Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Special Cabinet session to discuss implementation of planned take-over of Hebron market postponed for members to attend Saad Haddad funeral....
Reports that 5000 of Bashir Gemayel's militiamen, sent to Israel for training right after Israeli invasion, were to come under direct IDF control; Reagan approves Lebanese...
Sounds of gunfire come from Sabra and Shatila camps throughout day; IDF encounters resistance, cordons off part of city, begins systematic searches; IDF fires on Marine...
Israeli ammunition dump west of Tiberias blows up, setting fires; dump had received captured PLO ammunition, some in bad condition; PLO and IDF accuse each other of cease-...
Israeli jets overfly Beirut, making mock bombing raids with flares and smoke bombs; Israeli arming of Phalangists and Haddad forces undermining role of Lebanese Army and...
Read more
SOCIAL/POLITICAL:
Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Special Cabinet session to discuss implementation of planned take-over of Hebron market postponed for members to attend Saad Haddad funeral.
Arab World: Fourth Islamic summit Conference convenes in Casablanca with 24 heads of state attending; Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Syria presidents not attending. Maj. Saad Haddad buried in Marjayoun, Lebanon; Israelis attending funderal include PM Shamir, DM Moshe Arens, Ariel Sharon, Shimon Peres, FM David Kimche.
Other Countries: Officials of the National Assoc. of Arab Americans (NAAA) meet with US Pres. Reagan in Washington; urge Marines withdraw from Lebanon. Presidents of major American Jewish organizations send cable to W. German chancellor Kohl calling for cancellation of arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
Military Action:
Reports that 5000 of Bashir Gemayel's militiamen, sent to Israel for training right after Israeli invasion, were to come under direct IDF control; Reagan approves Lebanese request for US Marines to join French and Italian troops in mobile patrols through East Beirut; car bomb explodes near US Marines camp outside Beirut, one Marine and two civilians injured.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: One British and one US doctor and US nurse from Gaza Hospital, in testimony before Commission of Inquiry, say they heard gunfire but were unaware of massacre until after it was over, saw hundreds of Palestinian refugees lined up along Sabra Street under guard when they were forced to leave hospital, Phalange had many walkie-talkies, contrary to Sharon's testimony; overheard IDF officers refer to presence of Haddad men in area, saw tractors in Shatila with Hebrew markings; 360-room luxury hotel at Taba near Eilat opens despite Egyptian protests; Shamir tells Knesset committee that Egypt has broken many Camp David agreements; Israel reportedly asks Roumania's help in securing release of IDF POWs held in Syria; Shamir says Arens supports continued settlement on West Bank.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat ends visit to Bucharest, issues joint statement with Ceausescu calling for renewed diplomatic peace efforts; Gemayel visits Morocco, talks with King Hassan focus on speeding up withdrawal of foreign forces and Moroccan offer to send 22,000 troops for peacekeeping; Gemayel meets with PLO leader Salah Khalaf in Morocco; Wazzan warns that Lebanese who collaborate with Israel may lose their citizenship, accuse Israel of paralyzing Lebanese Government functions.
Arab Governments: Mubarak restates Egyptian objections to Taba hotel opening, says Egypt will proceed with talks.
UN: US Ambassador Kirkpatrick says UN critics of Israel aim at "annihilation of Israel."
Military Action:
Sounds of gunfire come from Sabra and Shatila camps throughout day; IDF encounters resistance, cordons off part of city, begins systematic searches; IDF fires on Marine guarding US Embassy, occupies several embassies including USSR; Drori contacts Phalange liaison officer, orders halt to Phalange operations inside camps around 11 AM; at 4:30 PM, Drori and Eitan agree that Phalange can stay in camps until Saturday morning but no additional Phalange forces can enter.
Casualties:
Reports of murders by Phalange/ Haddad forces spread, film crew at Palestine Red Crescent's Gaza Hospital sees children and elderly badly hurt by shrapnel and gunfire; one doctor estimates 1,000 killed or wounded in camps in past two days; several Acre Hospital medical staff killed by grenades while showing white flag; Danish TV crew films soldiers, identified as Haddad's men, herding Palestinian women and children into trucks near Shatila; Norwegian envoy sees bulldozers loading scoops of bodies into trucks near gate to Shatila; IDF announces 1 Israeli soldier killed, 46 wounded in past 24 hours; Haaretz military correspondent Zeev Schiff hears of massacre from IDF officers, relays information to Communications Minister Zippori who queries Shamir, Shamir asks Foreign Ministry about reports, is told Ministry knows nothing; IDF loudspeakers tell merchants to close shops, others to stay home; IDF orders all men to come into streets for interrogation; 6 PM to 6 AM curfew imposed across city.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon, awakened by phone call from ITV military correspondent Ben Yishai telling of massacre, replies "Happy New Year!"; Shamir meets Draper in Jerusalem around noon, does not mention massacre reports; Israeli officials say IDF is willing to meet with Lebanese Army to discuss pullback; IDF radio broadcast says Army sent Phalange militia into camps to carry out "purging operations."
