Three top leaders of the Labor Party, all former Chiefs of Staff, warned the government over the weekend not to precipitate military action against Palestinian forces in Lebanon. The appeals for restraint, by former Premier Yitzhak Rabin, Labor Party Secretary General Haim Barlev and Gen. Mordechai Gur, Were made against a background of mounting tension in northern Israel and widespread news reports abroad that Israel was massing troops along the Lebanese border for a strike against Palestinian bases in south Lebanon.
The Cabinet met for more than six hours today as a ministerial defense committee, the deliberations of which were classifed. No statements were issued and Cabinet Secretory Dan Meridor refused to answer reporters’ questions. It is believed the topics discussed were the situation in Lebanon, reported new disputes with Egypt and the fatal shooting on the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem today.
Informed sources said U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis would be calling on Premier Menachem Begin later today. Rabin, in an interview published in Davar this morning, urged the government to make “supreme efforts” to preserve the cease-fire along the Lebanese border. He was referring to the cessation of hastilities negotiated by U.S. special envoy Philip Habiblast summer between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Barlev told on Israel Radio reporter over the weekend that he did not think the situation called for “an Israeli military action that could involve us in a war with Lebanon.” Gur said on the same rodio appearance that such actions could develop into a war with Syria.
The statements by the Laborites drew a sharp response from the Prime Ministers Office were officials accused the opposition leaders of a “lack of national responsibility.” Last week Begin summoned Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres, Rabin and Barlev to a meeting at his office where they discussed matters that have not been disclosed. It was widely believed these matters included the situation in Lebanon and the possibility of forming a national unity government. Peres insisted later that a national coalition had not been mentioned.
U.S. URGES RESTRAINT
The possibility that an Israeli attack on PLO bases in Lebanon is imminent touched off a flurry of activity in the U.S. and Lebanon over the weekend. In Washington, senior Administration officials said Friday that they had reports of new Israeli military movements near the Lebanese border and expressed grave concem about a possible Israeli assaulton Lebanon. State Department deputy spokesman Alan Romberg said, “Once again we renew our appeal to all of those involved or with influence on those involved to show the utmost restraint.” He added that “This is a time for maximum caution.”
In Beirut yesterday, Lebanese President Elias Sarkis reportedly met separately with the U.S. and Soviet Ambassadors, Robert Dillon and Aleksandr Soldatov, to appeal for their intervention to overt an Israeli attack.
Israel has been charging in recent weeks that PLO forces were using the cease-fire to build up their military strength. In addition, Israel accuses the PLO of numerous cease-fire violations and holds the PLO responsible for the murder of on Israeli diplomat, Yoacov Bar-Simantov, in Paris one week ago. The possibility of an Israeli move against the PLO was increased by the reported capture of two El Fatah terrorists attempting to infiltrate Israel from Jordan Friday. (See separate story.)
Meanwhile, three Labor MKs, Yossi Sarid, Yair Tsaban and Victor Shemtov, of Mapam wamed the government in separate statements that “There is no national consensus regarding possible developments in the North.” Sarid maintained that “Israel-initioted actions would not enjoy wide public support.” Sarid and Shemtov are members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
Israeli newspapers today gave prominent display to photographs of civilians readying bomb shelters in northem Israel and headlined U.S. calls for restraint. The general uneasiness was not reduced by fact that the Cabinet met today, something it rarely does during the Passover week.
There was speculation in some circles that Habib might be dispatched to the region again to try to calm the situation. Meanwhile, Israel is awaiting the arrival here of Nicholas Veliotes, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian Affairs, who is expected tomorrow from Cairo. He is scheduled to meet with Begin and with Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon. Veliotes’ talks are expected to deal with Israel’s border dispute with Egypt over the Taba salient in Sinai. Observers believe he will also discuss the Lebanon situation.
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.
