The New York Times · 12 August 1976

CP-1976-028

FOE SAID TO ENTER PALESTINIAN CAMP

Lebanese Christians Keep Up Pressure on Tell Zaatar

By IHSAN A. HIJAZI

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Transcribed from the clipping

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 11 —Right-wing Christian forces kept up military pressure today against the Palestinian camp of Tell Zaatar, on the outskirts of Beirut. A right-wing radio station reported that the Christian forces had advanced into the camp “to help civilians who wanted to leave to reach safety.” It said the camp was totally besieged.

The new onslaught by the rightists was launched yesterday, the 49th day of the siege.

Meanwhile, Kamal Jumblat, leader of the leftist-Moslem alliance, has announced plans for recruiting a “popular army” to keep up what the alliance described as the “armed struggle and steadfastness” in the 16-month civil war against the Syrian forces that have intervened here. Mr.

Jumblat called on men aged 17 to 40 in Moslem and leftist-controlled areas to join the new army. Salaries up to 500 Lebanese pounds ($140) a month have been offered to volunteers. The leftist-Moslem alliance comprises 11 groups forming “a central political council,” of which Mr. Jumblat is the president.

The political council, in a statement last night, rejected Syrian terms for forming a joint committee to be in charge of establishing an effective cease-fire. The statement accused Syria and the rightists of keeping the leftists and Palestinian guerrillas preoccupied with futile negotiations to enable the Christian forces to liquidate Palestinian and Moslem pockets.

The statement demanded the immediate withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Informed quarters put the number of these troops at 20,000, backed by 450 tanks. The leftists and Palestinians have accused Syria of siding with the Christians in the offensive against Tell Zaatar.

President Hafez al-Assad of Syria was reported to have assured President Suleiman Franjieh in a message yesterday that his policy in Lebanon would not change as a result of the Cabinet shuffle last week. The terms rejected by the leftist-Moslem alliance called for participation by pro-Syrian Lebanese in the proposed security committee.

The leftists protested that those leaders had no popular following and that they derived their strength from the Syrian military presence. The proposed committee was part of the agreement reached between Palestinian and Syrian officials in Damascus July 29 as a beginning of the process of resolving the Lebanese crisis.

The committee was to be under the chairmanship of an Arab League representative and to include Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese members. A committee meeting was postponed twice last week at Syria’s request.

Yasir Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, has sent messages to Arab heads of state urging them to exercise their “responsibilities” in saving the people of Tell Zaatar. He said that the forces attacking “innocent women and children at the camp do not know the meaning of military honor and humanitarian values.”

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