Israel accused in Lebanon

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 8

Israel accused in Lebanon

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Palestinian commandos and Lebanese Leftists have accused Israel of actively supporting a Right-wing attack on a village in southern Lebanon.

The capture of the village of Hannine, five kilometres from the Israeli border on Sunday was the first big clash in Lebanon since the Syrian guns fell silent on Saturday. President Assad of Syria ordered the cease-fire when he flew to Riyadh at the week-end for a summit of Arab leaders on the Lebanese crisis.

A Reuter correspondent, Nazih Mustafa, visited the area and reported seeing four armed personnel carriers with Christian crosses on the side and Hebrew markings painted on their guns. No explanation of the Hebrew markings was available. The village fell to Rightist troops after tank guns had softened up Leftist positions with intense shellfire overnight.

Israel has not concealed its desire to see strong Rightist

Lebanese forces entrenched in areas once used by Palestinian commandoes to launch guerrilla attacks on Israel. The Palestinian news agency, W.A.F.A., accused Israeli troops of taking part in the attack on Hannine, and Leftist-controlled Beirut Radio said the attacking Rightist forces had been bolstered by men shipped from the Christian-held areas of north Lebanon to Israel, then infiltrated across the border.

There was no independent confirmation of either charge, and in Tel Aviv an Israeli military spokesman declined tj comment on allegations of Israeli involvement.

Spasmodic shooting and shelling could still be heard in Beirut, and radio stations from both sides reported skirmishes on the eastern outskirts of Aley, a Leftist stronghold in the mountains 12 kilometres east of the capital.

A major Syrian drive against Palestinian and Leftist positions was halted by Saturday’s ceasefire just outside Aley.