A tense situation has developed in south Lebanon between members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Shiite militias, complicating Israel’s efforts to improve relations with the Shiites.
There has been a series of confrontations between UN troops and Shiite militiamen in the region south of the Awali River. The latest occurred yesterday when Shiites blocked a road to halt a UNIFIL supply convoy manned by Ghanaian soldiers. In the ensuing clash, one militiaman was wounded and three were captured.
Timor Goksell, a spokesman for UNIFIL, has called on Israel to restrain local elements operating in territory occupied and controlled by the Israel Defense Force. Israel has had its own trouble with the Shiites.
Initially they welcomed the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June, 1982 because the IDF drove the Palestine Liberation Organization out of south Lebanon. Later, however, strong measures taken against terrorists in the Shiite populated areas led to clashes between Shiites and the IDF.
Israel is now trying to repair its relations with the 400,000 Shiites who comprise the majority of the population in south Lebanon and with the Druze. Those groups had been alienated by Israel’s all-out support for the Christian Pha linguists who support President Amin Gemayel. Now, with Gemayel’s position deteriorating rapidly, the Israelis realize they erred in putting too much confidence in the Pha linguists.
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