CONFIDENTIAL
SECTIONS 1 AND 2 OF 2 — BEIRUT 04829
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3885/3886
CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
[INFO: AMMAN, ANKARA, ATHENS, CAIRO, DAMASCUS, LONDON, PARIS, ROME, TEL AVIV, USCINCEUR]
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 4829
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PINS, LE, PLO
SUBJECT: BEIRUT SITREP - 1200Z
REFS: A) BEIRUT 4749; B) BEIRUT 4794
SUMMARY: CONDITIONS ON GROUND IN BEIRUT REMAINS UNSETTLED WITH INTERMITTENT FIRING AND EXPLOSIONS OCCURRING IN VARIOUS PARTS OF CITY AS POLITICAL EFFORTS TO DEFUSE EXPLOSIVE SITUATION THUS FAR HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE TANGIBLE RESULTS. AMCITS CONTINUE TO BE SAFE ALTHOUGH CAR BELONGING TO EMBASSY EMPLOYEE BOMBED LAST NIGHT AND FOREIGNERS, AS WELL AS LEBANESE, UNABLE MOVE FREELY IN CITY. TOURISTS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED FROM VISITING LEBANON AT THIS TIME. PALESTINIANS, MAIN ELEMENTS OF WHICH HAVE NOT YET THROWN FULL WEIGHT INTO BALANCE, AND LEFTIST PARTIES CONTINUE CALL FOR PUNISHMENT OF PHALANGE. STRIFE OVER LAST 24 HOURS HAS SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF COUNTRY AND SHOWN FIRST SIGNS OF ASSUMING CONFESSIONAL COLORATION. END SUMMARY.
1. COUNTRY PASSED NIGHT DESCRIBED BY BEIRUT POLICE OFFICIAL AS "BAD" AND AWOKE TO CONTINUED EXPLOSIONS AND CLASHES IN VARIOUS LOCALITIES. AS CASUALTY REPORTS CONTINUE TO RISE (WE WOULD PLACE NUMBER KILLED TO DATE AS 80 TO 90) AND HEALTH MINISTRY ISSUED APPEALS FOR BLOOD DONORS AND FOR DOCTORS AND NURSES TO REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THEIR HOSPITALS, MAJOR PORTION OF POPULATION IN CAPITAL AT LEAST REMAINS HUNKERED DOWN IN THEIR HOMES.
2. DEKWANEH, TEL ZAATAR AND AIN RAMANNEH REMAINED PRIMARY BEIRUT CENTERS OF INCIDENTS (SNIPING, BOMBINGS AND SHELLING) DURING EVENING AND MORNING BUT SINN AL FIL REPORTEDLY SUSTAINED CONSIDERABLE MATERIAL DAMAGE. PALESTINIANS ARE SAID TO HAVE OCCUPIED QUARANTINA HOSPITAL DURING AFTERNOON APRIL 14 AND WERE REPORTEDLY ROCKETING PHALANGIST TARGETS IN ASHRAFIYE. THUS FAR SINCE DAWN, THREE LARGE EXPLOSIONS (POSSIBLY ROCKETS) HAVE OCCURRED IN QUARANTINE DISTRICT NEAR PORT, THE FIRST KILLING ONE CIVILIAN AND INJURING THREE. UPI FURTHER REPORTS EIGHT DEAD AND 30 WOUNDED THIS MORNING IN DEKWANEH AND FURN AS SHUBAK. AT ABOUT NOON APRIL 15, ARMY TECHNICIAN REMOVED 4 KILO PACKAGE OF PLASTIQUE WITH TIMER FROM NAPOLEON HOTEL (BLOCK OFF HAMRA).
3. AT LATEST REPORT SECURITY FORCES (POLICE AND GENDARMERIE WITH ARMORED VEHICLES) HAVE MOVED IN STRENGTH IN TROUBLED AREAS BUT THEIR MISSION IS NOT RPT NOT YET CLEAR. ONE REASONABLY RELIABLE REPORT STATED THAT SQUAD 16 MOVED AGAINST PHALANGE OFFICES IN RUE GEORGE PICOT EARLY THIS MORNING. PM SOLH HAS AGAIN REPEATED INTENTION TO APPLY THE LAW AND PUNISH THE CULPABLE BUT REJECTED PROCLAMATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY AND SAID PSP LEADER KAMAL JUMBLATT, WHO GRACEFULLY CONTINUES TO PLAY KEY ROLE AMONG BOTH GOL LEADERSHIP AND THOSE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF GOL, OPPOSED CALLING OUT ARMY. AS OF EARLY AFTERNOON, MILITARY SOURCES INFORM US THEY ARE PREPARING FOR POSSIBILITY ARMY MIGHT BE CALLED OUT AT APPROX. 1900Z TONIGHT.
