The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

Israeli military patrol ambushed near Tyre.

Casualties:

Over 200 Lebanese and Palestinian women demonstrate outside Prime Minister Wazzan's Beirut office demanding release of husbands and sons arrested by the Lebanese Army.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Commission of Inquiry publishes warning to Begin, Sharon, Shamir, four top army commanders (Eitan, Yaron, Drori, Seguy) and two other officials (Dudai, Mossad head) that they may be found guilty of "nonfulfillment of duty" before and during massacre (detailed letters sent to each give them 15 days to notify Commission whether they want to reappear to testify, submit new evidence, or cross-examine other witnesses, gives them the right to seek legal counsel); Shamir, in appearance before Commission denies that he was told of massacre by fellow Cabinet member September 17, says Zipori never mentioned killings, only "running wild," asserts he only heard of civilian deaths Saturday, September 18; border troops dispatched to Ben Gurion airport to quell worker riots following share-holders' vote to dismantle El Al airlines; West Bank university administrators given one week to decide whether to accept revised work permit form for foreign lecturers.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO adviser Nabil Shaath, in interview, says PLO rejects reconizing Israel in return for talks with US government.

Arab Governments: Syria rejects Habib call for simultaneous, phased withdrawal from Lebanon.

US and Other Countries: Habib arrives in Jerusalem in effort to gain agreement on beginning talks, meets with Shamir; US State Department expresses concern over "creeping annexation" and new guidelines for reducing influence of West Bank Palestinians who support the PLO; Mitterrand arrives in Cairo.

Military Action:

Car bomb explodes in Druze town of Aramoun; Phalange militia occupies Lebanese Army barracks in Beit Eddin and Deir al-Qamar; IDF vehicle fired on near Nabatiyeh.

Casualties:

One killed, 4 wounded in Aramoun, brings to over 50 total killed in Chouf incidents in past two weeks; Tyre curfew lifted and road to Israeli border reopened; PLO protests to ICRC over treatment of prisoners in South Lebanon detention camps.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin's 62-year old wife dies and Begin leaves US for Israel to begin 30-day mourning period, postponing indefinitely meeting with Reagan; 47 Israeli victims of Tyre explosion buried; General Meir Zorea, head of military inquiry, reports to Cabinet that explosion not caused by a bomb, and Energy Minister Modai says it was probably caused by leaking cooking gas; Deputy Prime Minister Ehrlich chairs Cabinet meeting devoted to mourning Aliza Begin and Tyre victims; Shamir reports on meetings with Draper and lack of Lebanese response to Israeli proposals on format/ content of proposed talks; Modai proposes IDF unilaterally withdraw from parts of Lebanon to get talks going and to test Syrian/Lebanese intentions; al-Hamishmar demands withdrawal of IDF from Lebanon and resignation of Sharon in wake of Tyre disaster; IDF source indicates Defense Ministry postponed plans to raze abandoned Ein Sultan refugee camp north of Jericho on night following Beirut massacres (razing reportedly related to efforts to build more Jewish settlements in area); three Nahal settlements of Elisha, Beit Arava, Tzurif currently being "civilianized"; at Commission of Inquiry, senior IDF officer and Eitan aide Ze'ev Zecharin contradicts Sharon and Begin, says Sharon spoke of Phalange entry into camps September 14 (not September 15 as Sharon asserted), says Eitan told him Saturday morning, September 18, that Begin had requested information on Gaza Hospital in Sabra camp (denied by Begin), says Eitan instructed IDF to restrict artillery support to minimize civilian casualties, to impose a curfew on all areas of Lebanon under IDF control, to ask Phalange to mobilize forces to take camps regardless of timing of IDF advance into West Beirut, says Eitan flew to Beirut Wednesday, September 17, to detail IDF plans to Phalange but Phalange asked for 24-hour delay to get organized, and agreed that Mossad officer not IDF would act as liaison with Phalange, says Sharon ordered Phalange to enter camps after Wednesday morning arrival at IDF Beirut divisional command post, says no Phalange irregularities raised and no questions asked in Eitan's meeting with Phalange commanders Friday afternoon, says Phalange, during Sunday morning meeting with Eitan, admitted killing civilians but said "We won't go with this to the media, that we did it, because it will hurt us in the Presidential elections"; Zecharin's testimony curtailed at IDF request after contradiction with Dudai testimony highlighted; Foreign Ministry official Ariel Kenet testifies that two inquiries from ministry's Beirut representative Friday afternoon noted US envoy Draper's concern at seeing Phalange inside camps and Lebanese Prime Minister Wazzan's report of patients being killed at Gaza Hospital, asserts he alerted David Kimche, who instructed him to notify Defense Ministry.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Executive Committee member Hanna Nassir says Palestine National Council meeting may not occur before January; Arafat attends Brezhnev funeral in Moscow; Amin Gemayel and Wazzan arrive in Riyadh for 2 days of talks with King Fahd, seeking Saudi help in rebuilding Lebanon, support for withdrawal of PLO and Syrian forces; Wazzan, before departing, says Lebanon wants Israel out of Lebanon, is uninterested in direct negotiations.

