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...
Lebanese Forces (Phalange) commander- in-chief Fady Frem says his forces will cooperate with Gemayel as long as he is committed to expelling all foreign forces from Lebanon...
Lebanese Army continues round-up of Palestinian and foreign residents without proper identification; Italian and French troops help Army cordon off southeast section of...
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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:
Lebanese Forces (Phalange) commander- in-chief Fady Frem says his forces will cooperate with Gemayel as long as he is committed to expelling all foreign forces from Lebanon; IDF reconnaissance jets pass over Beirut in apparent tribute to Bashir Gemayel.
Casualties:
Reconstruction proceeding quickly as rubble cleared, roads repaired in Beirut (land mines still a problem); UN estimates $15 billion and ten years necessary to rebuild Beirut.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Foreign Minister Shamir reports to Cabinet on US trip (officials reportedly expect drawn-out troop withdrawal negotiations); Israeli government renews insistence that remaining PLO forces be the first to leave, then Syrian and IDF forces leave simultaneously; son of Nablus Mayor Bassam Shakaa detained following yesterday's disturbances.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Saad Haddad meets with head of Israel's Druze community in Kafr Julis to discuss Lebanese situation.
Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister Hassan Ali says Egypt will press Israel over disputed Taba area near Eilat.
US and Other Countries: US envoy Morris Draper returns to Lebanon to resume US diplomatic efforts on withdrawal; French posts and telecommunications team leaves for Lebanon to repair and modernize Lebanon's telephone system; Reagan Administration considering rearming Lebanese armed forces with Raytheon Improved Hawk and General Dynamics Stinger infrared-guided man-portable missiles.
Military Action:
Lebanese Army continues round-up of Palestinian and foreign residents without proper identification; Italian and French troops help Army cordon off southeast section of Beirut, but avoid Sabra and Shatila camps; Israel expanding size of al-Ansar detention center.
Casualties:
Number of those detained in past 72 hours estimated at 300 to several thousand; Gemayel promises list of detainees to US, France and Italy; EEC gives UNDRO program $9 m. in emergency relief for Lebanese and Palestinians; 1,500 Palestinians in South Lebanon submit petition to IDF asking it not to withdraw until complete law and order restored and detentions of "illegals" by Lebanese Army halted.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon says US blocks path to peace in Lebanon, that signed pact necessary before Israel will relinquish control of South Lebanon; Sharon, Drori visit Haddad; officials prevent press from meeting Bassam Shakaa; Begin gets message from Mubarak stressing Egypt's commitment to peace treaty.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Amin Gemayel plans to disarm Phalange, dismantle Phalange road-blocks, replace Phalange forces in East Beirut with Lebanese Army once sweep of West Beirut is completed; Wazzan forms interim Cabinet (5 Christians, 4 Muslims are all new-comers, including lawyers, engineers, a doctor, a professor, and a businessman); Wazzan retains Interior Ministry.
