The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

Artillery and machine gun battles continue between rival militias in Chouf, PSP captures Beiteddine, retakes Qabr Chamoun junction; shells fall on West Beirut; French MNF position hit, 2 French Super Etendard fighters reconnoiter mountain artillery positions; rockets, mortars fall near US Marines; US accelerates shipments of ammunition, other supplies to LAF; Britain moves 6 RAF Buccaneer long-range strike aircraft to Cyprus; IDF armored column enters village of Jalalya, 5 km north of Awali River.

Casualties:

1 French soldier wounded; Berberi Medical Center in Beirut damaged by shelling; 25-40,000 Christian refugees under siege by PSP forces in Deir al-Qamar reportedly running short of food, water.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: McFarlane holds talks with Christian, Muslim groups and with Gemayel, reportedly moving toward cease-fire and political dialogue involving Syria and Saudi Arabia; Lebanese government says it will begin censorship of newspapers on Saturday; Jumblatt gives assurances of safety to Christian refugees in Deir al-Qamar.

Military Action:

Fierce fighting continues between Muslim militias and Lebanese Army throughout West Beirut; Mourabitoun occupies Union National Building, engage nearby Army garrison in rifle and RPG battle; Lebanese Army barracks at Fahr al-Deen, and positions at Murr Tower and Holiday Inn attacked; Druze militia occupies Holiday Inn; French Embassy compound hit by rockets, French convoy ambushed; British convoy attacked at Galerie Semaan crossing; Italian positions hit; 3 US Marine positions come under fire, respond with rifles, machine guns; hooded gunmen occupy points along Green Line; long-range artillery fire hits West Beirut; US aircraft carrier Eisenhower, other warships move to within 5 miles of shore.

Casualties:

4 French military personnel killed, 4 wounded in Beirut attacks; most Beirut shops closed, electrical blackouts frequent, lines form to buy bread, drinking water; 4 Ansar prisoners wounded when IDF opens fire after guards hit by stones.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin tells Likud coalition his decision to retire as PM and Herut party leader is final; process of selecting new Herut leader begins; McFarlane, in Jerusalem, obtains commitment to postpone IDF withdrawal from Chouf for few more days.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese government officials and Muslim leaders meet.

US and Other Countries: Reagan tells Congress Marines will remain in Lebanon, resists pressure to invoke provisions of War Powers Resolution requiring withdrawal of troops in 60-90 days without Congressional approval; White House says US troops are not conducting combat operations; West German Chancellor Kohl postpones visit to Israel.

Military Action:

Lebanese Army continues searches in West Beirut for arms caches, patrols Kfar Matta and seeks to expand into other areas of Chouf once IDF has withdrawn; assassination attempt against Abu Jihad in eastern Bekaa fails.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Protests break out in Nablus and Ramallah as students mark 40th day since Beirut massacre, barricades erected, stones thrown at Israeli vehicles, partial commercial and school strike in East Jerusalem; in Nazareth, 2,000 Muslims and Druze attend memorial organized by People's Committee Against the War in Lebanon and People's Committee for Israeli-Palestinian Peace; Israeli government rejects Israeli Palestinians' proposal to finance construction of 500 flats for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon; tourism slump severe since invasion.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat sends letter to Gemayel saying PLO will not be barrier to withdrawal of all foreign troops from Lebanon; Gemayel briefs cabinet on 5-day tour, says Lebanon will seek partial pullback by foreign troops as opening gesture aimed at total withdrawal; Fady Frem, commander of Phalange militia, says Phalange massacre inquiry results turned over to Lebanese Government investigator Geagea, denies Phalange commanders conferred with IDF on mopping up operations in West Beirut, says Habib Chartouni, a Christian from southeast of Beirut, is being held in conjunction with Bashir Gemayel's death.

Arab Governments: King Hassan, at news conference, says recognition of Israel depends on its withdrawing from all territory occupied since 1967 war; Egypt and Italy issue joint statement saying no peace is possible until Israel withdraws from Lebanon.