4. ALL AMCITS REMAIN SAFE AT MOMENT. CLASHES, HOWEVER, BEGINNING TO AFFECT FOREIGN COMMUNITY. VEHICLE BELONGING TO MEMBER OF EMBASSY STAFF (DEA) WAS DESTROYED AT APPROX. 0200Z WHILE PARKED NEAR HIS RESIDENCE IN RAOUCHE. EXPLOSIVE WAS APPARENTLY SINGLE STICK OF DYNAMITE TOSSED UNDER CAR WHICH BORE WHITE DIPLOMATIC PLATES. FRENCH AMB. WAS AWAKENED LAST EVENING WHEN STRAY BULLET ENTERED HIS BEDROOM; ITALIAN AMB. HAS MOVED INTO TOWN FROM RESIDENCE IN AFFECTED AREA OF CITY. AUB OPEN AND QUIET BUT ATTENDANCE WELL BELOW NORMAL.
5. AIRPORT STILL OPERATING AND ACCESS ROAD OPEN. EMBOFF WHO RETURNED FROM AIRPORT THIS MORNING REPORTS SIGHTING SEVERAL ARMED AND UNIFORMED FEDAYEEN IN AIRPORT CIRCLE BUT THEY MADE NO RPT NO EFFORT TO DISRUPT TRAFFIC. PAN AMERICAN, HOWEVER, REPORTS THAT IT WILL RUN OUT OF JET FUEL AS OF 1100Z TODAY WHICH WILL PROBABLY RESULT IN CANCELLATION OR DIVERSION OF SOME FLIGHTS. REFINERY IN SIDON HAS PLENTY OF JET FUEL AND OTHER PRODUCTS BUT TANK TRUCKS UNABLE TO PASS SIDON. REFINERY IN TRIPOLI ALSO CONTINUES TO OPERATE BUT REPORTS HIGH ABSENTEEISM AND EVIDENCE OF UNKNOWN ELEMENTS PREVENTING WORKERS FROM REACHING PLANT, POSSIBLY TO EMBARRASS PHALANGIST MINISTER OF PETROLEUM. WITH REFINED PRODUCTS FILLING STORAGE CAPACITY, IT IS POSSIBLE BOTH REFINERIES WILL HAVE CLOSED DOWN SOON UNLESS DELIVERIES TO CONSUMERS BECOME POSSIBLE. INDUSTRY SOURCES ESTIMATE LOCAL GAS STATIONS WILL BEGIN TO RUN OUT OF GASOLINE BY WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY IF RESUPPLY NOT POSSIBLE.
6. IN VIEW OF UNSETTLED CONDITIONS IN LEBANON, EMBASSY HAS INFORMED DEPT. BY SEPTEL THAT TOURISTS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED FROM COMING AT THIS TIME. EMBASSY CONTINUING TO COUNSEL EMPLOYEES AND AMCITS WHO INQUIRE TO KEEP MOVEMENTS AROUND BEIRUT TO ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. MOST DIPLOMATIC AND OTHER SOCIAL FUNCTIONS ARE BEING CANCELLED.
