As the crisis remained unresolved, leaks occurred from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee concerning a written promise to the Christians in Lebanon. This was denied by the Prime Minister's bureau and an explanation on the nature of contacts since 1979 was provided. Text:
The Prime Minister's office today announced that in a meeting that took place in December 1979 between an Israeli delegation and a delegation of Christians from Lebanon, the Christians explained that they had no means of defending themselves against the Syrian air force, if that air force attacks them. In consultation with cabinet ministers who were present at the meeting - including former Minister for Foreign Affairs Moshe Dayan, and the Chief-of-Staff, it was agreed by all that the Prime Minister would inform the Christian representatives that, taking into account this special problem, Israel would use its air force to defend the Christians if the Syrian air force attacked them.
On 8 April 1981, when the Syrians were massacring Christians in Zahleh and Beirut, the Ministerial Defense Committee resolved to communicate with the leadership of the Christians in northern Lebanon, and, inter alia, reiterated verbatim the promise given them in December 1979.
There is reason to assume that the distorted leak about a "written promise" to the Christians emanates from circles of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. Given this situation, it is the Prime Minister's duty to reconsider if, in the future, he can submit to this committee secret information dealing with, i.e. matters of life and death, that immediately becomes public knowledge, in Israel and abroad, including that of the enemy.