The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

Lebanese Army takes over Beirut Pier 5 from Phalange, estimated to have generated $250-$500m. a year in import duties since 1980; registration for compulsory military service begins, Lebanese Army expects 25,000 men to register.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Defense Minister Arens orders evacuation of Kach's El Nakam settlement near Hebron; police arrest 2 Kiryat Arba residents (in addition to 3 Americans) in connection with shootings in Hebron area; Arens tells Council of Jewish Settlements he favors expanding settlements in West Bank within the law, emphasizes that industrial enterprises there should be staffed only by Jews; settlers present Arens with list of demands for their security; Committee Against the War in Lebanon asks High Court to intervene over police refusal to grant march permit; government defeats 4 motions in Knesset critical of Sharon's appointment to 2 cabinet committees; Newsweek says secret annex to Kahan Commission Report contains evidence that IDF, alerted by Mossad, had prevented Phalange attack on Mieh Mieh camp prior to Sabra and Shatila massacre; Nazareth Mayor Tewfik Zayyad calls on government to include Arab villages in the Project Renewal scheme; bus passenger injured by stone near Dahariya camp; Jewish settlers demonstrate on road opposite Dheisheh camp; settlers enter Kalandia refugee camp, threaten to evict residents unless stone-throwing stops; curfews imposed on Nablus market, Jalazon camp, and on Aida camp in Bethlehem after fire bomb attack on border police patrol; Village League office in Hebron stoned by students at Hussein school; bomb found in Hebron elementary school.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat addresses Non-Aligned summit in New Delhi, calls for committee to work for Palestinian rights; Issam Sartawi, in London Times interview, says PLO should give priority to winning recognition from Western governments, especially US, should amend National Charter to conform to PNC resolutions, and should accept Reagan plan as basis for negotiation.

Arab Governments: Iraqi Embassy in London denies Guardian report that organizer of the attack on Israeli Ambassador Argov was an Iraqi intelligence officer; President Mubarak and King Hussein hold talks during Non-Aligned summit in New Delhi.

Military Action: After fourth consecutive day of fighting between Druze and Phalange, IDF moves in, as Druze charge IDF delayed for "political" reasons; Lebanese Army continues razing squatter buildings near airport and at Ouzai, and when protestors burn tires, Army sends in 2 APCs which fire on crowd.

Casualties:

Current estimates of 12 dead, 60 wounded in Druze-Phalange fighting; 4 killed by Lebanese Army in squatter protest; 1 IDF soldier killed, 5 wounded, 1 Lebanese civilian killed by bomb in Bhamdoun.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir suggests international force, possibly with US troops, be deployed in East and South Lebanon, but opposes presence along Israeli border; 17 percent of Israelis now favor unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon in Jerusalem Post poll (up from 10.8 percent before massacre); Cabinet revealed to have vetoed Begin plan for full-scale attack on Syria following October 3 bus ambush.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Gemayel emphasizes importance of US role in resolving Lebanon's crisis; senior Lebanese official says IDF started fighting between Druze and Phalange by allowing flow of arms into area.

UN: UN Secretary General recommends UN troops remain in Lebanon because of danger of factional strife.

Military Action:

US Marines sail from Naples to Beirut; IDF continues to pull out troops from Beirut, but continues house-to-house searches for militia and arms; IDF troops seen loading trailer trucks with captured vehicles, weapons, PLO files, materials from Arab banks; Algerian government charges IDF soldier stormed Algerian embassy in Beirut, stole documents; IDF denies it flew Haddad forces to Beirut for operations in camps; IDF lifts curfew imposed in South Lebanon following Gemayel assassination.

Casualties:

Burj al-Barajneh residents say Lebanese Army demanded they disarm as condition for Army protection, and then Army disappeared; rumors of massacre sweep camp so residents leave camp at night to sleep elsewhere; Haaretz reports Phalange was given IDF aerial photographs of Sabra and Shatila, that forces involved were commanded by top Phalange liaison officer with IDF in Beirut.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli government accepts redeployment of multinational force in Beirut, but refuses to specify deadline for IDF withdrawal or to establish inquiry into massacre; Palestinians in Israel, West Bank, and Gaza stage strikes at schools and businesses, stone bus and several police stations, burn tires on highways to protest massacre; 2 Israeli policemen wounded, 8 Palestinians arrested; strikes 95 percent effective, but broken in Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus when Israeli soldiers force open store windows; disturbances in Bethlehem and Israeli-Palestinian towns of Taibeh, Kaukab, Sakhnin, where residents carried pictures of Arafat; demands for national inquiry into massacre grow; Begin still staunchly opposed; Begin sends congratulations to Amin Gemayel as president-elect of Lebanon, still hopes for peace treaty.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat says Begin and Sharon are not Jews because such a massacre is outside Jewish morality and tradition; Arafat meets Saudi King Fahd in Jiddah, says Reagan personally responsible for massacre because Habib had given the PLO a signed guarantee for security of Beirut and its people; Amin Gemayel, elected Lebanon's President by 77 of 80 votes, calls for national unity; several Phalange militia commanders refuse to accept Amin's authority.

