Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
85TELAVIV8792
1985-06-12 16:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

ISRAEL'S POLICY ON SOUTHERN LEBANON

Tags:  PREL LE IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 121653Z JUN 85
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0184
INFO AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
AMEMBASSY AMMAN
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 08792 

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL LE IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL'S POLICY ON SOUTHERN LEBANON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 08792

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL LE IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL'S POLICY ON SOUTHERN LEBANON


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.


2. SUMMARY: MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL KIMCHE BRIEFED AMBAS-
SADORS FROM UN SECURITY COUNCIL AND UNIFIL CONTRIBUTOR
COUNTRIES JUNE 12 ON SOUTHERN LEBANON. KIMCHE REITERATED
ISRAELI POLICY IN SOUTHERN LEBANON LEADING UP TO THE
WITHDRAWAL, THEN EMPHASIZED THAT ISRAEL WAS NOW OUT OF
LEBANON AND, THEREFORE, NO LONGER IN CONTROL. AS A RE-
SULT, ALTHOUGH ISRAEL WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, ISRAEL
FELT THAT UNIFIL MUST WORK OUT THE PROBLEM OF THE FINNISH
HOSTAGES WITH THE SLA DIRECTLY. IF ISRAEL SOUGHT TO
CONTROL EVENTS AND FORCE LAHAD TO RELEASE THE FINNISH
SOLDIERS, ISRAEL WOULD, IN EFFECT, BE BACK IN LEBANON.
THERE WOULD BE NO MORE SLA AND LAHAD WOULD BE FINISHED.
SEVERAL AMBASSADORS SAID THEIR GOVERNMENTS CONSIDER
ISRAEL TO REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE UNIFIL
SOLDIERS, AND MADE STRONG STATEMENTS OF PRINCIPLE AGAINST
THE HOLDING OF HOSTAGES. END SUMMARY.

-

3. MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL DAVID KIMCHE INVITED THE AMBAS-
SADORS AND CHARGES FROM THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBER
STATES AND THE CONTRIBUTORS TO UNIFIL TO A BRIEFING JUNE
12 ON ISRAEL'S POLICY IN SOUTH LEBANON. THE BRIEFING
INVITATION WAS STIMULATED BY THE PRESENT CRISIS BETWEEN
UNIFIL AND THE SOUTH LEBANESE ARMY. KIMCHE SOUGHT TO
PLACE THE ISRAELI REACTION TO THE CURRENT CRISIS IN THE
BROAD CONTEXT OF ISRAELI POLICY.
-


4. ISRAELI POLICY ON SOUTHERN LEBANON
- --------------
KIMCHE OPENED BY NOTING THAT THERE IS A CABINET DECISION
ON SOUTHERN LEBANON THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE BASIS OF
ISRAELI ACTIONS, UNTIL THERE IS A CABINET DECISION TO
CHANGE IT. THE DECISION INCLUDES THE FOLLOW-
ING ELEMENTS: A) THE IDF IS REDEPLOYED ALONG THE INTER-
NATIONAL FRONTIER, AND NO IDF UNITS WILL REMAIN IN
LEBANON ON A REGULAR OR PERMANENT BASIS. B) THE IDF RE-
TAINS FREEDOM OF ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS BEFORE, DURING
OR AFTER THEIR ACTIVITIES AGAINST ISRAEL. C) A SECURITY
ZONE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, WITH ISRAELI LIAISON WITH LOCAL
FORCES WHICH ARE DEDICATED AGAINST TERRORISM. D) IF THE
LOCAL FORCES ARE ATTACKED THE IDF MAY RESPOND TO PROTECT
THEM.
-


5. ISRAEL'S RELATIONS WITH THE SLA
- --------------
KIMCHE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAS HELPED AND
CONTINUES TO HELP THE SOUTH LEBANON (SLA),
BUT NO LONGER CONTROLS THE SECURITY ZONE. HE SAID THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SLA IS ONE OF LIAISON AND ADVICE,
BUT IT DOES NOT PERMIT ISRAEL TO GIVE ORDERS, AND THE SLA

IS NOT A DE FACTO ISRAELI FORCE. THE SLA IS LEBANESE,
COMMANDED BY A LEBANESE GENERAL, AND IT BEHAVES AS THE
LEBANESE BEHAVE, NOT AS ISRAELIS WOULD. THIS MEANS THAT
THE SLA OFTEN ACTS IN A MANNER WHICH IS DISTASTEFUL TO
ISRAEL.
-


