The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

IDF imposes indefinite curfew on 11 towns and villages in South Lebanon, begins house-to-house search for arms and guerrillas, eventually detains 200 civilians on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities; 2 rockets hit port of Jounieh, north of Beirut; fighting continues in Chouf mountains.

Casualties:

2 IDF soldiers killed, 2 wounded, 4 civilians, 1 policeman wounded by Beirut car bomb; 2 killed in Jounieh; 3 killed, 2 wounded in Chouf mountains; 1 killed, 2 wounded in Aley; protests continue for 4th day at Ansar detention camp, Gemayel reportedly pressing IDF for release of prisoners.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Knesset votes 55 to 47 against Labor Party motion for immediate pull-back of IDF; reports circulate that Begin is in gloomy state of mind, avoiding most public appearances.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat meets Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, receives support for unity in PLO, travels to Qatar.

US and Other Countries: Reagan meets Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem.

Military Action:

IDF on state of alert as Syrians begin military maneuvers near Israeli lines in Golan Heights and eastern Lebanon; Palestinian guerrillas attack IDF patrol in Bekaa; IDF tank hits mine south of Karoun dam, RPG fired at IDF vehicle near Sil, no casualties reported; artillery exchanges in Chouf.

Casualties:

1 IDF soldier killed, 2 wounded, 1 Palestinian guerrilla killed in Bekaa battle.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin briefs opposition leaders on military situation in Bekaa; High Court orders attorney general's office to answer Arraba resident's complaint of beating and electric shock treatment; Justice Ministry official says some Israeli companies are buying and selling private land on West Bank that is not officially registered; trial in Haifa of 5 Arrabe residents accused of trying to poison water supply, blowing up water pipe, damaging road leading to Jewish settlement in western Galilee; Foreign Minister Shamir travels to Europe for meetings in Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: President Gemayel calls for Arab summit or Arab League meeting to discuss Lebanese troop withdrawal agreement; Arafat tells PLO forces in Bekaa that only war can break the present stalemate; PLO military council member says all PLO forces should be returned to Lebanon from the 8 Arab countries to which they were moved last year.

Military Action:

ICRC plans to evacuate 56 wounded PLO guerrillas by sea to Greece tomorrow, two days after official end of evacuation; IDF officer wounded by light fire from passing car north of Tyre.

Casualties:

Lebanese police assumed control of West Beirut for first itme since 1975-76 civil war (Wazzan opens Green Line; only light army/police presence noted in East Beirut; Lebanese Army limited to barracks, defense of public buildings, can only act by order of Wazzan); Israeli planes continue to use Beirut airport, but Lebanese government resists Israeli demands that Israelis remain in control tower and check aircraft manifests, that El Al be allowed to open airport, and that Israeli military facilities be maintained there; Israelis advised to stay out of Beirut.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Cabinet meets in extraordinary session, angrily and unanimously rejects Reagan initiative as "worse than Rogers Plan"; Begin meets Weinberger, says Reagan initiative outside Camp David agreement; West Bank, Gaza reactions slightly positive after Kaddoumi response; Peres welcomes initiative; Nahum Goldmann buried on Mt. Herzl; West Bank Village League leaders invited to meet Weinberger at reception; residents of five refugee camps hold sit-in at Jerusalem UNRWA operations to protest cutoff of supplies; Jerusalem Post poll indicates over 50 percent of Israelis favor territorial compromise on occupied territories.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO studies Reagan proposals (Kaddoumi says proposals supplement Camp David; PLO Executive Committee plans meeting within 48 hours); Bourguiba receives Arafat on arrival in Tunisia; PLO, Syria warn Gemayel against signing treaty with Israel; Habib leaves Lebanon on vacation; Sarkis urges Reagan to allow Habib to negotiate withdrawal of Syrian, Israeli troops; Cabinet announces Lebanon will attend Fez Arab summit meeting, votes $1 m. to clean, repair Beirut streets.

Arab Governments: Most Arab governments withhold immediate comments on Reagan proposals, await Fez meeting; Jordan's Foreign Ministry says they have some positive aspects.

US and Other Countries: Weinberger, in Israel, visits Israeli weapons factories; Shultz expresses regret at Israeli rejection, says Hussein seriously studying proposals; proposals welcomed by Britain; former President Carter endorses intiative

Military Action:

1,300 Syrian-controlled Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) troops travel to Syria in first overland evacuation (760 PLO guerrillas leave by sea for Tartus); US Marines patrol port; PLO turns over weaponry to LNM forces in Beirut; Lebanese Army redeployment delayed by continued Muslim opposition to Gemayel.

Casualties:

2 IDF soldiers wounded by stray bullets during evacuation; 1 IDF soldier killed, 5 wounded by land mine explosion under their bus near Tyre; Radio Beirut reports 1 Lebanese soldier, 3 civilians wounded near Green Line.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon continues fundraising in US, meets with Weinberger and Shultz (indicates Israeli unwillingness to share military information with US while sanctions imposed); Israeli police violently disperse Palestinian women demonstrating in front of US Consulate in East Jerusalem to protest US involvement in Lebanese war (several arrested, including an Israeli woman journalist); Israeli judge exempts Israeli companies from paying income tax on their operations in the occupied territories.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat praises PLO resistance; Gemayel, Sarkis praise Arafat agreement on evacuation, discipline of evacuation; West Beirut Muslims continue to refuse cooperation with Gemayel unless he prioritizes Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, returns to consensual decision-making.

Arab Governments: Foreign Ministers conference begins preparations for September 6 Arab summit; Libya charges Arab summit aims to recognize Israel. 

US and Other Countries: US reaffirms commitment to Jordanian sovereignty, security; White House announces Defense Secretary Weinberger to visit Lebanon, Israel, Egypt next week; Senator Percy, in visit to Beirut, meets Habib, Sarkis, Gemayel.

