Syrian Army halts battle after Lebanese Army unit is ambushed by Amal militia and Iranian Revolutionary Guards near Baalbek; National Guard of 40 armed men formed at Ain el...
IDF strengthens positions in Bekaa Valley within 2 miles of Syrian frontlines; Haddad forces complete deployment in the Bekaa Valley; Lebanese National Resistance attacks...
Three hours of machine gun and RPG battles in Tripoli between PFLP-GC and anti-Syrian Lebanese militia; Saad Haddad, accompanied by IDF, occupies Jubb Jannin, northern-most...
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Military Action:
Heavy fighting continues in Chouf; residents of Burj al-Shamali refugee camp near Tyre resist IDF patrol trying to enter orphans' training center.
Casualties:
Lebanese student killed, 7 injured wnen IDF fires at demonstration in Burj al-Shamali.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Cabinet agrees in principle to draft withdrawal agreement, Sharon and Ne'eman oppose; Foreign Minister Shamir says Israel still seeks substantive changes in role of Haddad, designated in agreement as deputy commander in South Lebanon; public opinion poll shows that Labor Alignment would defeat Likud bloc 41.4% to 37.1% in election held now; West Bank land seizures reported during last week include 11,000 dunums from 4 villages in Nablus area, 1300 dunums from Kufur Sur, several dozen dunums from Rafat in Ramallah area, 1000 dunums from Beitunia, near Ramallah.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese officials say Syria opposes virtually every major clause of withdrawal agreement; Haddad says he will not be an obstacle to any agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
US and Other Countries: Secretary Shultz meets King Hussein in Amman, says Hussein gives his full backing to withdrawal agreement; Shultz indicates Reagan will lift the embargo on the sale of F-16s to Israel; US reportedly has provided secret letter of assurance to Israel as part of withdrawal agreement; 133 Jewish law students at Harvard, Yale and NYU send letter to Begin protesting invasion of Lebanon and treatment of Palestinians in occupied territories, urge halt to settlements; 8 US and Canadian mayors begin 4 day visit to West Bank, Gaza and Galilee under sponsorship of Association of Arab-American University Graduates.
Military Action:
Syrian Army halts battle after Lebanese Army unit is ambushed by Amal militia and Iranian Revolutionary Guards near Baalbek; National Guard of 40 armed men formed at Ain el-Hilweh camp, led by Mossad-trained Palestinian Abdullah Nassar; fighting in Chouf maintains near Nabrah, IDF meets with rival leaders to restore 3 week-old cease-fire.
Casualties:
6 Lebanese Army soldiers killed, 12 wounded, 3 militiamen killed, 5 wounded in Bekaa Valley fight; villages in South Lebanon ordered by IDF and Haddad forces to pay thousands of Lebanese pounds for protection, and to obtain release of villagers held at Ansar detention camp; Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem says that 300,000 illegal aliens, mostly Palestinians, will eventually have to be removed from the country.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Bomb found and dismantled at entrance of al-Aqsa mosque, 16 detained for questions, Jewish extremist group suspected; Foreign Minister Shamir says Israel will not freeze settlements as a condition for King Hussein's joining peace talks; Foreign Ministry denies reports that Israel signed agreement to sell arms to Ciskei bantustan; Israeli Journalists Association instructs members to boycott February 24 press conference on treatment of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners at Ansar camp, called by Israeli Committee Against the War in Lebanon; central Ramallah under curfew after stone-throwing incidents; 24-hour guard on deposed Nablus Mayor Bassam Shakaa lifted; 300 women representing Women's Work Committees on West Bank hold 2nd annual conference in Jerusalem; Village League and Civil Administration open private electricity generating system in Bil'in in violation of Jerusalem Electricity Company concession.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Foreign Minister Salem says if Lebanon errs in the area of normalization with Israel it could lose its existence, Lebanon will not close 22 frontiers to open one; special envoy Habib presents latest compromise proposals on Lebanese-Israeli negotiation to Foreign Minister Shamir, then leaves for US.
Arab Governments: Jordan announces it will not enter any peace negotiations without PLO approval.
US and Other Countries: Unnamed UK oil prospecting company to sign contract with Israel to carry out Mediterranean offshore exploration.
