Rival militias battle in Tripoli; Druze militia surrounds Lebanese Army barracks in Hammana, warns army and police to keep off roads in Chouf mountains; in response to...
Tripoli cease-fire breaks down soon after visiting Syrians depart; grenades and sporadic sniper fire; artillery duels and ambush in Chouf, as Druze and Christian leaders...
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Military Action:
Rival militias battle in Tripoli; Druze militia surrounds Lebanese Army barracks in Hammana, warns army and police to keep off roads in Chouf mountains; in response to attacks by Lebanese National Resistance, IDF steps up security in and around Sidon; Syrian small-arms fire directed at IDF fortification on eastern front.
Casualties:
3 killed, many wounded in Tripoli fighting, shops close as armed men roam streets; 3 wounded by Nabatiyeh car bomb.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: 12 Bedouin men begin hunger strike in Israel to protest harassment by Green Patrol, demand talks with Ministry of Agriculture; Central Bureau of Statistics figures show $557m. trade deficit for first 2 months of 1983, nearly 20% higher than 1982; trial begins of two Kiryat Arba officials charged with illegal possession of explosives and destroying evidence police believe may be connected with June 1980 bomb attacks on West Bank mayors; 2 IDF injured by stones during incidents in East Jerusalem and Ramallah; general strike in Ramallah; Nablus market under curfew; Birzeit University reopens; 3 Birzeit students beaten, 1 detained by settlers; IDF uses helicopters to patrol West Bank; 35 Gaza youths sentenced by military tribunal to fines and suspended prison sentences for disturbing the peace by throwing stones last week; 6 teenagers in Ramallah sentenced to 6 to 8 months imprisonment and fined $400 to $900 for participating in recent disturbances; 3 girls in Ramallah convicted of stone-throwing, fined up to $2800 and given suspended prison terms; youth arrested in Jerusalem for wearing shirt in colors of Palestinian flag; special prayers held at Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosques to protest plot by Jewish zealots, uncovered by police last week, to seize Temple Mount.
Arab Governments: Egyptian-Israeli talks on normalization of trade and commercial relations, suspended since June, resume in Cairo.
US and Other Countries: Foreign Minister Salem tells Shultz and other officials in Washington, that Lebanese Army is capable of controlling all Lebanon, Israeli military presence is unnecessary; Shultz and Shamir meet for 5 hours, focus on possible use of international troops and increased US presence to meet Israeli security concerns in South Lebanon; Shamir delegation meets with Reagan, Bush, Weinberger, Shultz, Habib and Draper, Reagan reportedly emphasizes urgency of Israeli agreement to withdrawal terms; 10 IDF touring US to offset impression that Lebanon campaign was overly aggressive; US Ambassador to UN Kirkpatrick, in Israel for conference on Soviet Jewry, meets Begin; former President Carter meets King Hussein in Amman, says Israeli settlements in West Bank are illegal and an obstacle to peace.
Military Action:
Tripoli cease-fire breaks down soon after visiting Syrians depart; grenades and sporadic sniper fire; artillery duels and ambush in Chouf, as Druze and Christian leaders try to restore cease-fire; Haddad militia commander Ahmed Sheet blown up by car bomb in Nabatiyeh; other sabotage acts in recent weeks in Nabatiyeh reportedly aimed at IDF forces.
Casualties:
3 killed, 10 wounded in Tripoli; 1 killed, 3 wounded in Chouf; 21 others wounded in Nabatiyeh explosion.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin, in speech to World Zionist Congress, sees good chance of pullout agreement soon, reaffirms settlements are essential; Begin meets with Habib and Draper, who carry proposals to skirt issue of Jerusalem as venue for talks; Israeli military authorities close down Construction and Public Institutions Employees Union headquarters in Ramallah for two months, confiscate union files, arrest union secretary.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem, in meeting with Shultz, warns that lengthy occupation would lead to Israeli annexation of South Lebanon, Syrian/PLO protectorate in North Lebanon.
Arab Governments: Syrian Presidents Assad and Foreign Minister Khaddam meet with Gemayel special emissary Jean Obeid, express openness to partial, simultaneous withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, provided this is linked to a total withdrawal of IDF forces, affirm that Lebanese security forces should patrol Tripoli; Egyptian President Mubarak, in Vienna, calls on PLO to recognize Israel and declares support for Reagan peace plan.
US and Other Countries: Reagan sends letter to Begin urging Israel to agree to withdrawal timetable hours after Habib and Draper meet in Jerusalem with Begin; US announces $5 m. grant, $15 m. loan to Lebanon to help rebuild damaged homes; State Department sources say Israel is offering to sell Central American countries stocks of weapons captured from PLO; over 175 Representatives sign a letter to Reagan asking him to deny advanced weapons to Jordan unless Jordan participates in peace process; in Senate, Kennedy has almost 60 co-sponsors for resolution opposing more aid to Jordan if it continues to boycott peace talks.
UN: Israel and Lebanon join in unanimous General Assembly condemnation of September massacre, but Israel votes against another provision that calls massacre act of genocide; four other resolutions passed which demand that Israel rescind annexation of Golan Heights, support Lebanese efforts to restore its authority throughout its territory, deplore destruction of Palestinian cultural heritage during invasion and ask Israel for restitution.
