The Palestine Chronology

Israeli attack on Lebanon enters 4th day as international condemnation mounts. Refugees from south estimated at 500,000; casualties total 90 dead, 400 wounded. UN Secy.-Gen. Butrus Butrus-Ghali calls attack "deplorable" while UN Security Council, renewing UNIFIL mandate, expresses "regret" over loss of life and urges "restraint" on all parties. US State Dept. says "Military activities directed against all civilians should ... stop... The refugees from south Lebanon must be allowed to return to their homes immediately." Secy. of State Christopher telephones PM Rabin, Syrian FM al-Shara', and Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri, urging Israel to end fighting before Christopher comes to region and Syria not to permit arms to reach Hizballah. PM Rabin vows to "chase down" Hizballah, tells Knesset, "The civilian Lebanese population in southern Lebanon will be distanced-northward-from the villages in which Hizballah terrorists operate." Pres. Clinton says "I think Hizballah should stop its attacks. I think Israel should stop its bombardments. I think that Syria should go from showing restraint to being an active participant to try and stop the fighting, and we ought to do whatever we can to stop the fighting as quickly as possible." (NYT, WP, WT 7/29)

Responding to continued financial crisis, PLO closes three departments-information, culture, and social affairs. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 7/28 in FBIS 7/30)

Military Action:

Artillery duels between Druze and Phalange militia near Baabda.

Casualties:

5 killed, 9 wounded in Druze-Phalange fighting.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan says Israel may face 100 years of terrorism, that in practice the war in Lebanon has not ended, and one cannot solve all the problems of terrorism in one war, that if the IDF remains in Lebanon for long it may have to mount an intensive campaign to root out terrorist cells as was done in the Gaza Strip after the 1967 war; Defense Minister Sharon flatly rejects any PLO participation in future peace talks with Jordan, and dismisses Iraq's declaration of recognition of Israel's security needs as merely effort to get US arms for war against Iran; Israeli Foreign Minister legal adviser Elyakim Rubenstein says the recall of Egypt's Ambassador to Israel is a violation of the Camp David accords; Avid Kedar, head of Foreign Ministry's Egypt Department, says contacts between Israel and Egypt frozen since Peace for Galilee Campaign; Sgan Nitzav Albert Hayut, new director of Beersheba prison announces 500 security prisoners to be moved to new maximum security prison, equipped with latest electronic monitors, near Nablus; attorney Nissim Shakar of the Committee for Jaffa's Arabs says they will appeal proposed law that non-Jews must close shops on Yom Kippur as well as own religious holidays, and not transport goods on Saturday and Jewish holidays; Israeli officials announce requests by Palestinians to visit relatives in Lebanon decline due to security situation, 5 Israeli Palestinians disappeared recently in Lebanon; bomb near Zedekiah's Cave outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate critically wounds a Palestinian worker; military authorities surround Najah University, effectively closing the campus, prevent Israeli Association for Civil Rights representative from entering, detain 9 student council members; in Nablus students stone troops who use tear gas and close off market area; rock throwing incidents in Ramallah, al-Bireh aid Dheisheh camp, now defined as District of Binyamin, also in jenin where placards and leaflets are found attributed to National Liberation Movement denouncing as treasonous Arafat's and Hussein's attempt to reach accommodation with Israel.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Chairman Arafat goes to Moscow; 5 Palestinian leaders and Lebanese Communist Party meet in Tripoli.

Arab Governments: King Hussein tells local leaders that he has a letter from Reagan commiting the US to pressure Israel to restore Arab rights in the occupied territories, and that time is running out for achieving a unified Arab approach by March; Moroccan Foreign Ministry announces agreement with Britain on Arab League delegation to include non-PLO Palestinian; Egyptian Socialist Labor Party poll of 1,486 persons shows 82% want Israeli ambassador expelled, 76To want to sever relations with Israel.

US and Other Countries: State Department says Israeli settlement promotion campaign is unfortunate and counterproductive; Administration officials say US is counting on King Hussein to declare his readiness to join talks on basis of Reagan plan if the PLO and Saudi Arabia support it, if progress is made on troop withdrawals from Lebanon, and if Israel temporarily halts settlement activity; Secretary of State Shultz meets for 2 hours with 14 members of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and leading Jewish Republicans, tells them of growing fears that Israel and Syria have tacit agreement to keep status quo in Lebanon, they tell him they want US to support Israel's demand for normalization of relations with Lebanon; delegation of Conservative MPs from Britain meet with Begin, give him message of support from Prime Minister Thatcher; European Parliament calls for establishment of a Palestinian state as a factor in a Middle East settlement, direct PLO-Israel dialogue, immediate halt to settlements in the West Bank, Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, recognition of PLO as representative of Palestinian people if it drops from its charter all paragraphs calling for Israel's destruction, and sovereignty of all states in the region; Habib arrives in Israel.

Military Action:

IDF planes make reconnaissance flights over Beirut, but cease-fire seems to hold.