Military Action:

Arafat checks front lines of PLO in Beirut, visits refugee camps, offices; PLO delegation arrives in Tunisia to prepare for PLO guerrilla arrivals; IDF position in Bekaa fortified; 177 wounded PLO fighters leave by ship for Greece; Syrian forces begin withdrawal from Beirut; 697 PLO guerrillas leave for North Yemen; second group of PLO guerrillas evacuated to Tartus; Italian troops and French reinforcements joined US Marines in overseeing evacuation.

Casualties:

1 IDF soldier dies of wounds from attack north of Tyre; 1 IDF solider killed by Phalangists when he and two other soldiers tried to break into jewelry shop in Aley; UNRWA says tents needed to house 30,000 Palestinian refugees through winter (Lebanese government reportedly opposes more permanent housing, relocation further northward); thousands of Lebanese jam crossings into West Beirut as services slowly restored.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon warns Syria, calls on Lebanese cabinet to cooperate with US (later at New York meeting with Jewish groups, he defends invasion as step toward Middle East peace; 100 demonstrators protest outside); Sharon meets Shultz, says Israel opposed to Palestinian state as it already exists in Jordan; Deputy Minister of Communications Dov Shilansky, in radio debate, says Israeli media encouraged the enemy during the war; IDF lifts 10-day ban on travel from Nablus area to Jordan; Begin says inquiry commission should probe opposition, not war; Jerusalem Post poll finds Likud Party surges in popularity.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Farouk Kaddoumi to lead PLO delegation to Arab Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow; Habib meets Gemayel, asks Salaam to cooperate with Gemayel, assures Wazzan, Sarkis no Phalangists will be near overland evacuation.

Arab Govemments: Assad writes Reagan; Egypt sets three conditions for resuming autonomy talks in meeting with Israeli Ambassador (total IDF withdrawal from Lebanon; freeze on all further settlements in the occupied territories).

US and Other Countries: US Jewish leaders tell Shultz not to "rehabilitate" PLO.

Military Action:

Low-level fighting continues around Beirut, despite cease-fire; PLO guerrillas in southern Lebanon fire single rocket into northern Israel for the first time since June 6, 2 guerrillas captured; IDF troops trade fire with PLO south of Beirut; IDF jets fly more mock raids over Beirut; reports of IDF build-up east and south of the city; IDF artillery barrages resume late tonight; IDF ammunition trucks sighted along coastal road, as well as dozens of rocket launchers.

Casualties:

Several hundred Muslims march through W. Beirut up to Green Line demanding an end to the siege; 5 IDF soldiers killed, 8 wounded in PLO ambushes near Tyre and in the Bekaa.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon rules out temporary evacuation of PLO to northern Lebanon; official expresses strong disapproval of any US recognition of the PLO on whatever basis; Begin is briefed by US Ambassador Lewis on Reagan's meeting with Saud and Khaddam; Avneri tells press conference that PLO initiative to gain US recognition started before invasion, says Haig personally involved; Foreign Affairs Committee discusses "serious erosion" in US determination to oppose recognition of PLO; Yitzhah Rabin warns of possible "war of attrition" developing in the Bekaa valley.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Salam meets with Arafat, calls for Arab summit to resolve problem of where PLO guerrillas are to go; Habib meets with Sarkis to report on Reagan meeting; PLO officials optimistic on talks with Reagan, but fear new fighting with IDF.

Arab Governments: Iran-Iraq conflict escalates, deflects attention from Lebanese conflict.

US and Other Countries: US cautiously explores new plan with other governments; USSR criticizes Arab countries for failing to act in unison over the Lebanese crisis; Mayor Andrew Young of Atlanta calls Israeli invasion "unjustified."

Military Action:

Several incidents shake cease-fire; small arms fire reported in Beirut area.

Casualties:

Beirut food supplies sufficient but prohibitively expensive for poorer Lebanese and Palestinian refugees; much of fresh produce is from Israel, resold to Lebanese middlemen; Phalangists at checkpoints bribed to let goods through; some vegetable prices have increased 300-400 percent; Baalbek refugee center in eastern Lebanon out of food; 100,000 Lebanese and Palestinians fled to Baalbek area to escape fighting elsewhere in Lebanon; relief supplies being sent by ICRC and other groups from Damascus; polio, measles, and scabies reported in region; IDF reportedly lifts blockade somewhat; ICRC officials scheduled to begin interviewing thousands of detainees at Israel's new Anzal prison; every third house in Rashidiyeh lies in ruins, as journalists allowed in for first time since invasion; 4 PLO members killed near Lake Karoun; 1 IDF soldier wounded near airport.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: David Kimche visits Habib in Beirut for briefing; Begin, at large pro-government rally in Tel Aviv, suggests possible Israeli confederation with Jordan, offers to meet with Hussein after peace treaty with Lebanon signed; Sharon offers temporary asylum to PLO guerrillas who renounce the PLO; Uri Avnery, in US, urges Reagan administration to recognize the PLO.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Sarkis wants "global and final" resolution to Palestinian issue in Lebanon, opposes temporary regroupment; Bashir Gemayel and Walid Jumblatt meet at presidential palace in effort to revive National Salvation Council, seen by some as part of Gemayel's effort to win Lebanese presidential election; Gemayel meets with Salam and Berri; Gemayel denouces PLO delay in leaving.

Arab Governments: Jumblatt visits Damascus to persuade Syrians to accept PLO evacuees.

US and Other Countries: Meeting of 69 Non- Aligned States' foreign ministers, called at Arafat's request, convenes in Cyprus, urges UN sanctions against Israel, forms peace committee to help resolve crisis.