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Muslim leaders protest that US has broken pledge; National Liberal Party nominates 82-year-old leader Camille Chamoun for presidency; Raymond Edde of National Bloc Party is third candidate; Salam says IDF makes "laughing stock" of US honor and credibility.
Arab Govemments: Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemn IDF thrust into West Beirut as violation of Habib cease-fire agreement.
UN: Security Council unanimously passes resolution condemning Gemayel assassination, Israeli occupation of West Beirut, and demands immediate IDF withdrawal.
Military Action:
Israeli ammunition dump west of Tiberias blows up, setting fires; dump had received captured PLO ammunition, some in bad condition; PLO and IDF accuse each other of cease-fire violations on Beirut outskirts; PLO says IDF opened up with tank, artillery and machine gun fire in southern suburbs; IDF accuses PLO of firing on positions with light weapons; sporadic shelling and shooting around Beirut tapers off after noon, as cease-fire generally holds. Casualties: IDF selectively reopens crossings closed without explanation Saturday; prices for food in W. Beirut more than double.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Cabinet discusses war for 5 hours at regular weekly meeting, postpones decision on new military action; Ben-Elissar (former Mossad officer) says Israel determined to force PLO to leave Lebanon regardless of cost in world public opinion, says Israel wants Lebanon governed by regime friendly to Israel; possible Kissinger role in Mideast negotiations received with lack of enthusiasm; Begin indicates he will accept 30-day implementation period for PLO evacuation; IDF begins process of releasing 220 youthful detainees.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Senior PLO official claims IDF preparing for military move against PLO strongholds; Wazzan dismisses prospect of Lebanese peace treaty with Israel, saying Lebanon would not sign unilateral treaty; Habib meets with Sarkis and Wazzan; Lebanese official says IDF policies in southern Lebanon expand the authority of Israel's right-wing allies at the expense of the Lebanese central government, claims IDF has disarmed Lebanese government troops and turned their camps over to Phalangists and Haddad followers.
Arab Governments: Saudi and Syrian foreign ministers arrive in Washington for talks with Reagan and Shultz; Egypt's Foreign Minister Ali sends message to Shultz and Shamir stressing need to end Lebanese conflict peacefully.
US and Other Countries: US, with Saudi help, pressing Syria to accept PLO guerrillas, also hopes some will go to Jordan; Reagan says administration has begun major review of Mideast problems, including whether to renew shipments of cluster bombs to Israel; Israeli Ambassador Arens meets with Shultz (first diplomat to meet with Shultz following his swearing in).
Military Action:
Israeli jets overfly Beirut, making mock bombing raids with flares and smoke bombs; Israeli arming of Phalangists and Haddad forces undermining role of Lebanese Army and government officials.
Casualties:
Former MK and "dove" Arie Eliav confirms UNRWA estimate of damage to Lebanese refugee camps, calls for refugee aid scheme; trash piles mount in W. Beirut (main shopping area desolate, filled with debris); Sharon instructs IDF to ensure safety of Druze from Phalange attacks in Israeli-controlled areas.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin says Haddad should be a member of the Lebanese government; Interior Minister Burg says, in radio interview, Lebanese invasion might create better conditions for autonomy talks by discrediting PLO; Sharon reported to support future overthrow of Jordan's Hussein to make way for Palestinian state in Jordan; Cabinet plans Sunday meeting to assess progress in negotiations; (postpones meeting at request of US envoy); Peace Now sends letters to all government ministers except Sharon urging no entry into Beirut; West Bank unions issue statement supporting PLO, condemning invasion.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Habib reportedly wants leftist allies of PLO in Beirut disarmed, but not Phalange forces in E. Beirut (rejected by Wazzan, Jumblatt, Berri); Muslims now reportedly support PLO demands; Gemayel flies to Saudi Arabia, meets Arab League representatives; negotiations slow down; Phalangist adviser Pakradouni rejects any future PLO political role in Lebanon, says only one-third of current number of Palestinian refugees should remain; senior PLO official sent to Cairo for talks.
Arab Govemments: Egyptian minister Ghali says US gave Israel a "green light" for inva-sion; over 100 faculty at American University in Cairo condemn invasion in petition to US Ambassador in Cairo; Canadian and Norwegian only missions left in West Beirut (Canadians celebrate Canada Day).
US and Other Countries: Morris Draper, in Jerusalem, confers with Begin, Sharon, Shamir, asks and gets postponement of Cabinet meeting; USSR calls for Arab countries to use oil weapon against US/Israel; Arab students occupy offices of Arab League in Dallas, Texas; as Butros of Egypt meets with French officials, Foreign Minister Cheysson stresses political indispensability of PLO; Amnesty International appeals to Israeli government to account for all prisoners, citing reports they are being held incommunicado.