Military Action:

Heavy fighting breaks out east of Beirut between Syrian and Phalangist forces following election of Bashir Gemayel as President of Lebanon (artillery and machine gun fire around Kubbeih, Krayeh,. Ras al-Harf near Beirut-Damascus highway); two rockets from West Beirut hit port city of Jounieh; reprisals mount against parliament members who voted for Gemayel presidency (houses and offices of 11 members set afire in West Beirut and Tripoli); fighting between Phalange and PLO/LNM forces; Franjieh forces occupy 3 army positions; Bank of Beirut and Riyadh in West Beirut's Hlamra section blown up, looted overnight; land evacuation of PLO forces delayed because of fighting (500 PLO guerrillas sent to Latakia by ship instead, 600 depart for Yemen); PLO/Lebanese government spokespersons say 2,192 PLO members evacuated to Jordan, Iraq, South Yemen in last 3 days; PLO guerrillas scheduled to leave to Sudan; IDF destroys orchards along Tyre-Sidon road to "prevent PLO attacks"; clashes between IDF and Lebanese villagers northeast of Lake Karoun; new international units arrive in Beirut; Pentagon announces 4 US Marines arrive in Beirut for preliminary inspection, consultations.

Casualties:

3 IDF soldiers buried yesterday; freighter "Lotus" with relief supplies and Egyptian opposition parliament members aboard allowed to land by IDF; first Israeli planes land at Beirut airport; private Israeli airline begins flights to southern Lebanon; IDF begin releasing some of estimated 7,400 Palestinian prisoners held at al-Ansar detention camp.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Grenade thrown at IDF vehicle in Gaza Strip (no casualties; fourth incident of its kind in occupied territories in a week); Begin, Shimon Peres clash in Knesset debate after Peres condemns IDF advance, cutting off water supplies to Beirut; following Sharon meeting with Draper, Israel agrees to allow US, Italian contingents to take up positions in Beirut immediately rather than waiting until all PLO forces gone; Yitzhak Rabin speaks out against renewing war in northern Lebanon; pamphlets by 3 Arab groups in Nazareth ask Israeli Arabs to support PLO.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Muslims meet at Salam's house, issue statement strongly critical of Gemayel; Gemayel reportedly seeking "mini-Marshall Plan" aid from US to rebuild Lebanon; Gemayel reported by Israeli paper to have met secretly inside Israel with Sharon several times since 1976.

Arab Governments: Tunisia seeks "realistic decisions" on Arab-Israeli peace in statement one day after Bourguiba revives proposal for pan-Arab acceptance of 1947 UN partition plan; Saudi Arabia allocates $2 billion to rebuild Beirut; Egyptian, French officials confer on joint peace initiative.

US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration affirms decision to land Marines in Beirut despite renewed fighting; Shultz invites Sharon to meet Friday during Sharon's fundraising trip to US; Austrian Chancellor Kreisky, in Der Stern article, strongly criticizes Israel.

Military Action:

Cease-fire generally holds, despite intermittent artillery duels between IDF and PLO; IDF pounding guerrilla positions with artillery from land and sea, particularly around the Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp, but clashes remain limited; Palestinian guerrillas shower E. Beirut suburb of Baabda with rocket and shellfire as Israeli Defense Minister Sharon arrives to meet with US envoy Habib; IDF tanks surround small Lebanese military port of Kaslik.

