IDF begins pulling out troops from West Beirut under mounting world pressure; thousands of Palestinians flee camps in panic, fearing return of Phalange/Haddad militias to...
Israeli planes bomb Palestinian forces, areas south of Beirut; Beirut airport remains closed; Israelis destroy Syrian radar command center before fighting stops; Israel...
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Military Action:
IDF advances toward Bourj al-Barajneh from .Khalde, sets up new positions near airport; after overnight lull, fighting resumes in Tripoli.
Casualties:
5 killed, several wounded in Tripoli; Lebanese security forces say 25,000 homeless in Tripoli; 6 IDF prisoners held by PLO, shown on Jordanian TV, say their health is satisfactory, that the Red Cross has visited 4 times in 4 months.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Hand grenade thrown at bus in Tel Aviv injures 12, police arrest 86 Arabs in the area; Shinui Knesset group urges Begin to freeze settlements and invite Hussein to Jerusalem for negotiations; military authorities set up roadblock at Najah University to prevent delegation from Tel Aviv University from entering campus, but delegation takes back roads to reach campus; at 1 AM Israeli armored vehicles enter Jalazon camp to break up pre-election meeting of camp club, and by sunrise, checkpoints erected at all exits where residents must register ID as they leave for work; Nablus youth stone border patrol, burn tires, soldiers fire tear gas to disperse protest.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Prime Minister Wazzan goes to Damascus, talks with Assad for 3 hours, returns to Beirut with Assad's agreement that Lebanese security forces enter Tripoli to police cease-fire.
US and Other Countries: University professors in Boston are told by Israeli President Navon that if they are going to criticize Israel's security policy, they should go live in Israel, are reminded that the Labor government initiated settlements in the West Bank.
Military Action:
IDF begins pulling out troops from West Beirut under mounting world pressure; thousands of Palestinians flee camps in panic, fearing return of Phalange/Haddad militias to camps following IDF withdrawal, before Lebanese Army can restore calm; Phalange and Haddad forces sighted setting up own roadblocks in West Beirut.
Casualties:
Red Cross continues to recover bodies, 130 recovered so far, no mass graves opened yet.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Controversy grows as media report government officials were aware that civilians were being killed in camps 36 hours before they intervened (denied by government officials); Haaretz, Davar, Jerusalem Post, Maariv call for ouster of Sharon and/or Begin, convening of national board of inquiry into Israeli complicity in massacre; Begin's office concedes Cabinet gave advance approval for IDF to allow Phalange/Haddad militias to enter camps last week; Israeli President Navon calls for independent inquiry into the massacre, Begin favors only investigating commission; National Religious Party joins Navon in pressuring Begin to allow a full investigation; Labor, Mapam, Shinui and Peace Now call for mass rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday; Palestinian leaders voice outrage at massacre; Palestinian youth throw stones at Israeli vehicles, set fire to tires in Ramallah and Nablus, police disperse crowds with tear gas and rubber bullets with no casualties; many stores close in protest, are forced open by Israeli soldiers; school openings in occupied territories postponed for two weeks; over 40 representatives of West Bank and Gaza refugees occupy UNRWA Jerusalem office to protest food ration cuts announced Sept. 1, UNRWA Employees' Union joins protest.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Palestine Central Council ends one-day meeting with statement condemning Israeli role in massacre, blaming Lebanese Army, US, France and Italy, and pledges to avenge killings; Camille Chamoun withdraws from race for Lebanese presidency as it becomes clear Amin Gemayel has votes to win.
Arab Governments: Egypt recalls ambassador to Israel but does not break diplomatic relations; Jordan's King Hussein accuses Israel of responsibility for massacre but urges positive Arab response to Reagan proposals, calls on PLO to join him to draw up federation plan along lines of Reagan proposal; emergency Arab League meeting in Tunis called at request of PLO delayed until tomorrow.
US and Other Counties: Reagan agrees to Lebanese request for return of US Marines, asks Israel to pull out of Beirut; Congress gives troubled support to decision, Weinberger doubts presence of Marines would have prevented massacre; several US Jewish leaders call for inquiry, demand that Israel cut all ties with Christian groups involved in massacre; USSR condemns Israel but blames US for "encouraging" Israel's "criminal aggression," proposes joint US-Soviet action to curb Israel; Indian Prime Minister Gandhi condemns massacre; 10-member European Community condemns massacre, demands Israeli withdrawal; Danish Foreign Minister meets with PLO leader Kaddoumi, says PLO must be associated with Middle East peace talks; Italian workers go on hour-long strike and attend rallies protesting massacre; Britain condemns massacre, demands Israeli withdrawal.
Military Action:
Israeli planes bomb Palestinian forces, areas south of Beirut; Beirut airport remains closed; Israelis destroy Syrian radar command center before fighting stops; Israel sends experienced civilian and military advisers from West Bank and Gaza to administer southern Lebanon; Israeli military sources say hundreds of captured Syrians and Palestinians brought to Israel, some kept in Lebanon; Palestinians are not considered POWs; Walid Jumblatt captured, held under house arrest by Israelis; Israel and PLO agree to begin cease-fire one day after extensive bombing of Beirut.
Syrian convoys seen moving from Lebanon to Syria; Syrian units not visible in Beirut.
PLO guerrillas retreat from Nabatiyeh, say civilian casualties far outnumber military ones.
Casualties:
Israeli casualties put at 130 killed, over 600 wounded; Red Cross estimates 1,000-1,200 dead, 3,000 wounded in Sidon alone (dead being laid out in tens in parking lots); another RC delegate says 600,000 displaced by fighting; 90 percent of 3 Palestinian camps around Tyre destroyed; yesterday's death toll put at 207 dead, 647 wounded; former Lebanese Prime Minister Saeb Salam says 1,000 people killed in Beirut area on June 10 alone; refugees from bombarded Palestinian camps camping out in parks under trees; hospitals in Beirut jammed with wounded, as stretchers are lined up outside American University Hospital.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Begin meets with Habib, urges the US to set up a multinational force to supplant Israel in Lebanon; Shamir has day of meetings with Habib; before PLO cease-fire announced, leftist Shinui Party and a Labor Party Knesset member call for no further moves to create new Lebanese political order, joined by Peace Now and other Israeli peace groups; group of Israeli academics accuses government of launching unjust war and of deception, charges IDF with slaughtering Palestinians; newly formed Committee Against the War in Lebanon plans protest outside Prime Minister's office.
