P.L.O. chiefs pin hopes on U.S. to restrain Israel

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 8

P.L.O. chiefs pin hopes on U.S. to restrain Israel

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Palestinian guerrilla leaders looked hopefully to the United States yesterday for determined pressure to hold back an Israeli assault on the heavily populated heart of Beirut.'

A new set of Palestinian proposals, conveyed to Israel by the American special envoy. Philip Habib, appeared to entail arrangements stretching over a long time. The goals being discussed on the scene in Lebanon by Mr Habib were:

• An end to the armed Palestinian presence in and around Beirut.

• Redeployment of the Lebanese Army in and around Beirut. • Withdrawal of Israeli forces from the the area around the capital.

• Redeployment of all

foreign forces. meaning Syrian, from the Beirut area. 'At the same time, the White House has called for an end to “the presence of foreign armed elements in Lebanon.”

But Israel has given a warning that its tank columns might soon strike at the guerrillas unless they put down their arms and move out swiftly.

Accounts of the Palestinian proposals have varied. Western diplomats and government sources said that the Palestine Liberation Organisation had agreed in principle to quit Lebanon. The sources said that the evacuation by sea was first mooted,, after which the Palestinians . opted for an overland withdrawal to Syria. Both methods would take time to organise. An official p.L.O. statement did not mention, with-

drawal. It said the new proposals related to “regularisation" of the Palestinian presence.

The statement by Abu Iyad, a close aid of the P.L.O. leader. Yasser Arafat, said that the Palestinians wanted Israeli forces to withdraw 5 or 10 km. After that, the Palestinians would begin talks with the Lebanese leaders on their new role in Lebanon, said Abu Iyad. Asked about the time limits imposed by Israel, one Palestinian official said: “American pressure is now building up strongly against Israel. ■ “If the Israelis did attack, we could hold out at least six days after which American and other international pressure on Israel would become irresistible."

Western military experts have disagreed w’ith this esti-

mate of Palestinian capability. They doubt that the Palestinians could hold out more than 24 hours against Israel's armoured might. Diplomatic sources said that “regularisation” of Palestinian presence could well entail withdrawal. It was not clear how many of the guerrillas, apart from the leadership, would be required to leave. Palestinian sources said that one suggestion was that the P.L.O. military presence in Lebanon should be reduced to a token armed unit under Lebanese control. A White House press spokesman. Larry Speakes. said: “Armed enclaves which are incompatible with stability and reconciliation must disappear. This applies to Palestinians, as well as others."

When Israeli forces invaded Lebanon three weeks

ago. the United Slates linked a call for their withdrawal with a demand that Palestinians must stop using Lebanon as a base for attacking Israel. Israel has expressed hope that Palestinian guerrillas will agree to leave the city without further bloodshed. Israel's Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) has conferred with the Foreign Minister (Mr Yitzhak Shamir) and the Defence Minister (Mr Ariel Sharon) on the latest developments. It was suggested In one report that the guerrillas had agreed to lay down their arms and leave aboard five Egyptian vessels which were said to have left Alexandria yesterady. However, the chairman of Alexandria Port (Mr Galal Fahmi Abdel-Wahab) has denied reports that five ships had left for Beirut.