Israel forces carried out their largest withdrawal to date from south Lebanon today. About 30 positions were turned over to units of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) which has been augmented by a Senegalese contingent and is now approximately at its mandated strength of 4000 men.
The Israeli army continues to occupy a 10 kilometer-deep security belt along the Lebanese border that encompasses the three Lebanese Christian enclaves. But neither Israelis, Christians nor Moslems have much confidence in UNIFIL’s ability to prevent the re-infiltration of south Lebanon by the Palestinian terrorists.
The Christians are strengthening their militia, commanded by Maj. Sa’ad Haddad, in the expectation that they will have to defend their villages against terrorists once again. The Moslems are pleased by the Israeli pull-back but they too fear a terrorist return and believe their security lies in the restoration of the authority of the Lebanese army in the region. But such an army still does not exist.
Israeli soldiers are happy to leave Lebanon but express doubt that the UN forces can keep the area free of terrorists. One soldier who will soon be discharged said “those boys who will be drafted soon will have to do our job all over again before they are discharged.” The term of service for Israeli recruits is three years.
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