Other Countries: Soviet deputy foreign minister Gennadi Tarasov says that the USSR "has no plans to establish direct air links" between Tel Aviv and Moscow,...
Syrians and Israelis exchange tank and mortar fire east of Beirut for first time in 4 months; gun battles in Tripoli between rival militias; Beirut offices of Arab...
IDF moves 2 convoys of tanks, APCs, heavy armor, from South Lebanon to cease-fire line in Bekaa; Lebanese Army seals off and searches southern Beirut suburbs from Bourj al-...
Israeli forces advance to 15 miles from Beirut; one of the biggest air battles since the 1973 war takes place over Beirut (6 Syrian, 2 Israeli jets reported down); heavy...
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Social/Economic/Political
Other Countries: Soviet deputy foreign minister Gennadi Tarasov says that the USSR "has no plans to establish direct air links" between Tel Aviv and Moscow, despite commercial agreement of 2 months ago [NYT 2/5].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: IDF closes 3 schools in the Hebron area for stone throwing at IDF vehicles [FJ 2/12].
IDF arrests at least 100 Palestinians in Ramallah area in 24-hour sweep [FJ 2/12].
Arab World: At least 25 people are killed in intra-Christian fighting in Beirut. [NYT 2/4].
Israeli and Palestine Liberation Front forces clash on S. Lebanon; each side claims to have killed several of the other [FBIS 2/5; MET 2/13].
Military Action:
Syrians and Israelis exchange tank and mortar fire east of Beirut for first time in 4 months; gun battles in Tripoli between rival militias; Beirut offices of Arab Deterrent Force closed, premises handed over to Lebanese Army.
Casualties:
Lebanese doctor shot and killed at roadblock by Fiji UNIFIL soldier in South Lebanon; 3 killed, including Syrian soldier, 6 wounded in Tripoli.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Land Day demonstrations in Israel, West Bank, Gaza, 3,000 extra police on duty; 10-20,000 make Land Day march from Sakhnin to Deir Hanna; tear gas fired at demonstrators in Sakhnin; Peace Now demonstrates outside government exhibition in Tel Aviv of residential construction and housing finance opportunities for Jews on the West Bank; Labor Party chairman Peres says position of Haddad forces must not be infringed by troop withdrawal agreement, Israel should not submit to any preconditions, such as settlement freeze, prior to peace talks with Hussein; Habib meets Arens and Shamir who reject notion that Lebanese Army, without Haddad, can provide effective security on northern border; 7 year-old boy killed, 2 children wounded in Shefar Am when hand grenade they find explodes; commercial strike in East Jerusalem; IDF shoots, kills 18 year-old in Tarqumiya, near Hebron, during demonstration; curfews imposed in Nablus, 4 refugee camps; 2 molotov cocktails thrown at IDF vehicles in West Bank; 2 molotov cocktails thrown at IDF vehicles in West Bank; 2 grenades thrown at IDF vehicles in Gaza; 13 persons injured by stones; Al-Fajr editor-in-chief arrested; director of West Bank public health services says clinical symptoms of 53 girls from Arraba, taken ill on March 21, point to something more than a case of mass hysteria.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat, in Damascus, tells rally he rejects Reagan plan, and Fez summit resolutions are only basis for solution to Palestine problem.
US and Other Countries: Soviet Union accuses Israel of planning a piratic strike against Syria, warns it would be playing with fire.
Military Action:
IDF moves 2 convoys of tanks, APCs, heavy armor, from South Lebanon to cease-fire line in Bekaa; Lebanese Army seals off and searches southern Beirut suburbs from Bourj al-Barajneh to Lailaki; fighting continues in Bab Mohsen and Bab el-Tabbaneh areas of Tripoli.