7. ON POLITICAL SCENE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITY BUT NO CONCRETE RESULTS YET APPARENT. ARAB LEAGUE SYG RIAD ARRIVED BEIRUT LAST EVENING AND BEGAN SERIES OF CONCILIATION MEETINGS, INCLUDING SESSION WITH ARAB AMBS. IN BEIRUT AND ABU IYAD (FATAH) AND NAYIF HAWATMEH (PDFLP). ARAFAT WAS NOT PRESENT AND, TO THE BEST WE CAN DETERMINE, HAS REMAINED ALOOF FROM CONSULTATIONS. LATEST REPORTS PLACE HIM IN DAMASCUS TODAY AFTER HAVING SPENT PART OF YESTERDAY IN SOUTH LEBANON. ACCORDING TO RELIABLE LEBANESE JOURNALIST, RIAD HAS MET WITH SOLH AND FRANJIE AND SAW JUMBLATT AT ST. GEORGE HOTEL THIS MORNING. MEETING BETWEEN RIAD AND GEMAYEL NOT RPT NOT YET SCHEDULED, BUT RIAD EXPECTED TO MAKE APPEARANCE AT MUSLIM/"PROGRESSIVE"/PALESTINIAN RALLY SET FOR 1500Z AT MAKASSED ASSOCIATION IN BEIRUT.
8. PM SOLH HELD SERIES OF SESSIONS DURING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON INCLUDING ONE WITH CABINET WHICH IS RELIABLY REPORTED TO HAVE DEGENERATED INTO SHOUTING MATCH. TWO MINISTERS AFFILIATED WITH KAMAL JUMBLATT'S PSP, ABBAS KHALAF AND KHALED JUMBLATT, HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR RESIGNATIONS BUT MADE THEM CONTINGENT UPON SOLH'S MEETING THEIR DEMANDS THAT GUILTY (READ PHALANGE) IN SUNDAY'S SHOOT 'EM UP BE BROUGHT TO "JUSTICE" AND GOVT. RESTORE ORDER. SOLH HAS CONTINUED TO TALK ABOUT FOURTEEN PERSONS ARRESTED YESTERDAY BUT THIS HAS BROUGHT HIM LITTLE SURCEASE SINCE NO ONE, ESPECIALLY JUMBLATT, REALLY BELIEVES THEY ARE CULPABLE. AS WE NOTED IN BEIRUT 4749, LOSS OF JUMBLATT'S SUPPORT AND MINISTERS WOULD KNOCK REMAINING PROP FROM UNDER SOLH GOVT., WHICH IS ALREADY STAGGERING.
9. FEDAYEEN SPOKESMEN FOR MAJOR GROUPS, ESPECIALLY FATAH, ARE CLAIMING THEIR FORCES SHOWING REAL RESTRAINT IN FACE OF PHALANGE "PROVOCATIONS." WE UNABLE CONFIRM THIS CLAIM, BUT IT QUITE POSSIBLY TRUE, SINCE HEAD COUNT TO DATE APPEARS TO BE IN FAVOR OF PHALANGE. SPLINTER GROUPS AMONG FEDAYEEN AND PROBABLY UNDISCIPLINED ELEMENTS OF MORE "MODERATE" ORGANIZATIONS, HOWEVER, DO NOT APPEAR TO BE EXERCISING RESTRAINT AND IT IS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER MAJOR PALESTINIAN GROUPS CAN AVOID MORE AGGRESSIVE STANCE INDEFINITELY IF BASIC SITUATION IS NOT CONTAINED SOON. SHOULD PLO/FATAH TAKE DECISION TO GO ALL-OUT, RESIDENTS OF BEIRUT AND OTHER PARTS OF COUNTRY WILL PROBABLY HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO BATTEN HATCHES AND TRY TO HOLD ON. AS WE HAVE REPORTED OVER LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE BELIEVE FEDAYEEN ARE WELL SITUATED, PARTICULARLY IN CAPITAL, FOR SUSTAINED URBAN WARFARE AND TERRORISM WHICH WOULD TAKE MAXIMUM TOLL IN LIVES AND PROPERTY.
10. IN ADDITION TO PROLONGATION OF CURRENT CRISIS WITH OUTLINES OF DENOUEMENT STILL NOT RPT NOT IN SIGHT, DISTURBING ELEMENT IS APPARENT SPREAD OF CLASHES GEOGRAPHICALLY AND INDICATIONS THAT STRIFE MAY BE TAKING TURN TOWARD CHRISTIAN VS. MUSLIM/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. TRIPOLI WITNESSED TWO MAJOR DEMONSTRATIONS APRIL 14 IN WHICH AT LEAST TWO KILLED AND SEVEN WOUNDED AND THREE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES WERE BOMBED LAST EVENING. YESTERDAY'S EVENTS ALSO INCLUDED GRATUITOUS SACK OF CHAMOUN'S NLP HEADQUARTERS IN TRIPOLI. NLP OFFICES NEAR FOREIGN MINISTRY IN BEIRUT WERE OBJECT THIS MORNING OF ATTEMPTED ROCKETING. CHAMOUNIST MILITIA REPORTEDLY KILLED UNKNOWN PERSONS SEEKING TO EMPLACE ROCKET LAUNCHER ATOP NEARBY ROOFTOP.
