Beirut last night had its quietest night in many months, following the departure of the last PLO terrorists, and Syrian soldiers from the Lebanese capital. But some, shooting was reported this morning, when a small leftwing dissident group opened fire at the National Museum crossing point between east and west Beirut.
The passages between the two sectors of the city were officially declared open by the Lebanese government today, and work was started to remove or dismantle roadblocks which have divided the city for nearly a decade.
Israeli newspapers said today that some 4,000 PLO men are believed to have remained in the city. Some had taken out Lebanese identity papers, while others had been replaced on evacuation lists by women and children who boarded evacuation ships dressed as PLO fighters.
The Lebanese army today began implementing government orders barring civilians from carrying firearms or disobeying army and police orders.
Observers said that many Lebanese, for whom carrying arms or disobeying policemen has become second nature, appeared bewildered when stopped by soldiers who took away their weapons or who even chased drivers through the streets for disobeying the instructions of traffic policemen.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
