Officials here have been hard pressed by several foreign ambassadors — as have Israeli ambassadors in a number of European countries — over the recent violent clashes in south Lebanon between Maj. Saad Hoddad’s Christian militia and units of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The Irish ambassador to Israel, a non resident stationed in Athens, was hurriedly ordered to Jerusalem last week and is still here, making anxious representations to the Foreign Ministry Norway, which also has a unit in UNIFIL, has been among the most forceful of the countries expressing concern over the south Lebanon situation. Norway’s protest was focussed on the alleged shelling by Haddad’s artillery of a field hospital manned by Norwegian personnel.
Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir told the Irish envoy, Sean Ronan, yesterday that Israel was doing its utmost to restore quiet in the areas held by Haddad which are just across the border from Israel. The same message has been conveyed to the other countries that have expressed their anxiety.
REPORT DISENCHANTMENT WITH HADDAD
Some well placed sources in Jerusalem indicated today that Israel had become somewhat disenchanted with Haddad in view of his recent behavior towards UNIFIL. Despite Israel’s many complaints that UNIFIL is soft in dealing with the Palestine Liberation Organization in keeping PLO terrorists out of the area under its control, there is apparently a feeling in some government quarters here that Haddad’s repeated violent clashes with various UNIFIL units is causing Israel grave harm abroad.
These sources said that the army’s entry into south Lebanon last week should be seen, among other things, as a signal to Haddad that Jerusalem no longer has full confidence in his running of the enclaves under his command.
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