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VOLUME 8: 1982-1984
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77. Cabinet communique on the entry of the I.D.F. into west Beirut, 16 September, 1982.
Defense Minister Sharon met with President Elect Bashir Gemayel on 12 September. The U.S. Marines who were in Beirut since the end of August to supervise the departure of the P.L.O. left that city on 10 September. Israel was pleased with this evacuation fearing that had the Marines stayed they would protect the remnants of the P.L.0. and prevent the Lebanese from flushing them out. At a meeting of 12 September Sharon and Gemayel agreed that Lebanese units would start clearing the Palestinian terrorists concentrations. On 14 September Bashir Gemayel was assassinated in a bomb explosion at his Phalange headquarters in east Beirut. At 11 p.m. that night, once there was confirmation that Gemayel was killed, the Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Chief of Staff of the I.D.F. decided to order the I.D.F. into west Beirut. A day later Israeli units were moved into that part of Beirut and beseiged the Palestinian refugee camps in that part of Beirut. The I.D.F. knew that the P.L.O. had left behind hundreds of terrorists and arms caches. The Cabinet approved the move into Beirut in a special session on 16 September.
Following the assassination of President-elect Bashir Gemayel, the I.D.F. took positions in west Beirut in order to prevent the danger of violence, bloodshed and anarchy, while about 2,000 terrorists, equipped with modern and heavy weapons remained in west Beirut, thus blatantly violating the departure agreement. This danger was indeed averted.
The Israeli government will instruct the Israel Defense Forces to evacuate these positions when the Lebanese army will be ready to assume control over them in coordination with the I.D.F., in order to insure public order and security.
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