Casualties:

Although fruit and vegetables getting through IDF blockade, gasoline, cooking oil and flour remain in short supply; over half W. Beirut's bakeries have closed for lack of fuel and flour; dump trucks unable to collect garbage because of lack of gasoline; ambulances reportedly have run out of gas; thousands of Beirut residents gathered at Wazzan's office to protest continuing blockade; Muslim clergyman says residents will take up arms against IDF unless blockade lifted; Wazzan appeals to Habib to persuade IDF to let in medicine, flour, fuel; thousands of residents fill streets stocking up on essential commodities; electricity now available 18 hours per day.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Former Prime Minister Rabin suggests PLO members with no country to go to be sent provisionally to Tripoli region of northern Lebanon; other Israeli leaders reject Rabin's proposal.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO suggests it move temporarily to northern Lebanon while negotiations continue on its presence in Lebanon; Wazzan conveys offer to Habib, who is reported skeptical; top Arafat deputy says PLO will stop fighting and become a purely political movement if the US recognizes the PLO; Sarkis rejects PLO offer to evacuate to northern Lebanon, fears such a move will only displace conflict elsewhere inside Lebanon; Haddad, speaking from his new headquarters in Sidon's town hall, announces drive to recruit new members to his force.

Arab Governments: Syria asks for written request from Arafat for sanctuary, and full endorsement of the request from the Arab League's 21 members; Syria also wants its own security needs taken into account in any Lebanon settlement.

US and Other Countries: Canada protests characterization by IDF of two Canadian doctors as possible "terrorists"; 2,000-3,000 Indonesian Muslims protest US collusion with Israeli invasion at US Embassy in Jakarta.

Military Action:

IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food, gasoline, medical shortages and brings negotiations to a halt; Wazzan says all water, electricity cut and all roads into W. Beirut closed; IDF tanks try to move on airport (4 vehicles hit in fierce PLO resistance); 2 shells land near Presidential Palace at Baabda; Lebanese officials say IDF forces 3 engineers to remove key piece of pumping machinery from water works serving West Beirut; fifth cease-fire called at 4 PM by IDF, though shelling continues beyond deadline (last cease-fire June 25); IDF forces advance to edge of airport runways; IDF only advances block by block against fierce PLO resistance (despite pleas, no PLO members surrender); now an estimated 90,000 IDF troops in Lebanon; Phalange cuts off port road on IDF orders.

Casualties:

Four cars of ICRC and convoy of 14 food trucks turned back from W. Beirut; residents of city line up at stores in panic buying of food; gasoline scarce; American University Hospital has only 2 days of oxygen; gunfights at gasoline stations reported; few of W. Beirut's estimated 200,000 Lebanese and Palestinian residents leave; ICRC protests lack of protection for and access to prisoners; severe housing shortage develops at Nabatiyeh as refugees arrive from north.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: BenPorat of Telem joins Cabinet; Sharon, Kimche, Habib reportedly meet; Mapam Secretary-General calls for end to water and food blockade (joined by Labor Party's Yossi Sarid); special regulations passed around June 9 reportedly allow for 3 months detention with no provisions for legal counsel or informing detainees' families; 6 wounded outside Hebron by Village League members; Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University reopens (closed since June 11 after student protests of invasion).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Groundswell of Lebanese resentment of IDF and support for Wazzan reported; PLO reported to send contribu-tion to Nicaragua for children affected by May floods; Lebanese officials protest IDF cutoff of water.

Arab Governments: Egypt accepts Iraq's invitation to summit meeting in September (after 3-year total isolation); Egypt says US role in Lebanon vital, that Israeli invasion is under-mining peace process and stability of region; PLO, Moroccan, Kuwaiti leaders meet USSR leaders; Syrian President Assad returns after talks with Saudi King Fahd; only Algeria and Syria reportedly willing to take PLO.

US and Other Countries: US officials say cease-fire essential to negotiations, pressures IDF to ease pressure on Beirut, following strong message from Saudi Arabia; USSR Foreign Minister Gromyko rules out military involvement in Lebanon; Arab women begin silent vigil outside White House; Nicaragua says it is sending solidarity mission to Beirut.

Military Action:

As PLO continues to refuse to lay down arms, many Beirut residents flee into E. Beirut; businesses, fearing an IDF strike, transfer records into E. Beirut as well; IDF exchanges fire with Palestinian refugee camps and new IDF gun emplacements are seen, with clear line of fire into West Beirut; artillery battles continue in southern Lebanon where PLO units are still holding out; Israelis and Syrians clash near Lake Karoun; reports of IDF troops landing in hills of northern inland Lebanon (denied by Israel).

PLO reported divided over whether to disarm; PLO emplaces heavy artillery, anti-aircraft within southern Beirut.

Casualties:

Nabatiyeh only has 5000 residents; elec-tricity and water are still cut, and there are long food lines; IDF turns away relief ship from Sidon; refugees camp out in parks, schools, lobbies; 200 casualties announced in Beirut from IDF bombings; Eitan notes 9 Israeli soldiers wounded while picking up remains of cluster bombs.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Two-thirds of UN delegates boycott Begin address to UN Disarmament Conference; Israel reportedly wants French troops to help police cease-fire; 8 of 15 council heads of Arab towns in Israel criticize invasion of Lebanon.

Palestinians/Lebanese: Before laying down arms, PLO insists on Lebanese/US assuran-ces that IDF will not invade Beirut; Arafat meets head of Lebanese intelligence; Salam fears radicalized PLO if moderates like Arafat eliminated; Jumblatt still refuses to serve on Council; Salam denies PLO has agreed to go to Egypt.

Arab Goverments: Coalition of Syrian parties appeals to Arab masses to hit, destroy US interests in the region; Saudis warn IDF not to invade, sends $5.6 m. in emergency aid to Lebanon; Fahd meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam.

US and Other Countries: French Premier Mauroy meets with PLO Foreign Minister Kaddoumi (Mauroy says PLO has France's "moral support"); 2 bombs explode outside Israeli offices in France; China offers PLO $1 million in emergency aid.