Military Action:
IDF strengthens positions in Bekaa Valley within 2 miles of Syrian frontlines; Haddad forces complete deployment in the Bekaa Valley; Lebanese National Resistance attacks IDF position near Khalde, claims 2 killed, others wounded; IDF vehicle destroyed by remote controlled mine east of Beirut.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Police discover group of settlers, mostly new immigrants from US, who plan to terrorize Hebron residents and force them to emigrate; two members of (Rabbi Kahane's) Kach settlement Al-Nakam remanded for week on charges of shooting at Palestinians; armed settlers break into Nablus' el-Farouk secondary school, fire shots above students' heads; in Yatta, armed settlers chase youths after being stopped at roadblock of burning tires, kidnap two high school students; in Ramallah and Nablus, students set up road blocks, burn tires; Dheisheh camp under curfew after stones thrown at Israeli traffic; bomb found in car of Hebron merchant; security forces reveal a bomb was found and defused last Friday next to the house of a Palestinian living near Jewish settlement of Beit Hadassah in center of Hebron; military command orders investigation of complaint that soldiers entered home of woman in Nablus, overturned furniture, beat her son; IDF soldiers and civil administrators confiscate keys to Hebron Village League offices after deposed head M. Nasr holds meeting there to reject his dismissal; IDF sentences three soliders to jail for refusing to serve in Lebanon and increases penalties; Military Intelligence Director Saguy and Beirut division commander Yaron, cited by Kahan commission, resign their posts but remain in military; Foreign Minister Shamir says Jordan should not feel apprehensive when Israeli leaders say Jordan is Palestine, it is merely a statement of geographic and demographic facts.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Israel rejects latest Habib compromise proposals, accepted by Lebanese; Habib flies to Cairo to brief Mubarak; Lebanese-Israeli negotiations continue at Khalde; IDF announces Hebrew language courses to be offered to Lebanese, with first course to be held for doctors, merchants, lawyers and teachers in Hasbaya.
US and Other Countries: Rep. Mervin Dymally (D-CA) reports that US aid to Israel during 1974-82 was $22.6 b, more than twice sum given to all Africa, and 25% more than Latin America; Time magazine stands by February 21 story over which Ariel Sharon has fifed libel suit.
Military Action:
Three hours of machine gun and RPG battles in Tripoli between PFLP-GC and anti-Syrian Lebanese militia; Saad Haddad, accompanied by IDF, occupies Jubb Jannin, northern-most Israeli position in Bekaa valley; IDF increases patrols in Sidon area; IDF APC detonates mine near Khamed al-Luz in northern Bekaa, no injuries.
Casualties:
3 bodies found earlier this week in Sidon area; PLO says Israel has offered, through Austrian mediation, to release 800 prisoners for 8 IDF captured in Lebanon; IDF says it holds 293 Syrian prisoners, 5,099 Palestinians and Lebanese at Ansar.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Foreign Minister Shamir criticizes Reagan for use of word homeland with reference to resolution of Palestinian question, says it is not by accident that this term does not appear in the Camp David accords; 3 Israeli officers, including a Captain, and three soldiers are currently serving prison terms for refusing to serve in Lebanon; police detain 6 persons for harassing Peace Now demonstration on February 10; members of Ramallah area Village League to face charges of aggravated assault and illegal detention and interrogation as a result of complaints by Ramallah residents over incident occurring a year ago.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: 18th session of Lebanese-Israeli-US talks in Khalde results in initial agreement on security arrangements; Habib meets with President Gemayel and other Lebanese leaders.
Arab Governments: Jordanian Foreign Minister, after talks in Beirut with President Amin Gemayel, says Israel must first withdraw from Lebanon and agree to settlement freeze before comprehensive negotiations can take place; Saudi Arabia, principal export market for Lebanon, bans all imports to prevent flow of Israeli goods.
US and Other Countries: Defense Secretary Weinberger denies Israeli reports that US Marines ordered not to have direct liaison with IDF, but says current system of liaison through a military council is satisfactory; Weinberger also says number of Marines in MNF may have to be increased if withdrawal of Israeli, Syrian and Palestinian forces is achieved; Shultz rejects Israeli position, reiterated yesterday by Arens, that a Palestinian state and homeland exists already in Jordan; US Gallup Poll taken in January 1983 finds American public sympathy toward Israel has returned to level of July 1981, following sharp drop after Beirut massacre.
