Sunday, December 26, 1982

Military Action:

Israeli Governor's residence in Sidon attacked, curfew imposed on city; gunfire hits IDF convoy north of Sidon; fierce artillery barrages rage around Beirut, sporadic shelling resumed around Khalde, fighting spreads into Chouf villages of Fawara, Brih, Wadi Alcet, Mtaileh, Aley; Phalange headquarters in Sidon badly damaged by explosion.

Casualties:

4 IDF soldiers killed, 8 wounded in and near Sidon, several dead and wounded in Chouf.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet announces negotiations will begin Tuesday at Khalde, continue Thursday at Qiryat Shemona stresses talks will focus on normalizing relations with Lebanon, creating security zone in South Lebanon; Sharon claims "working paper" includes proposal to retain "warning station" staffed by IDF in South Lebanon; Israeli Press Council bans photos of mourners at funerals of military casualties as encroachement on privacy, but state broadcasting authority disagrees, says public has a right to participate in grieving.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese officials stress negotiations aimed at getting IDF to withdraw from Lebanon; Wazzan denies there are blueprints for the talks