In early 1975 Israel became increasingly concerned with the growing unrest in Lebanon, unrest that the course of 1975 and 1976 was to develop into a full scale civil war resulting in a massive Syrian intervention. In January 1975 the Defence Minister reviewed the situation and warned Syria not to upset the internal equilibrium of Lebanon as well as Israel's security along its northern border. Excerpts:
Israel has never had any designs on Lebanon, her sovereignty or independence - nor has Israel any intention of interfering in that country's internal affairs. But Israel cannot overlook the fact that non-Lebanese forces, whose objective is aggression against Israel, constitute a continual threat not only to the safety and equilibrium of Lebanon, but also to lsrael's own security and peace along her northern border. Such forces are deployed both in Lebanon and outside.
There are nine different terrorist organizations operating in Lebanon today, divided, supported by state, with conflicting interests, motivated by different extremist philosophies and armed with different kinds, of weapons:
1. The Fatah, the Iargest of the organizations, is developing an independent military infra-structure of its own in Lebanon.
2. "E-Saika", founded and guided in its operation by the Syrian Ba'ath.
3. "The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine" (Habash), left-oriented and advocating world revolution.
4. The Democratic Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (Hawatme), another extremist Ieft-wing group that specializes in terrorist acts involving taking hostages.
5. "The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - the General Command" (Jubril), has the support of Iraq and Libya.
6. "The Front for Arab Liberation" - founded by the Iraqi Ba'ath, and backed by Iraq.
7. The, Front for the Palestinian Popular Struggle", also linked with Iraq.
8. "The Popular Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Palestine" - a group that broke away from George Habash's front and is trying to justify its independent existence.
9. "The National Arab Youth Organization for the Liberation of Palestine" mainly operates abroad, also against targets in the West, and is supported and financed by Libya.
All these organizations share a maximal extremist line in pan-Arab affairs, and draw strength from the split that exists, in the Arab world.
They have bases in both Syria and Lebanon, but they operate from Lebanon, this is due to the weakness that characterizes the reaction of the Lebanese authorities to their entrenching themselves in the country and turning it into a base for their operations.
In fact these organizations have, entrenched themselves in Fatahland, in Southern Lebanon, between the Litani and the Israeli border, and in camps. Two of the more important of these camps are situated south of Beirut and north of Rosh Hanikra. These forces have recently been joined by a Palestinian terrorist unit which came from Syria to Lebanon, equipped with combat vehicles including anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, and has been deployed in the terrorist concentrations in the Beirut area and in southern Lebanon.
They have turned Lebanon into a land of lawlessness, a centre for unbridled terrorism directed against Israel. However - not only terrorists, but other countries as well and Syria in particular, harbour covetous designs on Lebanon, purportedly out of anxiety over Lebanon's fate, an anxiety which could have been alleviated by moving the terrorists and their bases out of Lebanon proper - they are trying to obtain her consent to dispatch expeditionary forces of their own in order to take up positions on her territory. And in this way they would turn Lebanon from a restricted land into a land of confrontation: From a state aspiring to independence - into a country under the yoke of a foreign army: From a government possessed of its own standard of judgement to a government being dragged in the wake of interest that are none of its concern.
It must be remembered that Syria has always entertained expansionist intentions, not only on the fences of Deganya do we find the remnants of a Syrian tank - a reminder of tanks that attempted to invade Israel but in northern Jordan, too, the Syrian invasion attempts are still remembered. Nor are the Syrian intentions any different where Lebanon is concerned.
Israel made it clear to Jordan at the time that if a Syrian force were to be stationed on Jordanian soil, Israel would regard this as a hostile act, since the Syrian army has specific, pressing aggressive intentions towards Israel. It was clear, therefore, that the Syrian army's gaining a foothold outside the borders of its own country spelled the start of a confrontation and a continuation of aggression. Israel does not need to counsel Lebanon on her affairs but where Israel's own stand is concerned, the situation is clear. It is with regret that we see Lebanon's sovereignty being eaten away by a collection of terrorist organizations devoid of any responsibility, and jeopardized by camouflaged intentions to devour her independence.
Jordan realized at the time that her existence was being menaced by the terrorist organizations - more so, even, than Israel's security, for in Jordan they are trying to oust a monarchy, whilst in Israel they are attempting - in vain -to destroy a people. And even as Jordan managed to save herself, so also must Lebanon draw the required conclusions. Whatever happens, the Israel Defence Forces will not permit lawlessness to reign on Israel's borders, nor allow Israel's citizens and settlements to serve as targets for terrorists or foreign armies.