11. PHALANGIST OFFICES IN ZAHLE AND NEARBY VILLAGE OF SADNAIL WERE BOMBED LAST EVENING AND PHALANGE OFFICE IN SIDON ATTACKED AND LATER ROCKETED FROM REFUGEE CAMPS OUTSIDE SIDON. THREE CHRISTIAN (NOT RPT NOT PHALANGIST) VILLAGES IN MIEH MIEH REGION IN VICINITY OF SIDON WERE ROCKETED FROM CAMPS. ACCORDING ONE USUALLY RELIABLE LEBANESE SOURCE, WHEN VILLAGERS DID NOT RETURN FIRE, PALESTINIANS ADVANCED INTO THEM AND, AT ONE, SEIZED FATHER AND BROTHER OF LEBANESE SECURITY OFFICIAL AND SHOT THEM. JUST AS CONTINUING PALESTINIAN OR MUSLIM CASUALTIES MUST EVENTUALLY INFLAME SENTIMENT OF EVEN MORE MODERATE COMPATRIOTS, SO CHRISTIAN LOSSES WILL TEND TO ENGAGE EMOTIONS OF CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE THUS FAR NOT SUPPORTED PHALANGE.
GODLEY
CONFIDENTIAL NNN
Originally classified CONFIDENTIAL · Two-section cable (3885/3886) · Declassified and released by U.S. Department of State under EO Systematic Review, 05 July 2006 · Now UNCLASSIFIED
Summary
Conditions on the ground in Beirut remain unsettled with intermittent firing and explosions occurring in various parts of the city, as political efforts to defuse the situation have thus far failed to produce tangible results. American citizens continue to be safe, although a car belonging to an Embassy employee was bombed last night and foreigners, as well as Lebanese, are unable to move freely in the city. Tourists should be discouraged from visiting Lebanon at this time. Palestinians — the main elements of which have not yet thrown their full weight into the balance — and leftist parties continue to call for punishment of the Phalange. Strife over the last 24 hours has spread to other parts of the country and shown the first signs of assuming a confessional [sectarian] character.[1]
1.
The country passed a night described by a Beirut police official as “bad” and awoke to continued explosions and clashes in various localities. As casualty reports continue to rise — we would place the number killed to date at 80 to 90 —[2] and the Health Ministry issued appeals for blood donors and for doctors and nurses to report immediately to their hospitals, the major portion of the population in the capital at least remains hunkered down in their homes.
2.
Dekwaneh, Tel Zaatar, and Ain Ramanneh remained the primary Beirut centers of incidents (sniping, bombings, and shelling) during the evening and morning, but Sinn al Fil reportedly sustained considerable material damage. Palestinians are said to have occupied Quarantina Hospital[3] during the afternoon of April 14 and were reportedly rocketing Phalangist targets in Ashrafiye[4] from that position. Three large explosions (possibly rockets) have occurred in the Quarantine district near the port since dawn, the first killing one civilian and injuring three. A 4-kilogram package of plastique with a timer was removed from the Napoleon Hotel (one block off Hamra) around noon April 15.
3.
Security forces (police and gendarmerie with armored vehicles) have moved in strength in troubled areas, but their mission is not yet clear. One reasonably reliable report stated that Squad 16[5] moved against Phalange offices in Rue George Picot early this morning. Prime Minister Solh has again repeated his intention to apply the law and punish the culpable, but rejected proclamation of a state of emergency. PSP leader Kamal Jumblatt, who continues to play a key role among both the GOL leadership and those highly critical of the GOL, opposed calling out the army. Military sources inform us they are preparing for the possibility that the army might be called out at approximately 1900Z tonight.
4.
