Democratic Palestine : 2 (ص 4)
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- Democratic Palestine : 2 (ص 4)
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Editorial
The struggle against the US-Israeli_ plans-#ill continue
President Amin Gemayel has decided to unilaterally
abrogate the May 17th agreement which was signed
between Lebanon and ‘Israel’ in the aftermath of the 1982
Israeli invasion of Lebanon. It has also been announced that
a conference will be held in Switzerland to discuss the deep
differences separating the regime-Phalangist camp from the
National Salvation Front-Amal camp.
These developments raise questions on the future of
Lebanon: Will there be a reconciliation? Will the civil war
stop? What will be the US and Israeli reaction to Gemayel’s
step?
Why the change?
Since the US-Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the fascists, led
by the Phalangists, have been counting on the possibility of
completely controlling Lebanon. This means, of course, the
total destruction of the Lebanese nationalist forces, and
ousting the Syrian and PLO forces from Lebanon. These
calculations remain in the Baabda Presidential Palace, but
now in a more discrete manner, after the Lebanese
nationalist forces scored important victories in the past two
months.
The immediate byproduct of the nationalist forces’
gaining full control of West Beirut was the division of the
Lebanese Army, which both the regime and the US had
considered to be an unbreakably unified institution. Also,
strategic positions of the army and the fascists in the
mountains were taken by the nationalist forces, pushing the
army and Phalangist units to withdraw and_ head
southwards. The nationalist forces’ offensive continued to
the perimeter of the fascist-contrdlled areas and Souq al
Gharb, where the US had drawn a red line. At this point, a
dramatic change took place: Amin Gemayel decided to
cancel the May 17th agreement. To this purpose, a visit to
Damascus was arranged.
The background for Gemayel’s decision and visit is
complicated and can be summarized as follows:
(a) Gemayel’s army suffered several blows, the most
serious being the split in its ranks.
(b) The US administration came under strong internal
pressure against the presence of the Marines in Beirut. This,
and the fact that losses in their ranks increased, forced
Reagan to pull the Marines out, thus depriving the Lebanese
regime of a major supportive factor.
(c) Phalangist Sami Maroun had visited ‘Israel’, together
with Wadi Haddad, Gemayel’s national security advisor, in
order to ask for help. The answer was negative.
(d) In the meantime, Jean Obeid, Gemayel’s advisor on
‘political affairs, was discussing with the Syrian Foreign
Minister, Khaddam, the possibility of a reconciliation
between Damascus and Baabda.
Gemayel realized that there was no way to save his
presidency other than to cancel the agreement, in order to
pave the way for reconciliation with the nationalist forces.
In Damascus, Gemayel discussed in detail with Syrian
President Assad the necessary conditions for cancelling the
May 17th agreement. According to informed sources, these
conditions were: (a) the basis for the reconciliation
conference in Switzerland, (b) what guarantees Lebanon
can give ‘Israel’, (c) Syrian-Lebanese relations.
4
The Damascus summit was a serious change in the course
charted by the: intense fighting in Lebanon, but will this
meeting prepase for d‘solutiori m Lebanon?
What rext fer Lebanon?
The intértral . contratictions in Lebanon are too
complicated tore solved ‘quickly. Moreover, the Lebanese
crisis cannot be Sdélatad¥rom the Middle East conflict.
The tripartite aitfantey (Syria, the PLO and the Lebanese
nationalist forces) has teen fighting the US-Israeli plans in
Lebanon, which the J&wanted to make into the bridge for
Camp David to,the’ Eastern Front. In the wake of the recent
battles, tht-plast-has gollapsed, yet the US is not at a
deadend, forthe Redgatr Administration is betting on the
Egyptian- -Jordanian lever to push its plans into the Eastern
Front. tr this comext,“the talks between Arafat and King
Husseim-are e regatded.a§ extremely important.
Syria, atid thée*PLOrforces that oppose Arafat’s political
line, ‘realize that the battle is stil open in Lebanon. South
Lebanon is still Becupied by the Israelis, who take their own
meéasufes “tol protect “their “borders” Moreover, the
Lebanese nationalist forces cannot be sure of the extent to
which Gemayel is ready to compromise in the Switzerland
conferenc€. . ; Lebanon will remain a battlefield in the
foreseeable futare. “The-resistance to the Israeli occupation
will continue in thé“S@uth. The struggle of the Lebanese
nationalist forces for their rights will continue. Above all,
Sy#ia, the PLO and the-bebanese nationalist and progressive
forees will continue ta struggle against the US-Israeli plans
forthe Middle ad “ e
w be acted
Marines beat a retreat ig'the es - هو جزء من
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