Military Action:
74 US Army training specialists, including 28 Green Berets, arrive in Beirut; residents of Nabatiyeh protest against I DF detention of Jibsheet sheikh.
Casualties:
5 IDF soldiers wounded by mines in Chouf mountains.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: In secret Knesset ballot for state president, 7 defect from Likud bloc to help elect Labor candidate Chaim Herzog, 61 to 57; Israel Space Agency holds first meeting, aims to launch satellite in approximately 10 years; National Committee for Defense of Arab Lands rejects Interior Ministry's call to cancel Land Day celebrations planned for March 30, will hold 3 regional gatherings and 2 marches; representatives of Palestinian national institutions in Hebron area discuss emergency situation facing villages and schools as result of curfews and other repressive measures.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: President Gemayel and Habib discuss troop withdrawal for Jordanian participation in peace talks.
US and Other Countries: US officials say agreement near on troop withdrawal, Israel has dropped demand for residual force in Lebanon, Haddad's forces will be incorporated into Lebanese Army, low level but not diplomatic relations between Israel and Lebanon will be established; Congressional study concludes that Lebanese Army will not be effective force for 2 years, the time required to train and equip 5 brigades; statement by 10 EEC heads of state calls for urgent withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, says Israeli West Bank settlements are major and growing obstacle to peace and should be halted, PLO should declare itself in favor of negotiations and should be associated with them.