Shortly after his return from the United States, there were new developments in Lebanon. Syria became involved in the continued civil war in Beirut and its artillery fired thousands of shells into East Beirut. PLO sponsored terrorists fired katyusha rockets at the Security Zone in Lebanon and at Israel. Mr. Rabin warned the terrorists and said Israel was watching closely events in Beirut. He also said that the U.S. was actively seeking a Palestinian partner to implement the Israeli peace initiative. Excerpts:
Mr. Rabin: I have said in the distant as well as recent past, and I say this again to the residents of the Lebanese settlements north of the security zone, that if there is not peace and quiet in our region, if they assist in terrorist squad infiltrations and most certainly in the firing of Katyusha rockets, their lives will not be liveable. It shall not come to pass that that we cannot live in peace while they do. And so, it is preferable for them not to assist Hizbullah elements and PLO terrorist organizations to perpetrate terrorist acts.
Q: Is the defense establishment responding to recent Syrian activity in Lebanon?
A: The Syrians are maintaining considerable forces in Lebanon - about 3,540,000 soldiers - and lately, they have sustained failure after political failure in Lebanon, without being able at all to blame Israel for being involved in any way. We got out [of Lebanon]; we only have the security zone with a few hundred soldiers there. No one can blame Israel today if the Syrians are bombarding the Christians or other elements in Lebanon. I also believe and expect that neither the Arab world nor the international community will permit Syria to act in a way even more cruel than it has acted until now, by shooting thousands of shells per day against civilians, women and children in eastern Beirut. Of course, we are following events closely, and at this point there is no interest from Israel's standpoint, other than to bring to the attention of the world, especially the western world which is so sensitive when a Palestinian child is injured, and appears not to display sensitivity when thousands of Syrian shells fall on civilian neighborhoods in Christian Beirut.
Q: Did you find unconditional U.S. support for Israel's initiative? Are our relations with the Americans as firm as in the past?
A: In the domain of security I found a willingness to support us unconditionally, in practice as well. As for the Israeli peace initiative, the Americans see it as an Israeli initiative. They see it as a positive initiative, and they are willing to assist us in its realization, that is to say, in finding a partner from among the Palestinian residents of the territories.