The Security Council adopted unanimously a resolution this afternoon demanding an immediate cease-fire and the end of all military activities around Beirut and throughout Lebanon. The resolution also authorized the Secretary General to immediately deploy, at the request of the Lebanese government, UN observers to monitor the situation.
The resolution, introduced by Lebanon which had called for the Council meeting following Israel’s bombardment earlier in the day of Palestinian positions, did not attach blame for the latest flareup in the fighting. It said only that it was “taking note of the latest massive violations of the cease-fire in and around Beirut.”
Ambassador Yehuda Blum of Israel said after the vote that Israeli troops did not intend to move into west Beirut. He said the Palestinians could expect Israel to return their fire if they violated the new cease-fire. In Washington, the State Department said the fighting endangered the efforts of U.S. special envoy Philip Habib to negotiate the withdrawal of the PLO forces from Beirut.
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