SOUTHERN LEBANON: GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES ON A POSSIBLE ISRAELI INVASION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83B00231R000200030001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 1, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 1, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/02/01: CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200030001-9
Directorate of Secret
Intelligence
Southern Lebanon:
Geographic Perspectives on
a Possible Israeli Invasion
A Research Paper
Secret
GI 82-10087
April 1982
 Directorate of
Intelligence
Southern Lebanon:
Geographic Perspectives on
a Possible Israeli Invasion
Information available as of 16 April 1982
has been used in the preparation of this report.
This paper was prepared b
Office of Global Issues.
Comments and queries are welcome and may be
addressed to the Chief, Geography Division,
This paper has been coordinated with the National
Intelligence Council and the Defense Intelligence
Agency
Secret
GI 82-10087
April 1982
 Approved For Release 2007/02/01: CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200030001-9
Approved For Release 2007/02/01: CIA-RDP83B00231 R000200030001-9
 0
Chronology of Major Events
1920
Creation of French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon
and British Mandate for Palestine.
1922
Demarcation of boundary between Lebanese and
Palestinian Mandates.
1969
Palestinian guerrillas begin cross-border shellings and
incursions into Israel, prompting Israeli reprisal raids
and preemptive strikes into Lebanon. Many Lebanese
border villages are abandoned; many homes de-
stroyed.
1943
Unwritten National Covenant between Lebanese
Christians and Muslims agrees to an independent
postwar Lebanon based on confessional representation
in 1932 census which showed a slight Christian
majority.
1946
French withdraw, Lebanon gains independence.
1948
Israel is founded; Lebanese participate with other
Arab League forces in subsequent attack on new
Jewish state. Approximately 100,000 Christian and
Muslim Palestinians flee from northern Israel into
Lebanon.
20 July 1949
Israel withdraws from the Lebanese territory seized in
1948.
1958
US Marines land near Beirut in response to request
for assistance from Lebanese Government.
December 1968
Israeli commandos land at Beirut Airport and damage
or destroy 13 commercial aircraft in retaliation for
attack on El Al plane in Athens.
1969
Cairo accords between the PLO and Lebanese Gov-
ernment legitimize Palestinian military presence in
southern Lebanon.
September 1970
After intense fighting Jordanian military defeats Pal-
estinian forces and restores order. Weak Lebanese
Government is unable to resist subsequent Palestinian
guerrilla influx.
1970
Israeli raid into southern Lebanon penetrates to a
distance of 16 kilometers and lasts 32 hours.
April 1973
Israeli commandos attack homes and offices of lead-
ing Palestinians in Beirut, killing three top guerrilla
leaders.
May 1973
Clashes between Lebanese Army and Palestinians
leave 60 dead and hundreds wounded; Palestinian
forces are reinforced by Syrian-based Palestinians;
Muslim pressure on Lebanese Government forces
Army to suspend major efforts to control guerrilla
activity; alarmed Christians begin strengthening pri-
vate militias.
October 1973
Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur. Leba-
non not involved.
1974
Palestinian groups raid Qiryat Shemona and Maalot,
killing 40 Israeli civilians.
April 1975
Heavy fighting breaks out between Palestinians and
Phalangists in Beirut following ambush of busload of
Palestinians. Incident regarded as beginning of civil
war.
 March 1976
Civil war in full swing; Lebanese Army splits along
sectarian lines.
June 1976
Syrian Army enters Lebanon; US Ambassador and
economic officer are murdered.
July 1976
Israel establishes border crossings with Lebanon un-
der "Good Fence" program.
August 1976
Palestinian refugee camp, Tel-al Zaatar in Beirut,
falls to Christian forces after a 52-day siege. Signals
beginning of last phase of civil war.
October 1976
Riyadh minisummit ending civil war creates 30,000-
man Arab Deterrent Force (ADF) that includes most-
ly Syrian forces.
March 1978
Guerrilla attack on Israeli bus prompts Israeli inva-
sion of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. UN
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is created by
UN Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426: Reso-
lution 425 calls for Israeli withdrawal and creation of
UNIFIL; 426 spells out force's terms of reference.
June 1978
Israelis turn over control of 5- to 10- kilometer-wide
border zone to Lebanese Army unit commanded by
Major Saad Haddad, a Lebanese Christian.
