Rightist split shows in Lebanon shoot-out

Press, 29 July 1976, Page 8

Rightist split shows in Lebanon shoot-out

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Militiamen of two major Right-wing groups have fought a gun-battle in the Lebanese port of Jounie, and sources in the Phalangist Party said that 10 persons had been killed. The fighting was reported to have grown from a quarrel after a traffic accident. But it also seemed to reflect increasing tension within the Lebanese Right. The militiamen involved lwere those of the lists and the National Liberal [Party. The National Liberal [Party leader (Mr Camil’t Chamoun) has taken a consistently tougher line against [cease-fire propo""’ c than the leading Phalangist, Mr Pierre Gemavel.

Last week-end, National Liberal Party gunmen shot and wounded several Arab League peace-keeping troops who had tried to extend a buffer zone between Rightwing Christian and Leftwing Moslem areas in Beirut. Mr Chamoun was later quoted as saying that he had ordered the shooting to stop the advance of the peacekeeping troops because he had not signed the cease-fire agreement. Phalangist radio reported that at least three Phalangists were among the dead in the shooting in Jounie, north of Beirut. Inhabitants of Tel Al-Zaa-tar Palestinian refugee camp have recovered 150 bodies from an underground shelter on which a building had col lapsed last Saturday, according to a Palestinian spokesman. He said no survivors'

were expected among the 100 to 150 bodies thought to be still buried in the rubble. A Palestinian spokesman said that Rightists appeared to be preparing a major assault on Tel Al-Zaatar camp, and had also begun an attack on Leftist and Palestinian positions in the mountains east of Beirut. A Palestinian delegation has returned from Damascus after five days of talks with Syrian leaders resulting in a draft agreement brought for consideration by Leftist and Palestinian leaders. Meetings of the Palestinian leadership and betwe< i Palestinians and their Lebanese Leftist allies have discussed the draft agree - ‘ But both the 1 ist-Palestin-ian alliance and the Lebanese Right were understood to have reservations about it.