Lebanon Pledges To Protect Border

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32308, 28 May 1970, Page 15

Lebanon Pledges To Protect Border

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BEIRUT, May 27. Lebanon has pledged protection to the inhabitants of her southern border with Israel —just as Israeli troops renew patrols along both sides of the frontier.

Tel Aviv’s new policy is aimed at protecting it own villages from Arab guerrilla attacks—and stemming the flight of Lebanese refugees from the area.

Tens of thousands of Lebanese are said to have fled their homes after the reported Israeli shelling of four villages last week. A top Israeli

general said yesterday that the police measures would encourage them to return home. The refugee problem is creating a big headache for the Lebanese Prime Minister (Mr Rashik Karami), who is under mounting pressure to take swift action to help these latest victims of the war. A Moslem leader, Liman Musa Al-Sadr, threatened mass demonstrations, occupation of buildings and cutting

of roads if the Government failed to aid the refugees quickly. Shortly afterwards, Mr Karami told Parliament in Beirut that the Government was ready to allocate the necessary funds “to ensure proper protection and a proper life for the people of southern Lebanon.”

On suggestions by deputies that Arab forces should be deployed to protect the strategic buffer zone, the Prime Minister said that this would have to be first agreed by Parliament. Israeli forces crossed the border in two small police operations yesterday, but no clashes were reported. Palestinian guerrillas were praised t>y the Chinese Prime Minister (Mr Chou En-lai), yesterday, who said their fight against Israel was a “powerful support” to the IndoChinese struggle against the United States, the New China News Agency said in Hong Kong. United Press International quoted Parliamentary sources as saying that Mr Karami was considering asking for troops from Tunisia and Morocco to take positions along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.

The sources said that Mr Karami made the statement at a meeting of the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies yesterday. The Prime Minister said that the Cabinet would decide the question today and it would be referred to the chamber for approval on Thursday, according to the sources.