Sporadic small arms and artillery fire and mock IDF air raids; Alexandre Hotel in East Beirut jolted by bomb explosion (apparent reprisal for hitting of Commodore;...
IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food,...
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Military Action:
Sporadic small arms and artillery fire and mock IDF air raids; Alexandre Hotel in East Beirut jolted by bomb explosion (apparent reprisal for hitting of Commodore; international phone, telex communications from East Beirut cut).
Casualties:
Thousands of residents flee W. Beirut despite calm (traffic jams at crossing points, many journalists leave, heavy damage along Corniche Mazraa and near Museum, many streets impassable).
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet rejects Security Council order to pull back troops in Beirut, permit additional UN observers into area (as Cabinet meets, over 2,000 anti-war demonstrators protest outside Begin's offices); Israel slashes subsidies for basic commodities by up to 36 percent to finance war (bread rises 15 percent in price, bus fares 25 percent, milk 36 percent); several Cabinet members want to restrict Sharon, claiming he is bypassing government in ordering major IDF tactical advances.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Salam announces plan for withdrawal, new timetable, as breakthrough in negotiations expected; Lebanese politicians optimistic about new proposals offering US guarantees for physical safety of departing PLO.
Arab Governments: Saudi King Fahd telephones Reagan, asks him to prevent an all-out attack on Beirut; Yemeni ambassadors meet in Libya, following meetings in Syria and Saudi Arabia, to gain agreement for Arab leaders' meeting on Lebanon; meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers scheduled for next Tuesday in Tunisia; Kuwaiti parliament members press government to sever relations with the US, suspend oil shipments and withdraw funds from US banks (Saudi Arabia threatened to withdraw $100 b. from US banks last month).
US and Other Countries: US asks Israel to yield advances won Wednesday, withdraw to Sunday cease-fire lines, accept two-week total cease-fire to aid negotiations (Israel rejects appeal, official reports that Reagan feels misled by Begin); International Commission of Jurists ask that captured PLO members be given prisoner of war status; USSR praises PLO resistance; French Embassy evacuates to E. Beirut.
UN: US expected to veto any call for sanctions against Israel for rejecting UN call for pull-back; Secretary General cancels trip to Mideast after Begin refuses to meet with him if he meets with Arafat; Security Council members complain of slow US responses in UN discussions (Kirkpatrick reportedly unable to delegate responsibilites).
Military Action:
IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food, gasoline, medical shortages and brings negotiations to a halt; Wazzan says all water, electricity cut and all roads into W. Beirut closed; IDF tanks try to move on airport (4 vehicles hit in fierce PLO resistance); 2 shells land near Presidential Palace at Baabda; Lebanese officials say IDF forces 3 engineers to remove key piece of pumping machinery from water works serving West Beirut; fifth cease-fire called at 4 PM by IDF, though shelling continues beyond deadline (last cease-fire June 25); IDF forces advance to edge of airport runways; IDF only advances block by block against fierce PLO resistance (despite pleas, no PLO members surrender); now an estimated 90,000 IDF troops in Lebanon; Phalange cuts off port road on IDF orders.
Casualties:
Four cars of ICRC and convoy of 14 food trucks turned back from W. Beirut; residents of city line up at stores in panic buying of food; gasoline scarce; American University Hospital has only 2 days of oxygen; gunfights at gasoline stations reported; few of W. Beirut's estimated 200,000 Lebanese and Palestinian residents leave; ICRC protests lack of protection for and access to prisoners; severe housing shortage develops at Nabatiyeh as refugees arrive from north.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: BenPorat of Telem joins Cabinet; Sharon, Kimche, Habib reportedly meet; Mapam Secretary-General calls for end to water and food blockade (joined by Labor Party's Yossi Sarid); special regulations passed around June 9 reportedly allow for 3 months detention with no provisions for legal counsel or informing detainees' families; 6 wounded outside Hebron by Village League members; Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University reopens (closed since June 11 after student protests of invasion).
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Groundswell of Lebanese resentment of IDF and support for Wazzan reported; PLO reported to send contribu-tion to Nicaragua for children affected by May floods; Lebanese officials protest IDF cutoff of water.
Arab Governments: Egypt accepts Iraq's invitation to summit meeting in September (after 3-year total isolation); Egypt says US role in Lebanon vital, that Israeli invasion is under-mining peace process and stability of region; PLO, Moroccan, Kuwaiti leaders meet USSR leaders; Syrian President Assad returns after talks with Saudi King Fahd; only Algeria and Syria reportedly willing to take PLO.
US and Other Countries: US officials say cease-fire essential to negotiations, pressures IDF to ease pressure on Beirut, following strong message from Saudi Arabia; USSR Foreign Minister Gromyko rules out military involvement in Lebanon; Arab women begin silent vigil outside White House; Nicaragua says it is sending solidarity mission to Beirut.