Arab Governments: King Hussein charges US with "direct moral responsibility" for massacre, supports Reagan's peace initiative but rejects Camp David structure for negotiations and peace talks with Begin government; Arab League emergency meeting accuses US of moral responsibility for massacre but stops short of endorsing PLO-sponsored call for sanctions against US.

US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration officials get wary approval for dispatch of Marines from House Foreign Affairs Committee, which sees Israel bearing some responsibility for massacre; Congressman Crockett blames Israeli government and US for "aiding, abetting" massacre; Congressional opposition to increasing aid to Israel grows as Begin refuses to open inquiry; Habib meets Mitterrand on way back to Lebanon.

UN: PLO persuades non-aligned group to call for one-day special emergency General Assembly session to request a UN inquiry; Jeane Kirkpatrick says she will oppose any such inquiry unless Lebanese Government supports it.

Military Action:

Lebanese Army units take control of Sabra and Shatila camps; IDF imposes 5 PM to 5 AM curfew throughout West Beirut, enters Sabra to protect population, Drori ordered by Sharon not to enter Shatila; Gemayel family member acknowledges involvement of Phalange forces in massacre; Phalange militia withdraws through IDF lines with truckloads of Palestinian prisoners.

Casualties:

Casualty figures being put at 1,800; Lebanese Army, ICRC begin to recover bodies of massacre victims.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet meets behind police barricades in emergency session at Begin's home for 3 ?h hours, unanimously rejects any Israeli responsibility for massacre, calls for national unity, issues statement that charges of IDF complicity in massacre are "blood libel"; Cabinet agrees to accept UN observers in Beirut and to continue IDF withdrawal from city; police use teargas to disperse several hundred demonstrators at Begin's Jerusalem home; Labor Party, Peace Now, some Knesset members protesting outside Begin's home chant "Begin is a murderer," "Fascism will not take over," 7 arrested, later released; 400 Peace Now members demonstrate at Lebanon border; 50 arrested in Tel Aviv demonstration called by Committee Against the War in Lebanon; liberal Likud deputy Zeigerman calls for Sharon resignation; General Eitan claims Morris Draper and Wazzan hindered IDF efforts to make direct contact with Lebanese Army, says "we don't give the Phalangists orders, and we are not responsible for them"; heavy traffic along Haifa-Tel Aviv road because of demonstrations by kibbutzniks protesting massacre.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Central Committee meets in Damascus; Arafat receives message from Brezhnev; Wazzan calls on Reagan to send back US Marines, charges US with "material and moral responsibility" for killings.

Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ali threatens to recall Egypt's Ambassador to Israel in protest, asks immediate IDF withdrawal from Beirut and redeployment of multinational peacekeeping force; Jordanian paper al-Dustour blames 13S for massacre.

US and Other Countries: Reagan insists IDF withdraw from Beirut, considers redeploying US troops in Beirut as part of new temporary peacekeeping force; State and Defense Departments' working groups study options; France, Italy express willingness to send back troops.

UN: US joins in unanimous approval of Security Council resolution which condemns 'fcriminal" massacre of Palestinian civilians in Beirut, orders 50 UN observers sent to Beirut area.

Military Action:

IDF launches new attacks on West Beirut after accepting withdrawal plan "in principle" (jets bomb Burj al-Barajneh, Sabra, Shatila and near airport, attack Syrian missile positions in Bekaa; IDF artillery, gunboats continue to pound Palestinian areas); column of IDF tanks moving north of Jounieh toward Jubail.

Casualties: Inmates of Beirut asylum reported starving to death (27 removed by ICRC to safer institution); 46 killed, 89 wounded in IDF raids yesterday; today's raids result in 12 killed, 37 wounded; six truckloads of Red Cross medical supplies and food permitted to enter Beirut; some bakeries (for first time in 2 weeks) selling bread.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israel accepts "in principle" Habib's plan for PLO withdrawal to end IDF siege of city; Habib flies to Israel to clarify proposal, urge Israel to halt attacks on Beirut; Cabinet meets, announces counter-proposals over details (insists on names/ destinations of evacuees, opposes UN observers, wants IDF pilot returned); Chief of Staff Eitan stresses if PLO fails to leave Beirut IDF will remove them.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Phalange militia ("Lebanese Forces") vows not to enter West Beirut (reportedly pressed by Sarkis, Habib); Habib, before departing, briefs Sarkis, Wazzan, Butros; Lebanon asks delay in Arab League talks.

Arab Governments: Syria, Tunisia affirm willingness to provide refuge for PLO guerrillas being evacuated; Iraq reportedly says it is willing to take in all the guerrillas; Egypt reaffirms conditional offer; both Yemens agree to take guerrillas.

US and Other Countries: Reagan meets briefly with Peres, voices optimism on negotiations; Defense Department says preparations underway to send 1,000 Marines into Beirut after PLO begins departing.

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.