6. THE "UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT" WITH UNIFIL
- --------------
KIMCHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL DEPLORES "THE
UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT", AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT SETTLED.
HE SAID ISRAEL HAS GIVEN THE FOLLOWING ADVICE TO THE SLA:
A) NOT TO HARM ANY OF THE HOSTAGES; HE SAID THE SLA HAS
COMMITTED ITSELF TO DO NO HARM TO THE FINNISH SOLDIERS,
AND THIS IS BEING OBSERVED. B) ISRAEL HAS ADVISED LAHAD
TO RELEASE THE HOSTAGES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF TALKS WITH
UNIFIL. HE SAID THAT THE ISSUE MUST BE RESOLVED BY UNIFIL
AND THE SLA DIRECTLY. ON NO ACCOUNT, HE EMPHASIZED, SHOUL
ISRAEL BE A DIRECT PARTY. ISRAEL IS OUT OF LEBANON; IF
IT WERE TO DEAL DIRECTLY THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT ISRAEL
IS STILL IN. KIMCHE VOLUNTEERED THAT IT IS TRUE THAT
ISRAEL STILL HAS LIAISON OFFICERS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON, BUT
HE ASSERTED THAT THE NUMBERS ARE FEWER THAN THOSE WHICH
WERE ACCEPTED IN THE MAY 17 AGREEMENT WHICH HAD BEEN
WELCOMED BY MANY STATES INCLUDING EGYPT.
-


7. THE UNIFIL-SLA MEETING
- --------------
KIMCHE SAID THAT THE MEETING BETWEEN GENERALS LAHAD AND
PONS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HE SAID THEY DIS-
CUSSED THE RELEASE OF THE CAPTIVES; THE GOVERNMENT OF
ISRAEL THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE MET FROM THE VERY BEGIN-
NING, BUT THIS MEETING AT LEAST WAS HELD IN A GOOD
ATMOSPHERE. THE GIST OF THE MEETING WAS: LAHAD ASKED
UNIFIL FOR THE ELEVEN SLA TROOPS TO BE BROUGHT TO A
NEUTRAL PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE DETERMINED WHETHER THEY
HAD IN FACT DEFECTED OR HAD BEEN CAPTURED AND TURNED OVER
TO AMAL. HE SAID THAT IF THE ELEVEN STATE THAT THEY HAD
DEFECTED, THE FINNS WILL BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY BY LAHAD.
IT HAD ALSO BEEN AGREED DURING THE MEETING TO APPOINT
LIAISON OFFICERS BETWEEN GENERALS PONS AND LAHAD, AND
UNIFIL HAD SECURED THE RIGHT TO VISIT THE FINNISH
SOLDIERS EVERY THREE OR FOUR DAYS. KIMCHE SAID, OF COURSE
HE HOPED THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED BEFORE THAT TIME
LIMIT. KIMCHE CONCLUDED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS NOW
UP TO UNIFIL TO BRING THE ELEVEN TO A NEUTRAL SPOT,
PERHAPS NAQURA.
-

8. GENERAL REMARKS
- --------------
KIMCHE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL REMARKS: SINCE
THERE IS NO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN LEBANON, ISRAEL UNDER-
STANDS THE NEED FOR UNIFIL TO HAVE RELATIONS WITH THE AMAL
MILITIAS. IN FACT HE SAID THIS IS A POSITIVE THING. IN
THE PAST UNIFIL HAD SAID THAT IT COULD DEAL ONLY WITH THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON. BUT SINCE THAT PROVED
IMPRACTICAL, AND UNIFIL IS NOW DEALING WITH AMAL, IT
SHOULD ALSO DEAL WITH THE SLA. HE SAID THIS NOW SEEMS TO
BE IN PROGRESS. ISRAEL, HE SAID, WOULD LIKE A STRONG CEN-
TRAL GOVERNMENT IN LEBANON, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
LIAISON WITH THE LEBANESE ARMY. BUT THIS IS NOT FEASIBLE,
AND THERE IS LITTLE HOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE FORESEEABL
FUTURE. KIMCHE THEN DESCRIBED THE INTERFACTIONAL FIGHTING
WITHIN LEBANON, NOTING THAT IT APPEARS THAT ALL FACTIONS
ARE NOW FIGHTING WITH ALL OTHERS, FOLLOWING A RECENT
REPORT OF A SHIA-DRUZE CONFLICT THIS MORNING.
-