Casualties:

First running water in two weeks draws many out of buildings (resumption of water seems to be a result of US pressure); rescue workers still pulling out bodies from collapsed buildings; estimated 130,000 refugees living hidden in lobbies, basements, underground garages of unfinished buildings and in public gardens.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon campaigns against Habib plan for PLO evacuation (Sharon, after meeting with Habib outside Beirut, denies there is an agreement; aides call Habib plan a "fraud" that will allow PLO to stay on in Beirut behind protection of international peacekeeping force); Israeli Cabinet sharply divided (Begin reportedly disassociates self from Sharon); Muslim leaders call strike on West Bank to "reflect" on events in Lebanon; Israelis want a multinational peacekeeping force deployed only after all or most of the Palestinian and Syrian fighters have left; PM Begin believes that PLO guerrillas will leave shortly without IDF having to enter W. Beirut; Israeli Ambassador to US Moshe Arens states that Israel requires rosters accounting for all Palestinian guerrillas in Beirut.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO proposes first group leave by sea; Lebanese government expected to make official request for international forces to come to Beirut within next 24 hours; Camille Chamoun calls on Syrians to evacuate Bekaa; Major Haddad rejects buffer troops before PLO pullout; Muslim leadership fears that IDF and Phalangist ally will occupy W. Beirut if PLO leaves before arrival of international force.

Arab Governments: Arab League head says quorum of member states agree to attend meeting; Sudan indicates willingness to provide refuge for guerrillas; in Kuwait, 100,000 protest Israeli invasion; Jordan announces willingness to accept some fighters; Iraq signals approval; Syria agrees to accept PLO leadership and headquarters and any fighters who served under Syrian command in Lebanon; King Hussein willing to grant general amnesty to Palestinians holding Jordanian passports who fled after 1970 civil war.

US and Other Countries: Shultz sends letter to Begin assuring Israel a final agreement nears completion; Newsweek poll indicates 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Israeli invasion of Lebanon, 43 percent favor cutting off Israeli military aid, nearly half think US should deal directly with the PLO (43 percent opposed); France has two regiments of paratroopers on stand-by orders to go to Beirut to supervise PLO evacuation; Italian government ready to send mechanized battalion to join French regiments.

Military Action:

Syrians concede loss of Bhamdoun, evacuate Aley, accuse Israel of using nerve gas (Israel denies); Chtaura bombed by IDF jets, causing extensive damage; IDF artillery shells Syrian positions above town; 10 miles of Damascus highway reportedly in IDF hands; jets fly missions throughout the day before new 8 PM cease-fire called by IDF; Syrian brigade north of highway retreating eastward; IDF sources report Lebanese Phalangists join battle, capturing Jamhur; IDF jets, gunboats, artillery wage non-stop barrage of W. Beirut, heaviest since invasion; estimated 100,000 IDF troops inside Lebanon; Syria takes security measures around Palestinian refugee camps near Damascus; big IDF build-up on outskirts of Beirut (500 tanks, 1200 armored personnel carriers, 60 howitzers); Israeli and Phalangist forces coordinate actions via special phone system, as Israeli officers seen frequently visiting Phalangist headquarters; UK embassy, American University of Beirut hit by IDF fire.

Casualties:

ICRC looking after 12,000 refugees in Bekaa; Israel changes mind, says relief efforts will be for both Palestinians and Lebanese; thousands of refugees flee south along coastal road, creating huge traffic jams; Lebanese po-lice estimate 100 killed, 250 injured in day-long barrage; 30 Israelis killed, over 200 wounded in fighting along highway.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories:S haron says IDF coming close to total elimination of PLO and removal of Syrian troops from Lebanon; Israel bans satellite broadcast of all footage from Lebanon by 3 US TV networks; Jerusalem Post raises issue of what Israeli war aims are; Abba Eban questions why war was not ended when original 25-mile goal reached; Sharon predicts IDF will stay in Lebanon beyond 10 weeks.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Wazzan, denouncing new fighting, resigns (calls IDF attacks a form of "blackmail," accuses Habib of collusion with Israel in attempting to force PLO into unconditional surrender); two other Muslim Cabinet ministers also resign as Lebanese government close to collapse; Jumblatt announces withdrawal from Council, says withdrawing from political life (accuses Sarkis of wanting to finish PLO, says there is a plan to install Bashir Gemayel as Lebanese President); Gemayel, Arafat speak by phone; PLO supports French proposals at UN.

