The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

Bomb explodes as IDF vehicle passes in Beirut suburb of Baabda; IDF vehicle detonates mine near Ein Zahlata; IDF tank hits mine in Bekaa region.

Casualties:

6 IDF soldiers wounded in Baabda attack, 3 in Ein Zahlata; Lebanese police report 3 Palestinians killed in two attacks on IDF positions in South Lebanon; stray machine gun fire by IDF penetrates US Marine base after Baabda attack, no injuries; UNRWA officials report escalation in attacks on Palestinians in Sidon, said to coincide with arrival there of Phalange officer Elie Hobeika, armed and masked men of Guardians of Cedars threatening Palestinians, 4 killed, 2 wounded since April 28.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shultz returns to Jerusalem, meets with Begin, Shamir, Arens; Begin says he will call Cabinet meeting to decide on draft troop withdrawal agreement; Ministry of Absorption reports that only 11 of the 114 Jews leaving the Soviet Union last month came to Israel; Elon Moreh settlers fire on Nablus youths when stones are thrown at their car, 13 students arrested, school closed; window of Israeli truck broken by stones near Kalandia camp; 400 students hold sit-in demonstration at Tireh UNRWA Training Center.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: President Gemayel says the danger of signing an agreement with Israel without obtaining the withdrawal of Syria, the PLO and some Iranians is that Israel will not withdraw and the agreement will have no value; PLO seeks guarantees for security of Palestinians in Lebanon as precondition for withdrawal of PLO forces, Saudi information minister to intervene with Lebanese officials this week on issues of murders of Palestinians, threats to refugees, bombings of shops, expulsions, detention, attacks by Lebanese Army on Palestinian women crossing into East Lebanon to visit husbands and fathers with PLO forces.

Arab Governments: Jordan considering limitations on export of West Bank produce to East Bank, restrictions on entry of West Bank students to University of Jordan, holding of elections on East Bank only.

US and Other Countries: Shultz continues talks in Beirut, then returns to Jerusalem; Reagan says PLO council was never elected by the Palestinian people, referendum on alternative leadership might not be practical; French foreign minister meets PLO official, asks PLO to cancel UN conference on Palestine scheduled for UNESCO's Paris headquarters in August.

Military Action:

Syrian and Israeli jets carry out reconnaissance flights over Bekaa Valley; PLO forces fire anti-aircraft guns at IDF planes in northern Lebanon.

Casualties:

About 100 Palestinian families in Sidon tell UNRWA officials that local residents have broken into their homes and threatened harm if they do not leave.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: 18 opposition MKs call Eitan's cockroach remark shocking and severe phenomenon that cannot be ignored, ask Arens to reprimand him, Arens refuses comment, says Eitan a national hero; Arens and Haddad meet in South Lebanon, Arens says Haddad is a great patriot; government investment in West Bank settlements and infrastructure estimated at $200m. a year; "No to Campaign Ribbons" group says thousands of reservists have refused to accept Lebanon ribbon; IDF lifts month long curfew on Dahariya; illegal publications confiscated at el-Bireh nurses' training college book fair, college closed; Interior Ministry bans publication and distribution of Palestine Press Services's daily newsletter on events in the West Bank, demands it be licensed like a newspaper and subjected to military censorship; southern district police commander accuses West Bank Waqf of interfering in politics and engaging in political activities.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Executive Committee meeting in Tunis postponed, Arafat travels to Bulgaria for 2 day visit.

Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister travels to Washington with message for Reagan; Mubarak meets Kissinger in Cairo; Egypt and Jordan agree to resume trade after 4-year interruption; Syrian President Assad meets DFLP's Naif Hawatmeh and PFLP-GC's Ahmed Jibril in Damascus.

US and Other Countries: US air and ground forces experts visit Israel to begin studying military data from Lebanon war; Albert Spiegel, Los Angeles businessman, quits as Reagan's Jewish affairs adviser.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir says purpose of surveillance station in South Lebanon is to prevent return of PLO terrorists, if other means are available Israel will study them but so far none have been presented; Sharon at Cabinet meeting says Lebanon must pay a price for having allowed Palestinians to operate at will in previous years, that US must change position on future arrangements and security in Lebanon or Israel will consider other ways of obtaining an agreement with Lebanon, that Saad Haddad must play a role in security along border, and that survelliance stations will be military bases manned by a company each; Begin, Shamir and Sharon meet for 90 min. with Habib who then returns to US; Bethlehem Mayor Freij dismisses Deputy Mayor George Hazboun then leaves for Amman and Cairo for 3 week trip, saying there must be peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and a halt to West Bank settlements.

Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamal Hassan Ali meets with Israeli Ambassador Moshe Sasson in Cairo; ministers of Syria, Iran and Libya meet in Damascus, agree to support Lebanon financially and materially to end Israeli occupation.

Military Action:

IDF jets attack West Beirut at 10 AM, on day 50 of invasion, hitting same targets as day before, following night-long artillery duels between IDF and PLO (first evening raids on Shatila, Sabra, Burj al-Barajneh camps complicate rescue efforts); only small arms fire reported in Bekaa as Syrians reposition troops, strengthen them; PLO mounts another ambush behind IDF lines in the Bekaa area (patrol hit; 8 IDF soldiers wounded, two vehicles destroyed); IDF forces in Lebanon variously estimated at 120,000.

Casualties:

WAFA reports 12 casualties today, 200 in last four days; IDF bomb hits fuel tank owned by air cargo carrier at airport; ICRC personnel visit Ansar detention camp.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Economy Minister Meridor warns Syria against introducing any new weapons into Lebanese fighting; Sharon reports to Knesset committee on Thursday operation; Shamir reportedly plans visit to US later in the week, Begin set to visit Zaire; Cabinet reportedly approves daily military pressure on Beirut; Israeli officials skeptical of Arafat statement to US Congressional delegation.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Negotiations stalled during Habib tour; PLO says statement it signed for US Congressman McCloskey represents restatement of longstanding positions.

