The Cabinet today authorized Premier Yitzhak Shamir and Defense Minister Mashe Arens to decide at a future date whether to accede to the Lebanese government’s demand to close down the joint Israeli-Lebanese Liaison Commission, the quasi-diplomatic mission Israel has maintained for the past two years at Dbaiye, 10 miles north of Beirut.
Know ledgeable observers predicted there would be no immediate decision. In the longer term, however, Israel is expected to close its mission, given Lebanon’s dogged insistence. But Shamir and Arens are not expected to announce a decision for a week or more.
Government sources said over the weekend that “contacts” were proceeding with “various Lebanese parties” since the Beirut Cabinet decided last week that the mission should be closed. Lebanese officers attached to the mission, which is in effect a “mixed military commission,” reportedly have moved out on orders from Defense Minister Adel Osseiran. The latter reportedly acted on instructions from Prime Minister Rashid Karami.
According to the sources here, Israel has the option of standing pat. The Israel-backed “Lebanese Forces,” the Christion Phalangists, reportedly have offered to guard the mission in place of the army regulars who have been withdrawn.
The mission, meanwhile, has ceased issuing passes to Lebanese who want to visit Israel-occupied south Lebanon. Government sources here admit this is a form of pressure on the Beirut authorities to reverse their decision to shut down the Liaison Commission.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
