The Arab terrorist organizations may be using the present chaos in Lebanon to seize control of villages near the Israeli border, it is believed here. The reason for this view is that observers from vantage points in Israel have seen clashes between the terrorists and the Lebanese villagers.
The Lebanese army has thinned out its forces in southern Lebanon because they are needed in the larger population centers. The terrorists are using this situation to increase their pressure on the villages and fighting has occurred There have been some fatalities since black funeral flags were spotted on top of houses in the villages.
Lebanese army personnel were seen training civil guard units in the various villages which the army cannot protect. One speculation is that the terrorists want to seize the villages in time for their Fatah Day activities planned for Jan. 1. Meanwhile, an Israeli patrol was fired on from Lebanese territory in the Yiftah region. The fire was returned. There were no casualties.
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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.