Arab Governments: Habib meets Mubarak in Egypt, reportedly fails to get agreement to take PLO fighters; Habib flies to Rome for talks with Foreign Minister (reportedly plans to meet Hussein of Jordan in London); Egyptian foreign minister plans visit to the US; Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah meets with Assad in Damascus, as Khaddam meets Libyan envoy.

US and Other Countries: Rep. Paul McCloskey (D-CA), visiting Beirut as part of a Congressional delegation, claims Arafat signs document accepting all UN resolutions recognizing Israel's right to exist, urges US to open dialogue with PLO.

Military Action:

Phalange forces, backed by IDF, have artillery duels with Syrian-supported Lebanese leftist militia; Phalange-Druze conflicts reported (nephew of Gemayel reportedly killed); Muslim/Christian conflicts around Tripoli; 2 Israeli generals visit Jumblatt's center, demand that his forces surrender artillery and mortars; Phalange moves into Chouf and Sidon, replacing Lebanese gendarmerie; Israeli jets hold mock battles over Beirut, dropping flares over Palestinian refugee camps; PLO bolsters positions inside W. Beirut; Phalange shoot from behind IDF lines.

Casualties:

Israeli government developing plans for security of southern Lebanon not involving international help (arms and uniforms given to villagers); observers report more physical damage in Tyre than Sidon (where casualties higher); Lebanese bankers protest IDF attempt to violate bank secrecy in Sidon; IDF asks Druze/Phalange leaders to stop fighting between followers (Phalange reportedly using arms against Druze; IDF caught in cross-fire); villages of Jumblatt refuse to be disarmed (Druze Likud Knesset member asks Sharon to restrain Phalangists "who draw their strength from the Defense Minister").

UNRWA reports that 50 percent of houses in 6 Palestinian refugee camps near Sidon/Tyre are destroyed, 40 percent of refugees have fled, UNRWA convoy scheduled to leave Jerusalem for Tyre today (draws on stocks in Gaza and West Bank); two-thirds of two camps near Tyre destroyed (no clear report on third camp); Ain el-Hilweh reportedly "virtually wiped out," Rashidiyeh suffers less damage; 200,000 tons of aid from France, West Germany, Denmark waiting in Cyprus for IDF permission to ship; Canadian physician who worked in Sidon says 50 percent of 10,000 killed by IDF invasion were children under 13 (his hospital was bombed 4 times, he saw pellet bombs dropped on refugee camps, and saw Palestinian prisoners beaten with clubs and metal-tipped whips).

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin disagrees with message from Haig that PLO should be allowed token political presence in Lebanon if Lebanon agrees (says that despite his statement in the US that Israel had no intention of entering Beirut, with IDF on Beirut's periphery "it was another matter," and urges Beirut residents to "flee for your lives"); Israeli Cabinet agrees to give negotiations more time, extends "deadline"; officials indicate Saudi plans for airlift might be acceptable; Foreign Ministry condemns EEC call for involvement of PLO in negotiations; Labor Alignment resolution opposing military action in Beirut gets 47 votes (Likud resolution gets 60, reference to multinational policing of 28-mile zone conspicuously absent); cost of war put at $2.5 billion for Israel ($1 b. in direct costs, $1.5 b. in indirect costs from resultant economic slowdown; equals 10-15 percent of GNP); IDF service extension for those essential for war effort being discussed; officials claim PLO takes advantage of peace negotiations; 200 protest Israeli invasion near Prime Minister's office (including 15 reservists back from Lebanon, who say they have signatures of 200 soldiers opposed to the war); trial of 20 Palestinian youths for guerrilla actions begins in Lydda and Ramal-lah; Israeli Druze leader asks Begin to restrain Phalange attacks on Lebanese Druze.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Phalange party plans to nominate Bashir Gemayel for Lebanese President; negotiations stall as no Arab countries indicate willingness to accept all PLO fighters; Lebanese continue to flee Beirut, leaving streets deserted; Wazzan puts civilian deaths at 15,000 (IDF Colonel Kadar says deaths number only a few thousand-in excess of 440 civilian deaths cited by Begin last week); Wazzan, after meeting with Habib, rejects Israeli conditions; PLO forces in Tripoli vow to fight on regardless of any settlement in-volving PLO forces in Beirut; PLO privately reiterates willingness to leave Lebanon (form of evacuation and surrender of arms left un-resolved); PLO meets with Salam.

Arab Govemments: Saudis reported active diplomatically; Arab League representatives meet in Taif to continue discussion of common approach to IDF invasion (includes Syrian, Saudi, Lebanese, PLO, Algerian and Kuwaiti envoys).

US and Other Countries: Reagand enies giving Israel "green light" for invasion, says it resulted from PLO rocket attacks on Israel; Senator Percy says IDF invasion of W. Beirut would be "unacceptable" because of civilian casualties; State Department official warns of risk of renewed fighting if PLO and Lebanon do not come to terms soon; Haig sends message saying PLO should be allowed some political presence in Lebanon if Lebanese authorities agree; French Foreign Minister Cheysson, after meeting with Egyptian envoy Ghali, speaks of PLO as representing Palestinian people; Greek Ministry of Culture supervises huge concert in Athens to aid Palestinian children; Nigerian parliament passes resolution condemning Israel; protests held in cities in USSR; USSR accuses Israelis of using chemical weapons in Lebanon supplied by US.