Arab Governments: Saudis exert strong pressure on US to halt Israelis, reportedly considers oil shutoff, opening relations with USSR if W. Beirut attacked.

US and Other Countries: Several sources indicate US is sending somewhat contradictory diplomatic signals to Riyadh and to Habib, the Lebanese and PLO; General Haig resigns as US Secretary of State, replaced by George Shultz (disagreement within the Administration over Lebanon reportedly a major factor); Indians ransack US library in Calcutta to protest US support for Israel.

UN: Security Council debates French proposal; Secretary General appeals for cease-fire; General Assembly debates resolution condemning Israeli invasion.

Military Action:

Over 90 Israeli jets attack and destroy Syrian SAM (surface-to-air missile) batteries in Bekaa valley; 16-22 Syrian MIGs reportedly shot down; Syria reports 19 Israeli jets shot down (air battle took place as Habib was delivering Israeli message in Damascus); Is-raelis capture Damour (say they will return it to Christian residents and help rebuild), establish bridgehead at Khalde, 4 miles south of Beirut; street fighting continues in Sidon as 2 more Israeli armored columns and infantry unit sent to consolidate control; Israeli naval vessels land troops between airport and Beirut, shell PLO-held areas of city; Israeli air-craft drop leaflets urging Beirut residents to stay off streets, mark houses with white cloth; Israeli troops in Golan boosted.

Palestinian resistance continues in Sidon; Israeli column halted near Beiteddine, with heavy losses.

Syria reports village 3 miles west of Damascus bombed (denied by Israelis); Syrians charge Israelis bombed, strafed fleeing civilians along Beirut-Damascus highway; Syria moves 16,000 more troops into Lebanon, beats back Israeli attempts to take highway.

United Nations command protests Israeli use of white phosphorous incendiary artillery in attacks on Tyre; UN food convoys barred from Tyre until June 8.

Lebanese Army gives scant resistance to Israeli advance; Lebanese army barracks in Sidon, Beiteddine and Hammana heavily bombarded by Israelis.

Casualties:

Thousands of Beirut residents flee to Bekaa valley; UN observers say Lebanese and Palestinian refugees urgently need water and food, that 41,000 Tyre residents gathered on beaches were left without food and shelter for 2 days; after Tyre residents allowed to return to homes, about 7,000 from refugee camps remain on beaches; Rashidiyeh refu-gee camp virtually destroyed; International Committee of the Red Cross reports "heavy damage" in Tyre, Sidon and that 1,200 Sidon residents urgently need medical attention. Israel reports 31 dead, 144 wounded.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Israeli government blames Syria for provoking Israeli raid; still bars foreign journalists from coastal areas of southern Lebanon; Israel warns Jor-dan to stay out of fighting.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat urgently appeals to Arab countries to end the "massacre of the Palestinian people in Lebanon"; Palestinian group, reportedly followers of anti-PLO leader Abu Nidal, claim role in Argov shooting in statement delivered to Beirut AP office; Lebanese radio says Israel occupies 25 percent of Lebanese territory; Lebanese government meets, debates proposal to send Lebanese Army into West Beirut; Christian and Muslim groups urge support for Sarkis and Franjieh offers to put militia under Sarkis; Gemayel urges national unity government.

Arab Governments: Iraq announces it will withdraw from all Iranian territory in a week, redirect its efforts against Israel; Syria begins pulling troops out of Beirut back into Bekaa; Jordan's Prime Minister announces Jordan will allow transit facilities for any wishing to travel to Lebanon to fight Israel; Syria reportedly prepares to mobilize reserves; Kuwait, UAE and Qatar issue statements denouncing invasion.

US and Other Countries: US vetoes UN reso-lution condemning Israel as "unbalanced"; Reagan announces he will seek $25 m. in emergency aid for Lebanon from Congress; EEC foreign ministers condemn Israeli invasion; USSR plans to send medical supplies to Lebanon in a few days; Canada, France, Netherlands and the UK urge their citizens to leave West Beirut.