Israeli Army Units Continue to Patrol South Lebanon Areas

Israeli army units continued to patrol areas of south Lebanon they occupied yesterday and have apparently been strengthened. A spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said today that the Israelis have brought in a number of tanks and armored troop carriers.

They have dag in with trenches, barbed wine and set up tents in at least three areas, possibly more, according to the UNIFIL source. The Israelis are occupying the region controlled by UNIFIL’s Irish contingent through which five terrorists infiltrated Monday to attack Kibbutz Misgav Am in upper Galilee. Reports from south Lebanon today said terrorists were fleeing the area in anticipation of a large-scale Israeli action. Several shots were fired at Israeli positions during the night but there were no casualties.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry has rebuked Gen. Avigdor Ben-Gal, commander of the northern front, for his statement published in a Haaretz interview yesterday that Israel has not taken the offensive against the terrorists for political reasons. His criticism implied that this may have been responsible for the Misgav Am outrage. According to Ben-Gal, Israeli forces have not moved against the terrorists for the post six months despite the advantages gained by maintaining constant pressure on the terrorists and their bases.

A Defense Ministry spokesman said the general was advised to limit his comments to his areas of responsibility. But only yesterday Herut MK Moshe Arens, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, called for an offensive policy to keep the terrorists off balance.