Washington Report, December 26, 1983, Page 6

Facts For Your Files: A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

December 10:

In response to harsh criticisms made by numerous Arab governments friendly to the U.S. of the Administration's plans for "strategic cooperation" with Israel, Secretary of State George Shultz told reporters in Tunis after the conclusion of talks with Tunisian government leaders: "It is important to say in an Arab capital that the United States has had, does have, and will have a strong relationship with Israel, and I think everyone understands that and should understand that."

December 12:

A truck loaded with explosives crashed through the frontgate of the U.S. Embassy compound in the capital of Kuwait and exploded next to an administrative building, killing five non-Americans and injuring 37, including several Americans. Within 90 minutes of the attack, remote control bombs were also detonated at five other sites in and around the city, including an American residential compound, the French Embassy and the Kuwait airport. One person was killed in these blasts and 26 others were wounded. Islamic Jihad—a group which claimed responsibility for previous anti-U.S. bombings—said it was responsible.

December 13:

White House spokesman Larry Speakes said that the Saudi-mediated plan to end PLO infighting by evacuating Yasser Arafat's forces from Tripoli in boats flying the United Nation's flag “is consistent with our longstanding policy of seeking a withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon." He added: "We think arrangements should be worked out for them (Arafat's troops) to leave unhampered." On this same day Israeli warships bombarded Arafat's positions in Tripoli. The Israeli government was continuing to withhold public pledges not to interfere in the planned PLO evacuation.

December 13:

Two U.S. warships off the coast of Lebanon fired a total of approximately 50 five-inch shells at Syrian antiaircraft batteries in the mountains about 12 miles east of Beirut. The U.S. naval bombardment came immediately after two American reconnaissance aircraft were fired upon—but not hit—during overflights of the Syrian positions. Pentagon officials said the quick U.S. response to the Syrian attack on the reconnaissance aircraft was part of a new Reagan Administration policy of "instant retaliation."

December 14:

President Reagan told reporters that there were two sets of circumstances under which U.S. marines and other members of the "multinational-peacekeeping force" in Lebanon could be withdrawn. The first, he said, is if all foreign forces were withdrawn from Lebanon and the Lebanese government gained control of the country. He said "the second would be, of course, if there was such a collapse of order that it was absolutely certain that there was no solution to the problem. There would be no reason for them to stay there."

December 14:

For the first time since it arrived off the coast of Lebanon last September, the U.S. battleship New Jersey fired its 16-inch guns at targets inside Lebanon, hurling eleven 1,900-pound shells at Syrian antiaircraft batteries east of Beirut which had fired on U.S. reconnaissance planes minutes earlier. The planes returned safely to a U.S. aircraft carrier. Two other U.S. warships also fired a total of sixty 70-pound shells at the Syrian gun sites.

December 15:

Reagan Administration officials said that the U.S. is planning to give Israel $1.4 billion in military aid in fiscal 1985, none of which will have to be repaid. Egypt is scheduled to receive $1.1 billion in military assistance on the same basis. The proposed aid levels to both countries—which reflect a new Administration policy of disbursing its military assistance worldwide on easier terms—are less than the total military aid they are now receiving. But currently a large portion of the assistance is provided in the form of loans.

December 15:

The USS New Jersey fired 40 rounds from its smaller, five-inch guns at Druze militia positions east of Beirut which had been the source of machine gun and rocket fire against U.S. marines at their airport compound. No marines were killed or wounded in the gunfire.

December 15:

An agreement-in-principle was reached between the U.S. and Israel that will allow each country to use the other's medical facilities in emergencies. Negotiated by Dr. William Mayer, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and Brig. Gen. Moshe Revach, surgeon general of Israel's armed forces, the agreement sets forth "a clear understanding on mutual use of medical resources which can be utilized in the event of urgent or disaster circumstances, including arrangements for immediate use of medical resources and hospitalization in Israel."

December 16:

For the fourth day in a row, Israeli gunboats off the Lebanese port city of Tripoli fired shells at PLO forces loyal to Yasser Arafat as they prepared to depart from Tripoli.

December 18:

For the third time in less than one week, U.S. warships bombarded Syrian antiaircraft positions in the mountains east of Beirut which had been the source of fire on U.S. reconnaissance jets, none of which were hit.

December 19:

In a report on its inquiry into the October 23 bombing of the U.S. marine compound near Beirut, the House Armed Services investigations subcommittee concluded that "inadequate" measures had been taken by the entire chain of command to ensure the safety of the marines. The subcommittee also urged that the Administration "determine if deployment of the Marine unit ... is justified."

December 20:

Yasser Arafat and 4,000 of his loyalist forces withdrew from the port of Tripoli, Lebanon aboard five Greek passenger ships flying U.N. flags. The ships—which were not hampered by nearby Israeli warships—were escorted by French naval vessels. The scheduled departure of the PLO forces on December 19 had been delayed a day by Israel's bombardment of the port—which sank one freighter and heavily damaged another. State Department spokesman John Hughes had said on the 19th that "the United States hopes and expects that impediments, such as recent Israeli action, to the expeditious removal of the PLO forces will be removed."