Israel Pressing U.S. on Situation of Syrian Troops in South Lebanon

Israel is continuing to press the United States to obtain a reply from Damascus to its demand that Syrian forces be pulled out of southern Lebanon. The demand was conveyed through Washington some time ago and tension is now increasing, not over the military situation which remains static but because of the lack of results from Israel’s contacts with the U.S.

Defense Minister Shimon Peres said yesterday that the situation in southern Lebanon does not concern only the Syrians and Lebanese but also Israel’s relations with the new American Administration. He said he would not like to see those relations get off on the wrong foot.

Israeli circles view the presence of Syrian forces in Nabtiyeh. less than 10 miles from Israel’s border, not as an immediate military threat but as a threat to Israel’s credibility. Israel has stated repeatedly that it would not tolerate the presence of a foreign Arab army in proximity to its border with Lebanon. Some sources indicated that Israel may revert to military action if the U.S. does not succeed in persuading the Syrians to pull back.

But Premier Yitzhak Rabin said at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting that Israel was still “in the process of settling the issue by diplomatic means.” The Cabinet was convened in closed session as a ministerial security committee to hear briefings on the situation in southern Lebanon and its diplomatic and military ramifications from Foreign Minister Yigal Allon. Peres and the chief of military intelligence. A Cabinet communique issued later said no new decisions were taken.

Chief of Staff Gen. Mordechai Gur. addressing 300 members of the Keren Hayesod mission here last night. said he hoped the interested parties would be able to solve the crisis over Nabatiyeh in a political way but that in any event. Israel’s army could protect the country’s security. He said decisions have been made and more were in the making but would not elaborate.

Some observers expect the Syrians to withdraw from Nabatiyeh next week as a gesture of good will to coincide with U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance’s arrival in the Middle East. That expectation was based on reports from Christian sources in Beirut that Lebanese troops would soon replace the Syrians in Nabatiyeh.

Israel has stated that it has no objections to a Lebanese army presence in southern Lebanon which would be a normal internal matter. Some sources believe the problem could be solved if Israel made a more precise definition of the “red line,” the point beyond which Israel will not permit an Arab force. Such a definition could avoid future misunderstandings, the sources said.