Casualties:
9 killed in Tripoli; 40-50 detained by Lebanese Army.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli, Lebanese and US negotiators meet at Kiryat Shemona, fail to agree on draft agenda proposed by US delegate Draper; Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan says Soviet SA-5 missiles in Syria are not a military threat, but of major political significance, as could be manned by Soviet personnel, and confirms that Syria is undergoing intense military expansion to have 2 additional armored divisions by 1984, all its artillery self-propelled, most tanks to be T-72s, more commando battalions; President Navon in Washington, says consensus within Israel is opposed to Palestinian state and returning to 1967 borders; Yesh Gvul ("There's A Limit") demonstration in front of Defense Ministry demands rights for conscientious objectors and freedom for those in jail; Costa Rican Minister of Public Security Angel Edmondo Solano Calderon and wife visit Israel as guests of Defense Minister Sharon; Kiryat Arba local council tears down 4 electricity poles providing electricity to 25 Palestinian families, claiming land is allocated to Givat Harsina settlement; military authorities close Nablus technical school for I week; American Principal of Ramallah Friends Girls School summoned by military governor, but refuses (along with 4 US teachers) to sign work permit containing anti-PLO clause.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat says in interview he will set up government in exile once the US recognizes the Palestinians' right to self-determination; Lebanese militia and political leaders meet in Tripoli to try to stop fighting.
US and Other Countries: Actress Elizabeth Taylor in Israel on a mission of peace and understanding decides not to go to Lebnon as Lebanese Government cannot guarantee her security, but Saad Haddad goes to Tel Aviv to meet Taylor.
Military Action:
Israeli forces advance to 15 miles from Beirut; one of the biggest air battles since the 1973 war takes place over Beirut (6 Syrian, 2 Israeli jets reported down); heavy fighting in Tyre and Sidon continues, as Tyre residents are told via air-dropped leaflets to go to beaches to avoid bombings, city is shown in flames; 15,000 people try to enter city from countryside, saying they have no food; Israelis move 100 tanks into mountains east of PLO stronghold of Damour; Israeli shells re-portedly destroy a Red Cross center on the edge of Sidon; tank battles near Jezzine, and Israelis reportedly aim to cut highway to Syria; Israeli planes blast road 2 miles south of Beirut airport; fierce fighting between Israeli and Syrian troops on edge of Beirut; Israelis capture Lebanese president's summer residence at Beiteddine; third attack on Beirut sports complex.
Syrians engage Israelis on southern edges of Beirut, along Beirut-Damascus highway; major Syrian-Israeli tank battle shaping up in Chouf region, stronghold of PLO ally and Lebanese National Movement (LNM) leader Walid Jumblatt (temporarily out of country).
Fierce resistance from PLO units continues in Tyre and Sidon; a few PLO-fired rockets fall on northern Galilee, from enclave controlled by Syria; PLO and Lebanon accept UN call for a cease-fire.
Casualties:
Beirut residents stockpile goods and Palestinian suburbs almost deserted as residents fan out into city; Red Cross center in Sidon destroyed by Israeli shelling; thousands of refugees pour into Beirut from southern Lebanon; 10,000 people placed under Red Cross care in Tyre alone.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Prime Minister Begin lays out 4 conditions for withdrawal from Lebanon, including removal of all Syrian and PLO forces from Lebanon, creation of a 40 km demilitarized zone north of the Israeli border; Knesset defeats no-confidence vote, 94-3; Israeli Ambassador Arens meets with Deputy Secretary of State Stoessel, Defense Secretary Weinberger and Senator Percy as a former Israeli general meets the US press; Begin calls on Assad not to engage Israeli troops; UN reports continue to be censored; about 40 demonstrators opposed to the invasion are attacked in Tel Aviv.
Palestinians/Lebanese: Arafat meets with USSR Ambassador; Lebanese president appeals to Arab League to hold a meeting; Lebanon's UN Ambassador says casualties run into thousands, mostly civilians.
Arab Governments: Iranian volunteers reported arriving in Lebanon via Syria, as well as Palestinian volunteers from Jordan and Kuwait; Arab diplomats from Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrein, Jordan and Algeria ask the US to pressure Israel to withdraw immediately, accept cease-fire; Syria rejects any troop withdrawal from Lebanon, reacting to reports of new Israeli conditions for a withdrawal.
US: Reagan, in London, appeals for an end to hostilities; Haig later says US would not deny Israel the "right of legitimate self-defense."
UN: Lebanon and the PLO accept the UN call for a cease-fire; Israel rejects the Security Council demand for withdrawal. Lebanon circulates a petition condemning Israel, threatening sanctions if it does not withdraw. UNIFIL General Callaghan makes first offi-cial protest of the invasion to Israel.
