Saturday, October 2, 1982

Military Action:

IDF keeps units at Baabda, ignoring US/Lebanese pressure to withdraw from greater Beirut area; Phalangists with automatic rifles maintain East Beirut checkpoints despite government call to disarm all militias; IDF APCs patrol Beirut-Damascus Highway (at Sofar, civilian traffic to Syria checked by Phalange and Lebanese Army, traffic from Syria checked by IDF); IDF issues winter uniforms, ships temporary housing units (from dismantled Yamit settlement) to front lines, roads linking units paved; sniper fire/rocket firings mar Israeli/Syrian cease-fire; US military survey team arrives at Jounieh for talks with Lebanese military (US explosives demolition team has been in Lebanon for about 6 weeks training Lebanese Army).

Casualties:

1 killed by landmine in central Beirut; police deactivate car bomb in West Beirut; Palestinian camps in South Lebanon still have no electricity, running water, rebuilding prohibited, diarrhea is epidemic; lCRC describes conditions at al-Ansar detention camp as "catastrophic," no charges brought against detainees; despite weekly releases, prison population remains stable because of new detainees; envoys of three peacekeeping forces express concern to Gemayel over arbitrary arrests of Palestinians.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Shamir says he expects simultaneous withdrawal of all forces from Lebanon by end of year under timetable to be negotiated with the US.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Gemayel to meet Reagan October 19; suspect in Bashir Gemayel death identified as Habib Shartouni of Lebanese leftist Syrian Social National Party (Phalange charges he was close to Syrian and Palestinian intelligence services); Gemayel meets with Wazzan, General Khoury, General Ahmed to discuss reactivating judicial mechanisms.

Arab Governments: Syrian officials tell Habib Syria will withdraw from Lebanon only at Lebanon's request and if Israel also withdraws from all Lebanese territory, and that only PLO can decide on withdrawal of PLO from Lebanon.

US and Other Countries: US says it will cut US funds to and participation in any international body barring Israeli delegates.