goods sold to Lebanon since invasion estimated at $50 million; in Lebanese-Israeli-US negotiations, Israel agrees to Habib proposal for first-stage withdrawal of frontline forces.

US and Other Countries: Pentagon says it plans to sell Lebanese Army 107 armored troop carriers, .50-caliber machine guns and other equipment valued at about $25 million.

Military Action:

IDF leaves Beirut port and Galerie Semaan but keeps some units at airport; IDF presence in East Beirut also diminished; US Marines expected to land within 48 hours at port, airport and Ouzai; Draper informs Gemayel that lDF has agreed to total pullout; Israeli guards shoot, wound eight prisoners while breaking up a riot at Al-Ansar detention camp; IDF claims to have completed removal of PLO arms caches from West Beirut, including 520 tons of ammunition, 23 tanks and APCs, 200 other vehicles, 80 cannons and mortars, 75 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and 5,000 small arms; IDF arrests Israeli Druze in Beirut as extortionist.

Casualties:

During Israel's 11-day occupation of West Beirut, 9 IDF soldiers were killed and 130 wounded.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin agrees to establish judicial commission to investigate the Beirut massacre; pressures grow within government for dismissal of Sharon (meeting of top army commanders again calls for Sharon's resignation); Shamir says Israel is wrongly blamed for massacre; Israeli papers report Phalangists discussed such a massacre weeks prior to actual event as way to make Palestinians flee (contradicts view that massacre was 'spontaneous'); pro-government rally scheduled for Saturday cancelled; tensions remain high in Palestinian villages in Israel (protests have continued non-stop since massacre reported last week); several youths detained, curfew imposed following demonstrations in Nablus; Meir Kahane detained after trying to enter Taibe (Arab residents gathered with stones to resist, Kahane later released after promising not to enter without their permission).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese inquiry into massacre begins with Military Prosecutor General Assad Jermanos meeting with commission members.

Arab Governments: Egypt, at UN General Assembly, urges US to "restrain" Israel as Eisenhower did in 1956 Suez Crisis.

US and Other Countries: Reagan notes he ordered a halt to cluster bomb shipments to Israel and will delay requesting sale of additional fighter jets to Israel; (Israel still receiving explosive grenade that gives cluster bomb its punch, only shipment of casing halted).

Military Action:

IDF jets make repeated reconnaissance passes over Beirut as IDF armored units dig in around airport and trade small arms fire with PLO guerrillas in southern suburbs; PLO building ramparts at key intersections to impede IDF tank passage; Syria and PLO reinforcing units in Bekaa valley; IDF matches their efforts in adjacent zones.

Casualties:

IDF attack on Tyre resulted in losses of almost $75 m., loss of personal goods and autos may add another $10 m.; similar study of Sidon expected to show losses of around $100 m.; acting president of the American University of Beirut kidnapped, reportedly in return for kidnapping of Shiite in Phalange area; although food is entering Beirut, fuel is still cut, threatening hospital and sanitation services in W. Beirut; mounting piles of garbage reported in Beirut, as well as broken water mains; Palestinian refugees are returning to devastated camps for lack of other places to go; Lebanese farmers complain of Israeli imported fruit undercutting their market; Israeli Economy Minister Meridor, in US, says Israel is allowing food supplies from Saudi Arabia into Lebanon via Israel.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Economy Minister, in Washington, denies any limitations on supplying Beirut; debate erupts in Knesset on Lebanese situation; Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee told it will need to find winter shelter for about 20-30,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese and PLO officials look to US for new initiative to stave off IDF assault on Beirut, pin hopes on Reagan meeting with Syrian and Saudi Foreign Ministers tomorrow; Hani al-Hassan and Salam both urge US to talk directly with PLO to speed negotiations; PLO leader Khalid al- Hassan travels to Washington as part of the Arab League delegation meeting Administration officials; Habib presents all parties with "final" proposals that call for a total Syrian/ Palestinian withdrawal from Lebanon and withdrawal of IDF to the port of Sidon.

Arab Governments: Syrian president Assad says Syrian troops will remain in Lebanon as long as IDF troops.

US and Other Countries: Habib meets with key Lebanese officials during day but makes little progress; Greece informs Lebanon it is willing to contribute 300 soldiers to a peace-keeping force; US, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria also have offered to participate; shipment of US cluster bombs halted to Israel until review of their use in Lebanon completed; Senator D'Amato of New York, in Jerusalem for talks, says Israel is prepared to use force to get PLO out of Beirut; Zaire's President Mobutu invites Begin to visit Zaire in August; Saudi foreign minister, on eve of meeting with Reagan, asks US to endorse Palestinian self-rule, negotiate directly with PLO.

Military Action:

IDF armored troops seal off West Beirut as Israeli and Palestinian gunners trade artillery, machine-gun fire in southern suburbs, in first major clash in 8 days; IDF drops concealment, openly sets up armored units for first time inside city at the Green Line; IDF and Phalange jointly patrolling crossing points; Israeli planes drop red flares over Palestinian refugee camps, as loudspeakers advise residents to move out; IDF digs out positions for tanks in hillsides above Beirut; IDF begins blockade, stopping all traffic coming into W. Beirut; IDF artillery in Sofar exchanges barrages with Syrians; 400 IDF tanks, 110 artillery pieces ring Beirut; Phalange radio reports IDF advances toward Burj al-Barajneh camp.

Arafat expects IDF attack with 3 divisions and planes, gunboats; PLO units maintain grenade, small arms attacks on IDF rear units.

Casualties:

Fires reported in vicinity of airport and in Burj al-Barajneh camp following fierce artillery duels; IDF units inwceased in Chouf area following killing of 3 Christian villagers by Druze militia-men (following week of violence against Druze villages by Phalange forces).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir says Israel may not demand a multinational force along the border if some agreement can be reached; Shamir denies difference between political/ military actions of PLO, says IDF will not wait too much longer before assault on Beirut; Eitan suggests smaller military actions rather than all-out attack may be used; 270 IDF killed, 1270 injured; IDF says reservists in combat units may serve 60-90 days; 50- 70,000 people protest war in Tel Aviv, including reservists, as thousands of others attend exhibit of captured PLO and Syrian weapons; Justice Minister Nissim, Attorney General, and other officials meet tomorrow to consider legal action against Avnery for meeting Arafat.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Salam charges IDF broke cease-fire twice during day; agreement reached on deployment of multinational force alongside Lebanese Army, but not on continuing PLO presence in Lebanon; Lebanese government says PLO still refuses to offer formal set of proposals; Arafat later signs detailed document that PLO will evacuate Beirut (many Lebanese fear Israel will reject; Wazzan says only some progress, no agreement reached with PLO); Arafat hails "Paris Declaration" by 3 prominent Jews as "positive initiative toward a just ... peace"; Sarkis meets with French envoy Gutmann.

Arab Governments: Syria, Egypt, Jordan debate number of PLO members they are willing to take.

US and Other Countries: Habib meets with Sarkis; Ambassador Lewis meets Begin, reportedly asks more time for negotiations.

UN: UN mission heads for Lebanon to assess relief needs.