IDF bus attacked by rocket-propelled grenade, sprayed bus with gunfire in Aley area; dispute between US and Israel over presence of 2 IDF tanks south of the airport (IDF...
IDF attacks West Beirut by land, sea, air as IDF armored units advance on Palestinian areas on southern edge of city (negotiations broght to standstill; PLO puts up fierce...
IDF armored units fight fierce artillery, rocket duels with PLO forces inside Beirut as PLO, for first time, fires back on wide range of IDF gun positions in East Beirut;...
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Military Action:
IDF bus attacked by rocket-propelled grenade, sprayed bus with gunfire in Aley area; dispute between US and Israel over presence of 2 IDF tanks south of the airport (IDF supposed to stay in Khalde, US calls it violation of latest agreement); French troops extend patrols into Ashrafiya as Lebanese Army sets up new checkpoints; fighting between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in Tripoli.
Casualties:
6 IDF soldiers wounded in Aley ambush; 5 killed, 15 wounded in Tripoli factional fighting; UNRWA begins clearing debris from South Lebanon camps to prepare for winter; (UNRWA plans tents for 60,000 homeless, Israel estimates only 30,000); Western diplomatic sources in Beirut accuse IDF of looting during occupation.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Peres calls for opening negotiations based on Reagan plan; Shamir tells UN Secretary General of Israeli opposition to continued UNIFIL deployment; Deputy Foreign Minister Yehuda BenMeir says al-Ansar prisoners will be part of withdrawal agreement; Begin asks 4,000 fundamentalist Christians meeting in Jerusalem to help Israel retain control of the occupied territories; senior Israeli official confirms Israel makes its own cluster bombs.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Deputy to Phalange leader Elias Hobeika, on TV, says Phalange will always kill Palestinians; PLO declines comment on PLO withdrawal from Lebanon; Lebanese internal security police head Gen. Ahmed el-Hajj suggested as possible Prime Minister; Gemayel reintroduces capital punishment for convicted murderers, kidnappers; Arafat appoints Col. Mohammed Affani (Abu Mutasem) as chief-of-staff to replace Abu Walid.
Arab Governments: Habib meets Assad for 3 hours, leaves for US via Rome; Mubarak asserts Israel is "beating drums of war."
US and Other Countries: US officials indicate Marines could stay in Lebanon 4-6 months.
Military Action:
IDF attacks West Beirut by land, sea, air as IDF armored units advance on Palestinian areas on southern edge of city (negotiations broght to standstill; PLO puts up fierce resistance; all of West Beirut under rocket, artillery attack; offices of Wazzan, Lebanese Ministry of Information, Al-Nahar news-paper, UPI hit; Bristol, Commodore hotels hit; IDF takes up new positions in Lebanese army barracks, close to Bir Hassan-Kuwait Embassy junction; IDF tries to enter Sabra Shatila camps; IDF advances only 300-500 yards near Museum crossing); PLO fires on IDF forces backed up in East Beirut, shelling Ashrafiya, Yarze and Baabda areas.
Casualties:
Casualties estimated in hundreds, 80 percent civilian (American University Hospital alone receives 55 dead, 200 wounded; Beirut radio reports 300 killed, 670 wounded); fires rage throughout town; IDF maintains tight blockade; streets of East Beirut deserted; Islamic Asylum hit for third time; rescue capabilities deteriorate as fuel in short supply; only 80 firemen remain working (many casualties left to die in rubble); 19 IDF soldiers killed; 50 killed in East Beirut.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin tells 190 United Jewish Appeal contributors war will end soon because PLO cannot hold out., angrily attacks reported Percy statement asking Reagan to "bring Israel to its knees."
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Sarkis accuses Habib of stalling to allow IDF time to finish off PLO; volunteers in thousands flock to fight with PLO (most in eastern Lebanon).
Arab Govemments: Egyptian Ambassador to Israel called home "for consultations"; Egypt may not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel if IDF makes full-scale attack on Beirut.
Political Responses:
US and Other Countries: Reagan cables strong protest to Begin, saying attacks undermine Habib efforts (White House issues statement emphasizing necessity of re-establishing cease-fire); US discusses possible sanctions against Israel for first time in crisis management group and at session of National Security Council; France protests to IDF regarding attacks on embassy.
