Saturday, June 19, 1982

Military Action:

As PLO continues to refuse to lay down arms, many Beirut residents flee into E. Beirut; businesses, fearing an IDF strike, transfer records into E. Beirut as well; IDF exchanges fire with Palestinian refugee camps and new IDF gun emplacements are seen, with clear line of fire into West Beirut; artillery battles continue in southern Lebanon where PLO units are still holding out; Israelis and Syrians clash near Lake Karoun; reports of IDF troops landing in hills of northern inland Lebanon (denied by Israel).

PLO reported divided over whether to disarm; PLO emplaces heavy artillery, anti-aircraft within southern Beirut.

Casualties:

Nabatiyeh only has 5000 residents; elec-tricity and water are still cut, and there are long food lines; IDF turns away relief ship from Sidon; refugees camp out in parks, schools, lobbies; 200 casualties announced in Beirut from IDF bombings; Eitan notes 9 Israeli soldiers wounded while picking up remains of cluster bombs.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Two-thirds of UN delegates boycott Begin address to UN Disarmament Conference; Israel reportedly wants French troops to help police cease-fire; 8 of 15 council heads of Arab towns in Israel criticize invasion of Lebanon.

Palestinians/Lebanese: Before laying down arms, PLO insists on Lebanese/US assuran-ces that IDF will not invade Beirut; Arafat meets head of Lebanese intelligence; Salam fears radicalized PLO if moderates like Arafat eliminated; Jumblatt still refuses to serve on Council; Salam denies PLO has agreed to go to Egypt.

Arab Goverments: Coalition of Syrian parties appeals to Arab masses to hit, destroy US interests in the region; Saudis warn IDF not to invade, sends $5.6 m. in emergency aid to Lebanon; Fahd meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam.

US and Other Countries: French Premier Mauroy meets with PLO Foreign Minister Kaddoumi (Mauroy says PLO has France's "moral support"); 2 bombs explode outside Israeli offices in France; China offers PLO $1 million in emergency aid.