assesses Israel's intentions in Lebanon.
THE "WAR" in southern LebanMTCE COWE CSCHAC THU A ICR it has emerged that the Israeli tanks and mocars are creatng a oo smoke but very lntle fire.
That does not make the smoulСПЛЯ СОЛІСЕ Ш STREIHE ny less important. The lates altack is a none loo sublic - Dul so far successful - Isracil attempe to disrupt the American powe pian in its cary stages d When Israel sent its tanks over the Lebanese border, that this was a piece of gunboat diplomacy rather than an attempt to launch a full-scale war. But the situation in southern Lebanon ramains explosive. RUTH CHALLIS aud COLIN TALBOT fill in the background from Lebanon and Israel and RICHARD CARVER In London was the Israelis as much as the Palestinians wno brancusi thi assault on Lebanon to the world.
But Israchi intervention soatremn Cebsnon is for rezl That Piraer tanks have lone sbee raeli tanks have long been CERSINE EVOC ICuEG 10 Lebanon and that the rightist militias are openly supplied BSTHCT STIS The sim of the present artack is to call the bluff of all the other launching an offensive the Israciis hope to put he skids under the US plan for Palestinian representation in anited Arab delegation at the recalled Geneva conference Thes know What the Paksnn lans are in a weak position after the latest ceasefure SEMISONORU nID 3USUI11al that weakness. And, above all, it is a challenge to the Syrian armyingly pro-Palestinian stance, to wri ns RaoaiO da 1c01 take on the Israelis if they dare, The sraels know that Syrian backing for the Palestinians is little more than a bid to win COUELOTS Geneva carve-up know that militarily and politically NI015 1O020011 idertake even a limited wa The most the Syrians can do is to ieiforms or salgt, one * Palestine Liberation Organisation TELENS The Israelis want to create a buffer zone' on their northern apparently major * border, by pushing the Palestinians north beyond the Litani The vacuurt righrists might be military That Imited target of scaring Her 2000 the Both They many retained at the ocupation with obe of the t puil its punche ocuvre. colaboration in wwwd bi The danger was that the Israclis tryint to push all the way up to the Litani river this immedsate Lurea! seems to have passed. Instead Syrians into negotiating a Pales tiniun withdrawal from the bord The PLO's repeated conces Snsro MEssa iS nare ecuacH ed their ability to resist thes politically and militarily they have given away Sidon MEDITERRANÉAN Ent Talitoe Nobotiyet SEA Arnotun® Kefer Kel Bannt ibeil, ISRAE LEBANON •Khiam -eDeir Mitte SYRIA ISRAEL 1 OCCUPIED !
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on is not all that it seemed. Far froe being an all-out battle
nearly two weeks ago, the Palestinian movement braced itself for a new attack on its right to exist. It is now clear