All American citizens [AMCITS] remain safe at the moment. Clashes, however, are beginning to affect the foreign community. A vehicle belonging to a member of the Embassy staff (DEA) was destroyed at approximately 0200Z while parked near his residence in Raouche. The explosive was apparently a single stick of dynamite tossed under the car, which bore white diplomatic plates. The French ambassador was awakened last evening when a stray bullet entered his bedroom; the Italian ambassador has moved into the city from his residence in an affected area.
5.
The airport is still operating and the access road is open. An Embassy officer returning from the airport this morning reported sighting several armed and uniformed fedayeen in the airport circle, but they made no effort to disrupt traffic. Pan American, however, reports it will run out of jet fuel as of 1100Z today, which will probably result in the cancellation or diversion of some flights. Refineries in Sidon and Tripoli have supplies but cannot deliver: tank trucks cannot pass Sidon; workers in Tripoli report high absenteeism and evidence of unknown elements preventing them from reaching the plant. Industry sources estimate local gas stations will begin to run out of gasoline by Wednesday or Thursday if resupply is not possible.[6]
6.
In view of unsettled conditions in Lebanon, the Embassy has informed the Department by separate cable that tourists should be discouraged from coming at this time. Most diplomatic and other social functions are being cancelled.
7.
On the political scene, there is considerable activity but no concrete results yet apparent. Arab League Secretary-General Riad arrived Beirut last evening and began a series of conciliation meetings, including sessions with Arab ambassadors in Beirut and with Abu Iyad (Fatah)[7] and Nayif Hawatmeh (PDFLP).[8] Arafat was not present and, to the best we can determine, has remained aloof from consultations. Latest reports place him in Damascus today after having spent part of yesterday in South Lebanon.[9] Riad has met with Solh and Frangieh and saw Jumblatt at the St. George Hotel this morning. A meeting between Riad and Gemayel has not yet been scheduled.
8.
Prime Minister Solh held a series of sessions during yesterday afternoon, including one with the cabinet that is reliably reported to have degenerated into a shouting match. Two ministers affiliated with Kamal Jumblatt’s PSP — Abbas Khalaf and Khaled Jumblatt — have announced their resignations, made contingent on Solh meeting their demands that those guilty (read: Phalange) in Sunday’s incidents be brought to “justice” and that the government restore order. As we noted in Beirut 4749, loss of Jumblatt’s support would knock the remaining prop from under the Solh government, which is already staggering.
9.
Fatah and other major fedayeen spokesmen are claiming their forces are showing real restraint in the face of Phalange “provocations.” We are unable to confirm this claim, but it is quite possibly true, since the head count to date appears to be in favor of the Phalange.[10] Splinter groups among the fedayeen and probably undisciplined elements of the more “moderate” organizations, however, do not appear to be exercising restraint, and it is questionable whether the major Palestinian groups can avoid a more aggressive stance indefinitely if the basic situation is not contained soon. Should PLO/Fatah take the decision to go all-out, residents of Beirut and other parts of the country will probably have little choice but to batten hatches and try to hold on. As we have reported over the last several years, we believe the fedayeen are well situated, particularly in the capital, for sustained urban warfare and terrorism which would take maximum toll in lives and property.[11]
10.
In addition to the prolongation of the current crisis — with the outlines of a denouement still not in sight — a disturbing element is the apparent spread of clashes geographically and indications that the strife may be taking a turn toward a Christian vs. Muslim/Palestinian conflict. Tripoli[12] witnessed two major demonstrations on April 14, in which at least two were killed and seven wounded, and three Christian churches were bombed last evening.[13] Yesterday’s events also included the gratuitous sacking of Chamoun’s NLP headquarters in Tripoli. NLP offices near the Foreign Ministry in Beirut were the object of an attempted rocketing this morning.
11.
Phalangist offices in Zahle and nearby Sadnail were bombed last evening. The Phalange office in Sidon was attacked and later rocketed from refugee camps outside Sidon. Three Christian — not Phalangist — villages in the Mieh Mieh region near Sidon were rocketed from camps.[14] According to one usually reliable Lebanese source, when the villagers did not return fire, Palestinians advanced into them and, at one village, seized the father and brother of a Lebanese security official and shot them.[15] Just as continuing Palestinian or Muslim casualties must eventually inflame the sentiment of even more moderate compatriots, so Christian losses will tend to engage the emotions of Christians who have thus far not supported the Phalange.[16]
GODLEY[17]