UN: Security Council draft resolution proposed by Spain, Jordan revised after US objections but still expected to be vetoed; Egypt, at UN, warns that Israeli actions threaten Camp David Accords.
Military Action:
IDF armored units fight fierce artillery, rocket duels with PLO forces inside Beirut as PLO, for first time, fires back on wide range of IDF gun positions in East Beirut; fighting appeared to intensify following Israeli announcement of little headway in negotiations and consideration of an Israeli military option; IDF rockets landing at rate of 30 per minute, as Burj al-Barajneh, Sabra, Shatila Lailake and the coastal road near the airport are all hit; PLO forces fire on E. Beirut areas of Hadeth, Ashrafiya, Furn al-Shubbak, Dbaye and near Baabda; 51 shells reportedly land in presidential compound; direct hit on IDF motor pool below palace reported, setting fire to 4-5 trucks and armored vehicles and causing unspecified casualties; PLO shells also hit government hospital in Baabda, near Hotel Alexandre and near IDF press center as well as Aramoun hills area; 2 IDF tanks destroyed trying to advance on airport; French Ambassador's residence set on fire during shelling, as well as Raouche seafront; shelling tapers off after 12 hours following cease-fire announcement on Beirut radio; IDF camps set up at Zahrani, and near Tyre; Damour, Khalde, and in the Chouf and Arkoub areas.
Casualties:
Beirut radio reports "large numbers" of casualties on both sides; few ambulances venture into areas being shelled; 3 IDF soldiers killed and 28 wounded in fighting around Beirut; fires burn for hours in shelled areas of W. Beirut; Phalangist radio reports 20 killed, 80 wounded in city; shell hits Barbir Hospital killing 5 patients, wounding 11; blood supplies reported to drop below a safe level; street shootings by feuding militias continue in Beirut; 82 persons reported killed, 211 wounded in artillery battle, according to Beirut radio; hundreds of buildings reported wrecked or burned in Beirut; civilian death toll during invasion now put between 15- 20,000 by various sources, 85-90 percent estimated to be civilians by relief agency directors, who believe IDF count only Lebanese as civilians and regard all Palestinians as combatants; an estimated 6,000 Palestinian refugees have returned to Rashidiyeh and 5,000 to Ain el-Hilweh; according to the Red Cross, lack of public sanitation still a major problem, bodies still being recovered under the rubble; Sidon's mayor estimates housing needed for 40-60,000 residents (20,000 of these Palestinians), is unable to estimate re-building costs; Archbishop Haddad of Tyre says 26,000 Palestinians displaced by IDF invasion, estimates structural damage to buildings at $60 m.; local teachers, public officials in Nabatiyeh appeal to Begin to release young Nabatiyans held by IDF; IDF agrees to increase size of assistance unit in Nabatiyeh to cope with huge influx of refugees from north.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet says little progress made, as Begin studies military options; news poll of 1,164 Israelis finds only 29 percent favor "breaking" into Beirut, 68 percent opposed; Shamir tells US AID official McPherson that Israel will allow ICRC visits to Palestinian detainees next week; McPherson completes a tour of southern Lebanon to assess best way to expend $65 m. allocated for Lebanese relief; military ser-vice for conscripts extended 3 months; Deputy Chief of Staff Levy says IDF will "realistically" be deployed along their current lines through the winter; new agreement with Haddad to extend Haddad's military control from south of the Litani River to just north of Sidon.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Fighting brings negotiations to a halt; PLO insists on US or UN recognition of PLO's centrality in the Mideast as price for withdrawal, calls on US to speak directly to the PLO; Bashir Gemayel says Phalangists will not get involved in latest fighting; Wazzan accuses Israel of trying to sabotage negotiations, hints talks may be called off unless US gets Israel to halt Beirut bombardment; Wazzan reportedly unable to deliver PLO 11-point plan.
Arab Governments: Syria broadcasts appeal for PLO to stand and fight in Beirut; Egyptian Foreign Minister Ali says Sharon's idea of a Palestinian state set up in Jordan violates Camp David.
US and Other Countries: Proposal to send US troops to Lebanon draws skeptical reactions from Congressional leaders; Weinberger says US studying whether IDF improperly used US weapons during its invasion of Lebanon; Sen. Percy says Israel broke faith with the US by invading Lebanon and US support for Israel waning.