May 29, 2000

Following the cross-border incident on 5/28 and citing "uncertainty about the future," Barak authorizes the Israeli government to distribute weapons to residents along the border with Lebanon, telling them they may fire into Lebanon if fired upon 1st. (NYT, WT 5/30)

A Tel Aviv court delays its ruling, set for today, on the legality of the continued detention of Lebanese prisoners Shaykh 'Abd al-Karm Obeid, Mustafa al-Dirani Obeid, Dirani have been held without charge or trial since the IDF abducted them fr. Lebanon in 1989 and 1994, respectively, to hold them as "bargaining chips" to swap for missing IDF airman Ron Arad. (NYT, WP 5/30; AYM 5/30 in WNC 6/1) (see 4/19)