- Title: LEBANON: THE SHELLING OF BEIRUT CONTINUES.
- Date: 2nd August 1982
- Summary: RACHED SV Saeed Salaam speaking on telephone to Philip Habib's staff. TRANSCRIPT: SALAAM: (SEQ 19) "Hello, this is Saeed Salaam speaking. May I speak to Mr. Habib.. Well, any news... not before three thirty.. not three thirty even, and they'll let you know... they want to finish a job... what job... indeed, well, they'll be finishing us all before they finish." GD/JRS
- Embargoed: 17th August 1982 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflict,General,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5SZVGZ3COPDONKKB11SMQMWCF
- Story Text: The ninth ceasefire of the Israeli war with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the Lebanon broke down on August 1 as the Israelis poured shells into Beirut. The formerly elegant area of coastal Beirut came under heavy attack from the Israeli air force and armoured units. Reuters reports that much of the area is now impassable as shell craters have destroyed the roads. Western Beirut has been without electricity for almost two weeks and although water was restored on July 30 the Israelis have not supplied any pumps. They are still not allowing food supplies to be moved into the area. The Israeli advance on the airport has now given them control though they say their planes might still be vulnerable to attack from pockets of PLO resistance. But the taking of the airport now means the Israelis have practically surrounded the Borj Brajneh refugee camp, a PLO stronghold. The Israelis 14 hour bombardment was said by them to have left 80 dead. PLO sources put the figure higher with 165 dead and 400 wounded. They said that some 185,000 shells landed on the city during the attack. The ceasefire, which broke down, was the ninth to be declared since the Israeli advance into Lebanon eight weeks ago. President Reagan has sent his Middle East envoy Mr. Philip Habib to attempt to negotiate a way out for the PLO who last week agreed to leave Beirut. Arrangements have been made for United Nations observers to supervise a PLO withdrawal but Israel has yet to agree. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saeed Salaam spoke on the phone to Mr. Habib's staff in an effort to find out what was happening about the ceasefire on August 1.
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