What is the reason for the Israeli attack at this time?
The immediate reason is to try to destroy the Palestinian forces in Lebanon. In the occupied territories the Zionists have discovered that the Palestinians support the PLO as the sole representatives the Palestinian people. They have been trying during the past TeV MONLIS find other representatives, especially West Bank, who would colwith them lavul alc very small minority.
All the democratically elected mayors on the West Bank who supported the PLO have been dismissed from their posts.
And the revolt of the Palestinians over the past few months has shown the Israelis that they cannot achieve any of their objectives without destroying the PLO.
They used the disagreements between the Arab states and they thought that they could attack the Palestinians on their own massive force.
If the armed Palestinian resistence suffers decisive defeat during this will have very demoransing effect on the whole Palestinian nation?
answer, point out the character of the press coverage of the conflict in Britain. From the beginnIng or ine war lney nave taken the Israeli point view and swallowed theit propaganda.
The actual of Ine fighting very different to the way it portrayed in the press and TV here.
At the moment there are 120,000 Israeli troops in Lebanon, as against onThe dobre o restan day. 20,000 on the first day. the joint forces Sulprised them greatly • the joint forces of the Palestirevolution and the Lebanese National MoveOur information is that hundreds of israell tanks and troops carriers have been destroyed, that they have lost over 1000 soldiers dead.
They have not been able to control any of the major cities in Lebanon. The only decisive military loss for us is their capture of Beaufort Castle. The Israelis have tried to enter Sidon, Tyre and even Beirut in the last few days but their attempts have not been completely sul cessful.
The present fighting is the history of the Middle East, and we are sure that in the next few days the tone in the British media will be changed.
As usual, the Israelis when they attack the Palestinians have in their "terrorism' - which is the name they give to the PLO and all national liberation movements.
They haven't really changed their position. They know exachly Wild the position is in Lebanon. The weapons the Israeli army uses are usually American weapons — including some of their most sophisticated like the F-16 fighter plane.
The Israeli government claiming that the Syrian soldiers and other fighters get OUL because they were going to take the city. Do you think they seriously intend to fight a major battle to take Beirut?
Nobody can be certain about the ultimate objectives of the Israeli attack. It was certainly decided light from US imperialisen. after they the CONTICI y esterday cic was a between Begin and his military high command and the latter have declared that they do not wish to take Beirut This is due their calculation that it will be a very costly operation. But as yet nobody knows how far they are prepared to push their troops.
important factor will be how much Tence Syrian troops can show in the Bekaa vallev. because if the Israelis take it, it will be easier for them to enter Beirut.
But balance think that it will be • OU costly for them to try to capture Beirut.
But do the Syrians intend to put up a fight, or are they just fighting to their felical without any intention of a serious battle?
We have distinguish between the decision of the 1000 marched to Israeli embassy on saturday Palestinians to fight the Israelis and that Syrians. Our decision was instant while the decision that Syria makes has to consider many political factors.
They did not decide to enter the war until it was clear that the aims of the Israelis went far beyond the attempt push Palestinians back 40 kilo meters from the border.
But we didn't doubt the sincerity of the Syrian army in wanting to fight une staens What was the relationship between the Syrian army and the Palestinians and LNM before the Israeli invasion?
Nobody can justify the interference of the Syrian army in Lebanon in 1976. Neither the Lebanese National Movement nor the PLO supported the interof the so-called Arab 'peace keeping force'.
But since then the alliance between the Syrians, the Lebanese National Movement and the Palestinians has come into existence and there was an agreement about to distribute the forces, were the duties of each and how each has to control its own al cas.
So although the Syrians entered Lebanon a hostile force to the Lebanese National Movement and the Palestinians the situation has changed to one of alliance.
The Syrian army is of course a real army, tanks and MIGs and so forth. Our armies are guerrilla armies so our military thinking is very different.
Socialist Challenge Our position was always to continual!; engage the Israeli army in a guerrilla war, whereas the Syrians wanted to build up their army and their equip ment choose favourable time for a fron tal clash with Israel.
These different Gap proaches have raised points of conflict between the two leaderships. But these can be overcome when it is a question of confronting an Israeli in How do you assess the outcome of the fighting so far?
Our information is that the Israelis have killed and wounded about 10,000 people — but a large majority of these are civilians.
We haven't lost any military position of importance except Beaufort Castle which incidentally was defended • only about 40 guerrillas and not the 2000 that people in Bri tain have talked about The USCU bombs to flush them out.
Our style of war is that of guerrilla warfare, not really about defending territory or land. So whatever the military successes of the Israeli invasion the! won't stop our struggle Walt o she Pultimate No compreensive and lasting peace can be without the establishment of a democrațic secular Palestine, in which all Palestinians Jews, Christians and Muslims can live together equal duties and equal rights. This is the conflict.
18 June 1982 page 7