IDF curfew checks Chouf fighting, IDF tank opens fire on house after being fired on, IDF officers meet with Phalange and Druze leaders in attempt to preserve cease-fire....
Heavy fighting breaks out east of Beirut between Syrian and Phalangist forces following election of Bashir Gemayel as President of Lebanon (artillery and machine gun fire...
Bashir Gemayel's election as Lebanon's President sets off jubilant celebrations in East Beirut, angry protests in West Beirut; houses of 3 West Beirut deputies, including...
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Military Action:
IDF curfew checks Chouf fighting, IDF tank opens fire on house after being fired on, IDF officers meet with Phalange and Druze leaders in attempt to preserve cease-fire.
Casualties:
One IDF soldier wounded by mortar shell at Kafr Barich; 500 women gather at West Beirut mosque to protest disappearances; Grand Mufti has compiled list of 3,000 persons detained or missing since Bashir Gemayel assassination; Army increasing sweeps to arrest activists.
Political Responses:
lsrael/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet issues statement expressing "astonishment" at Reagan Administration opposition to increasing aid; Commission of Inquiry denies Saad Haddad's request to examine evidence, question witnesses, says it lacks evidence of any Haddad involvement, despite Sharon report of IDF unit firing on Haddad men involved in killings and British physician's overhearing discussion of Haddad involvement by IDF officers; Ministry of Science announces Edward Teller-who helped develop the atomic and hydrogen bombs-is in Israel to advise the Government on building a nuclear reactor for peaceful uses, utilization of nuclear energy; Sharon leaves for trip to Honduras to "cement relations with a friendly country which has shown interest in connection with our defense establishment" will meet with Defense Minister Hernandez and President Cordoba; IDF civilian employees stage first strike ever in growing labor confrontation with government.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO leaders end 2-day conference in South Yemen with attack on US Mideast policies; Arafat flies to Saudi Arabia; Jumblatt, in Der Spiegel interview, attacks Gemayel for failing to disarm Phalange; Lebanese Army denies that 5 Palestinian activists have died from torture and mistreatment (Lebanese authorities, despite promises in early October, have not allowed international observers to visit prisoners, continue to round up members of Palestinian groups even though membership in them is legal).
Arab Governments: Arab League delegation, headed by King Hussein, arrives in China.
US and Other Countries: Senior Reagan officials, extremely concerned at stalled withdrawal negotiations, indicate US Marines will stay in Lebanon well into next year; Union of American Hebrew Congregations' national board decides to table vote until 1983 on resolution rejecting Begin's settlement plans and calling for territorial compromises.
Military Action:
Heavy fighting breaks out east of Beirut between Syrian and Phalangist forces following election of Bashir Gemayel as President of Lebanon (artillery and machine gun fire around Kubbeih, Krayeh,. Ras al-Harf near Beirut-Damascus highway); two rockets from West Beirut hit port city of Jounieh; reprisals mount against parliament members who voted for Gemayel presidency (houses and offices of 11 members set afire in West Beirut and Tripoli); fighting between Phalange and PLO/LNM forces; Franjieh forces occupy 3 army positions; Bank of Beirut and Riyadh in West Beirut's Hlamra section blown up, looted overnight; land evacuation of PLO forces delayed because of fighting (500 PLO guerrillas sent to Latakia by ship instead, 600 depart for Yemen); PLO/Lebanese government spokespersons say 2,192 PLO members evacuated to Jordan, Iraq, South Yemen in last 3 days; PLO guerrillas scheduled to leave to Sudan; IDF destroys orchards along Tyre-Sidon road to "prevent PLO attacks"; clashes between IDF and Lebanese villagers northeast of Lake Karoun; new international units arrive in Beirut; Pentagon announces 4 US Marines arrive in Beirut for preliminary inspection, consultations.