9. JAZZIN
- --------------
KIMCHE SAID THAT JAZZIN COULD BE THE NEW FLASHPOINT. HE
SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAD NEVER TOLD OR
ADVISED THE SLA TO GO TO JAZZIN, AND FURTHER
ADVISED THE SLA THAT IF IT DECIDED TO GO TO JAZZIN,
ISRAEL WOULD NOT HELP THE SLA BECAUSE JAZZIN IS OUTSIDE
THE SECURITY ZONE. THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL HAD PROPOSED
TO UNIFIL THAT IT DEPLOY TO JAZZIN, SINCE IT HAD FORCES
CLOSE BY. HE SAID THE GOI WOULD WELCOME A UNIFIL DEPLOY-
MENT TO JAZZIN AND WOULD ADVISE THE SLA TO WITHDRAW IN
THAT CASE. THE UN SECRETARY HAD THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD
IDEA AND TRIED IT OUT WITH PRESIDENT GEMAYEL. GEMAYEL
ALSO, ACCORDING TO KIMCHE, THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA
BUT DECLINED TO REQUEST A UNIFIL PRESENCE IN JAZZIN
BECAUSE HE KNEW HE COULDN'T GAIN THE SUPPORT OF EITHER
SYRIA OR HIS OWN PRIME MINISTER. HE SAID THIS ALSO
DEMONSTRATES THE WEAKNESS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON.
-

10. THE FINNS VERSUS THE SLA
--------------
KIMCHE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW THE FACTS. HE SAID THE
INVESTIGATION WAS UNDERWAY, BUT IT APPEARED THAT THE UN
STILL BELIEVES THAT THE ELEVEN SLA TROOPS DEFECTED.
THE GOI, HE SAID, IS SKEPTICAL; IT BELIEVES THEY WERE
ABDUCTED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS WHICH KIMCHE ADMITTED
WERE CIRCUMSTANTIAL: A) ALL OF THE ELEVEN LEFT THEIR
FAMILIES BEHIND. KNOWING THAT THE SLA IS NOT A GENTLE
FORCE, THEY WOULD CLEARLY HAVE BEEN AFRAID FOR THEIR
FAMILIES IF THEY HAD VOLUNTARILY DEFECTED. B) SHORTLY
AFTER THE SLA ELEVEN WERE MOVED TO TYRE, AMAL LEADER
NABIH BERRI SAID THAT HE WOULD EXCHANGE THE ELEVEN
PRISONERS FOR THE SHIA PRISONERS HELD IN ISRAEL. KIMCHE
SAID IT WOULD BE RARE INDEED TO OFFER TO EXCHANGE
DEFECTORS FOR OTHER PRISONERS. C) HE THEN SHOWED A TV
FILM MADE BY A SYRIAN CREW JUST AFTER THE ELEVEN REACHED
TYRE. THE CAPTIVES WERE SHOWN BEING HELD UNDER ARMED
GUARD, SULLEN, APPARENTLY FEARFUL, AND RESPONDING TO
ORDERS BY THEIR GUARDS. KIMCHE SAID THIS APPEARED NOT TO
BE THE DEMEANOR OF PERSONS WHO HAD VOLUNTARILY DEFECTED.
-

11. KIMCHE CONCLUDED THIS SESSION BY NOTING THAT ISRAEL
MAY NEVER KNOW THE TRUTH, BUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAE
WANTS THE FINNS RELEASED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE SAID
THAT ALL THAT ISRAEL WANTS IS PEACE ON THE NORTHERN
FRONTIER.


12. AMBASSADORS' COMMENTS
--------------
THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THERE WAS A PRESS REPORT
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL WOULD CONTEMPLATE A MOVE OF
UNIFIL TO THE BORDER UNDER AN ARRANGEMENT AGREED TO WITH
THE SLA. KIMCHE SAID THE UN HAD PRESENTED SOME IDEAS TO
THE GOI ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A UNIFIL DEPLOYMENT TO THE
BORDER WITH THE DE FACTO COOPERATION OF THE SLA. NO
DECISION HAD BEEN REACHED, AND THE SUBJECT WAS NOT
THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED IN THE RABIN/URQUHART MEETING
YESTERDAY. HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT IN THE MEANTIME, UNTIL
SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT IS WORKED OUT, ISRAELI POLICY, AS
DETERMINED BY THE CABINET, REMAINS. HE ADDED HOWEVER,
THAT ISRAEL IS PREPARED TO CONSIDER ANY IDEAS FOR
STRENGTHENING THE STABILITY OF THE BORDER AREA.
-

13. THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THE EC-10 HAD MET
AND HAD MADE A GENERAL STATEMENT ON LEBANON. HE SAID THE
FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE TEN CONSIDERED THE INCIDENT VERY
SERIOUS. THEIR OPINION WAS THAT EVERY MEASURE SHOULD BE
TAKEN TO FREE ALL HOSTAGES. AMBASSADOR TALIANI ADDED A
PERSONAL NOTE SAYING THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO
ACCEPT ISRAELI DISCLAIMERS OF RESPONSIBILITY IN VIEW OF
THE FACT THAT ISRAEL HAD ARMED AND EQUIPPED AND CONTINUED
TO PAY THE SLA. KIMCHE REPLIED THAT GIVING ASSISTANCE
DOES NOT MEAN CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, THE 3,000
SOVIET ADVISERS IN SYRIA DO NOT MEAN THAT THE SOVIET
UNION CONTROLS SYRIA. HE SAID IF ISRAEL ACCEPTED THE
ITALIAN AMBASSADOR'S PREMISE, THE IDF WOULD BE DOOMED TO
STAY IN LEBANON IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL.
-

14. THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR STATED THE STRONG DESIRE OF
HIS GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE FINNISH TROOPS RELEASED AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. HE ADDED THAT HE FELT THAT THE GOVERNMENT
OF ISRAEL HAS A STRONG RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RELEASE.


15. THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR INTERVENED AGAIN TO NOTE THAT
IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT TO ACCEPT THE TAKING OF
HOSTAGES. HE SAID HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WAS VERY
EXERCISED OVER THE HOSTAGE ISSUE. HE SAID ANY ACTION THAT
ENCOURAGES THE TAKING OF HOSTAGES IS BAD BOTH IN THIS CASE
AND IN THE GENERAL SENSE. KIMCHE SAID HE AGREED THAT ANY
TAKING OF HOSTAGES IS BAD. HE CONCEDED THAT PERHAPS
ISRAEL COULD SEND IN ITS TROOPS TO FORCE THEIR RELEASE.
BUT IF THE IDF DID GO IN, IT WOULD MEAN THE END OF THE
SLA, AND THE GOI WOULD HAVE TO BE BACK IN LEBANON TO STAY.
HE SAID ISRAEL HAS GIVEN STRONG ADVICE TO LAHAD THAT IT
WAS WRONG TO HOLD HOSTAGES. BUT HE ADDED THAT THE ELEVEN
SLA TROOPS MAY ALSO BE AS MUCH HOSTAGE AS THE FINNS. HE
SAID THEREFORE THE ONLY LINE OF ATTACK IS TO FOLLOW UP ON
THE LAHAD PROPOSAL. HE THEN URGED THE CONTRIBUTORS
TO UNIFUL TO PRESS THE UN TO HAVE THE AMAL BRING THE
ELEVEN TROOPS TO THE NEUTRAL ZONE SO IT COULD DETERMINE
IF THEY WERE VOLUNTARILY DEFECTORS OR IN FACT CAPTIVES.


16. THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
WELCOMES THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON, BUT ADDED
THAT THE CONTINUING PRESENCE OF LIAISON OFFICERS LEAVES
THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL CONSIDERABLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT PRESENT. HE SAID THE HOSTAGES SHOULD
BE RELEASED WITHOUT CONDITIONS IMMEDIATELY.
-

17. COMMENT - THIS WAS THE THIRD OF A SERIES OF MEETINGS
THAT KIMCHE HAS HAD WITH THIS GROUP ON LEBANON. KIMCHE
STATED THE CASE WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION, BUT HIS
AUDIENCE WAS NOT CONVINCED. CONCERNING THE HOSTAGES, HE
REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT ISRAEL COULD BE EITHER IN
LEBANON OR OUT, AND IF OUT, ISRAEL COULD NOT FORCE LAHAD
TO DO WHAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO. BEHIND THIS DENIAL OF
CONTROL OF LAHAD IS KIMCHE'S CONVICTION THAT TO TRY TO
FORCE LAHAD WOULD MEAN THE END OF LAHAD AND LAHAD'S FORCES
CLEARLY THIS IS A CARD WHICH ISRAEL HAS NOT BEEN WILLING
TO PLAY. IT IS ALSO CLEAR, AS KIMCHE IMPLIED SEVERAL
TIMES, THAT ISRAELI POLICY ON SOUTHERN LEBANON IS SUBJECT
TO CHANGE AS THE TACTICAL SITUATION SHIFTS. BUT ISRAEL IS
STILL COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING LAHAD IN GENERAL AND IN HIS
CONFRONTATION WITH UNIFIL, AND IS UNWILLING TO FACE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE SLA. IF THE SLA
SHOULD CRUMBLE, THE PERES GOVERNMENT'S LEBANON WITH-
DRAWAL DECISION, UP TO NOW A VERY POPULAR ONE, COULD
SPRING AGAIN INTO THE CENTER OF POLITICAL CONTRO-
VERSY HERE. CERTAINLY SHARON AND HIS ALLIES WOULD MAKE
THE MOST OF IT TO WEAKEN THE PERES GOVERNMENT AND FURTHER
INHIBIT ITS ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD ON EITHER THE EGYPTIAN
FRONT OR THE PEACE PROCESS ISSUES NOW UNDER DISCUSSION.


18. BEIRUT MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

FLATEN