US and Other Countries: Reagan phones condolences to Begin; State Department indicates it hopes Israel will not retaliate for Tyre explosion; fears raised that Begin's return to Israel is setback for Reagan peace plan.

UN: UNRWA says by next June, $43.4 million will have been spent on emergency aid to Lebanon but only $31 million has been raised to date.

Military Action:

IDF imposes curfew on several Chouf villages, including Kfar Nabrakh, Navrah and Brih, following artillery duels and Phalange attack on Druze doctor; Aley sealed off after land mine explodes near IDF jeep.

Casualties:

IDF medical teams treat wounded in Chouf villages, many evacuated; IDF arranges exchange of prisoners in Aley; Ain el-Hilweh a sea of mud after third day of heavy rains, only 16 UNRWA tents set up and 100 refugees sign up to purchase Israeli-made prefabricated houses.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir tells visiting US Congressmen that negotiations on IDF withdrawal from Lebanon could last many months, blames Syria; Israel links pull-out talks to Lebanese willingness to normalize relations with Israel (open borders, trade, tourism, unofficial missions in Jerusalem and Beirut); Tourism Minister Sharir reveals plan to promote tourism on West Bank to strengthen Israel's presence there; El Al workers go on strike.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO source in Tunisia says Fateh has approved plans to create Palestinian-Jordanian federation, with Jordan and Palestinian state as separate countries, has decided to reinforce PLO troops in Bekaa and North Lebanon, to resume military training for guerrillas evacuated from Beirut and to resume talks with Lebanese Government on Palestinian presence in Lebanon; PLO reportedly sets 2 conditions for "mutual and simultaneous recognition" with Israel-US pledge to talk to PLO in return and a US guarantee that PLO will be included in any peace negotiations on equal footing with other Arab parties; Lebanese Parliament, in 58-1 vote, gives Gemayel power to rule nation by decree for 6 months, gives vote of confidence to 10-member Cabinet, gives Gemayel full powers to deal with Israelis, Syrians, PLO and to restructure Army, revise tax structure, change criminal law, reschedule debts, control media, but Gemayel fails to win power to amend election laws, citizenship requirements and provincial boundaries without Parliamentary approval, also fails to extend special powers for 2 more months, as 32 legislators abstain or are absent; Gemayel meets with Druze and Phalange leaders, says he will seek US pressure on IDF to withdraw from Chouf area; Walid Jumblatt meets Gemayel at Baabda to discuss deteriorating security in Chouf area, declares Israel is responsible for bloodshed.

US and Other Countries: Assistant Secretary of State Veliotes, in interview, says PLO proposal for "mutual and simultaneous" recognition with Israel was step backward in negotiating process as Israel will never agree; British Foreign Secretary Francis Pym arrives for 2 day stay in Jordan.

Military Action:

Fighting between Sunni and Shiite militias in Tripoli; Chouf region tense following more clashes, IDF surrounds Brih and Kfar Nabrakh to stop fighting; Phalange calls on East Beirut residents to cooperate with Lebanese Army as it moves into center of East Beirut with support of French and Italian forces; US Marines postpone deployment into East Beirut; 6 Israeli Druze in IDF court-martialled for entering Lebanese Druze village without permission; Finland agrees to send 460-man battalion to replace Nepalese soldiers in UNIFIL in South Lebanon; grenade tossed at IDF vehicle in center of Sidon, following similar incidents along coastal road.

Casualties:

Estimates of 8 to 20 Lebanese killed, over 21 wounded in Chouf fighting; UPI reports death toll in Beirut massacre now estimated at 1,962; IDF concedes troops looted in Lebanon "in a number of isolated instances," but claims all looters were severely punished.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli foreign ministry official claims 2-3,000 PLO guerrillas have infiltrated into Bekaa since evacuation from Beirut in August, another 4-5,000 in camps around Tripoli; Shamir, in Knesset debate, defends Government policy in Lebanon against Labor Party attacks, says IDF will remain until "peace for Galilee" achieved, and berates Gemayel government for "negative tones"; aide Avi Dudai says Sharon personally gave order allowing Phalange to enter camp, in closed testimony before Commission of Inquiry; protests continue throughout Occupied Territories, leading to closure of Ramallah Teachers College; al-Fajr journalist Samaan Khoury gets one-year suspended sentence for possessing banned magazine; Jewish settlers hold emergency meeting to discuss growing attacks on settlers; Gush Emunim announces new yeshiva to be opened at site of Joseph's tomb in Nablus; Housing Minister David Levy announces plans for 5 more settlements on West Bank.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Gemayel meets with officials seeking to halt spread of fighting in Chouf; Wazzan says government has agreed on new measures to stop fighting.

Arab Governments: King Fahd visits King Hassan in Fez to discuss diplomatic campaign for peace settlement.

US and Other Countries: White House announces Begin to meet Reagan November 19 during "private" visit; Italian Prime Minister Spadolini, following meeting with Reagan in White House, says US and Italy exploring ways to increase presence in Lebanon.