Casualties:
3 IDF soldiers buried yesterday; freighter "Lotus" with relief supplies and Egyptian opposition parliament members aboard allowed to land by IDF; first Israeli planes land at Beirut airport; private Israeli airline begins flights to southern Lebanon; IDF begin releasing some of estimated 7,400 Palestinian prisoners held at al-Ansar detention camp.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Grenade thrown at IDF vehicle in Gaza Strip (no casualties; fourth incident of its kind in occupied territories in a week); Begin, Shimon Peres clash in Knesset debate after Peres condemns IDF advance, cutting off water supplies to Beirut; following Sharon meeting with Draper, Israel agrees to allow US, Italian contingents to take up positions in Beirut immediately rather than waiting until all PLO forces gone; Yitzhak Rabin speaks out against renewing war in northern Lebanon; pamphlets by 3 Arab groups in Nazareth ask Israeli Arabs to support PLO.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Muslims meet at Salam's house, issue statement strongly critical of Gemayel; Gemayel reportedly seeking "mini-Marshall Plan" aid from US to rebuild Lebanon; Gemayel reported by Israeli paper to have met secretly inside Israel with Sharon several times since 1976.
Arab Governments: Tunisia seeks "realistic decisions" on Arab-Israeli peace in statement one day after Bourguiba revives proposal for pan-Arab acceptance of 1947 UN partition plan; Saudi Arabia allocates $2 billion to rebuild Beirut; Egyptian, French officials confer on joint peace initiative.
US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration affirms decision to land Marines in Beirut despite renewed fighting; Shultz invites Sharon to meet Friday during Sharon's fundraising trip to US; Austrian Chancellor Kreisky, in Der Stern article, strongly criticizes Israel.
Military Action:
Bashir Gemayel's election as Lebanon's President sets off jubilant celebrations in East Beirut, angry protests in West Beirut; houses of 3 West Beirut deputies, including Speaker Kamal Assad, who participated in election, are burned or blown up; explosions heard throughout city; 1,000 PLO members sail for South Yemen (transport to port held up by car bomb 1 mile away); IDF reinforces Central Lebanon forces with 220 tanks; Syrians reinforce men and ammuntion, send in an estimated 400 tanks.
Casualties:
IDF says 3 Palestinians killed while trying to infiltrate IDF lines near Aimmiq; IDF soldier dies from wounds received yesterday; 5 IDF soldiers wounded in ambush near Tyre.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin's congratulation to Gemayel on election is addressed to "my dear friend"; Sharon indicates he had several clandestine visits to East Beirut to prepare for invasion months in advance.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: 34-year old Bashir Gemayel, leader of Phalange militia, elected to 6-year term as Lebanon's president on second Parliamentary ballot (one-third of deputies do not vote, voting delayed 2 hours until Bashir's brother Amin rounds up 6 missing delegates for legal quorum); Jumblatt denounces Gemayel as "stooge of Israel"; Jumblatt and Muslim leaders meet at Salam's house in West Beirut to consider rejecting election, later issue statement demanding "ironclad guarantees" to preserve consensus politics; Salam and others agree to seek meeting with Phalange leaders; Pierre Gemayel calls election a victory for Lebanon and a "commando operation" because of risks getting to it; Bashir Gemayel, on radio, calls election a "big achievement for our democracy"; Murabitun radio calls election "day of shame" and "nomination of military governor for Lebanon by Zionist decree thanks to Israeli tanks"; PLO officials in Syria express concern for future of Palestinian civilians in Lebanon.
Arab Governments: Syria reacts with anger to election, fears new strife.
US and Other Countries: Reagan Administration officials view election as "positive development" that could facilitate withdrawal of all foreign troops; Reagan sends congratulations to Gemayel and to Parliament; Harris poll finds support for Israel in US still high, but criticism of casualty levels growing; USSR parliamentary delegation arrives in Syria for "working visit." President Spadolini of Italy, addressing troops, says peace will rest on "reciprocal recognition between Israel and the PLO."