July 2 979
Last of non-Syrian units of the ADF depart Lebanon.
July 1980
Phalange defeats rival National Liberal Party militia,
thus establishing control over East Beirut.
April 1981
Heavy fighting takes place between Syrian and Chris-
tian forces in Zahlah and across the confrontation line
in Beirut; Israeli Air Force shoots down two Syrian
helicopters in the Bekaa Valley. Syria moves SA-6
surface-to-air missiles into Lebanon.
24 July 1981
After heavy cross-border shelling, US-negotiated
agreement ends hostile military action from Lebanese
and Israeli territory.
15 April 1982
Fighting breaks out between Shiite militia (AMAL)
and leftist groups including Palestinians in Beirut and
southern Lebanon.
25 April 1982
Scheduled Israeli withdrawal from Sinai.
July-August 1982
Scheduled presidential elections in Lebanon.
 Armed Political Entities in Lebanon
Leaders
Military Stren
th
President Ilyas Sarkis
g
21
600
,
Lebanese Front
Phalange
National Liberal
Party
Pierre and Amin
Jumayyil, Bashir
Jumayyil (Militia Head)
Camille Chamoun
Dany Chamoun
(Militia Head)
Christians in
the south
Major Saad Haddad
2,000-2,500
Sulayman Franjiyah
Robert Franjiyah
(Militia Head)
3,000
National Movement
Progressive
Socialist Party
Murabitun
Various smaller parties
AMAL Shia Mili
i
t
a
7
000-8
000
Syria (Arab Deterrent Force)
,
,
22
000
UNIFIL
,
Fatah
Yasir Arafat
7,000-10,00
0
Saiqa
Issam Qadi
2,000-4,000
Popular Front for
Ahmad Jabril
200-500
the Liberation of
Palestine-General
Command (PFLP-GC)
Democratic Fr
t
on
Nayif Hawatmah
500
for the Liberation
of Palestine (DFLP)
Popular Front for
George Habbash
500-1
000
the Liberation
,
of Palestine (PFLP)
Front for the
Taalat Yaqub
100-200
Liberation of
Palestine (FLP)
Arab Liberation
Front (ALF)
Abd al-Rahim Ahmad
300-500
Popular Struggle
Front (PS F)
Samir Ghushi
Less than 200
Sabri al-Banns
Less than 200
 0
Village Populations in Christian-Dominated
Area Along Israel's Northern Border
(in East-to-West Order)
Kafr Shuba
Halta
Al Majidiyah
Al Mari
As Sulayyib
Arab al Luwayzah
Al Amrah
Mazra at Sarda
Al Khiyam
Dibbin
Al Balat
Marj Uyun
Al Qulayah
Al Khirbah
Dayr Mimas
Kafr Killa
Al Udaysah
Rabb ath Thalathin
Bani Hayyan
Tallus
Markaba
Hula
Mays al Jabal
Muhaybib
Blida
Hayy Bir
Nasir
Aytarun
Estimated
Religious
Village
Estimated
Religious
Population
Composition
Population
Composition
400
Druze
Al Habis
0
Yarun
f
300
Mixed
50
Druze
Aynata
2,000
Muslim
150
Mixed
Bint Jubayl
1
Harat as Sidri
J
8,000
Muslim
200
Mixed
Kunin
150
Muslim
50
Mixed
At Tiri
300
Muslim
0
Ayn Ibil
4,000
Christian
0
Hanin
0
200
Muslim
Dibil
400
Muslim
500
Muslim
Rumaysh
4,000
Mixed
Ayta ash Shah
400
Mixed
8,000
Christian
Bayt Lif
Al Qawzah
500
Muslim
750
Mixed
Ramyah
50
Muslim
3,000
Muslim
Marwahin
0
2,000
Mixed
Shihin
200
Mixed
50
Muslim
Umm at Tut
50
Muslim
50
Muslim
Al Jibbayn
50
Muslim
100
Muslim
Yarin
400
Muslim
Ad Duhayrah
0
Muslim
1,000
Muslim
Tayr Harfa
Abu Shash
300
Muslim
900
Muslim
100
Muslim
At Matmurah
0
750
Muslim
Shama
150
Muslim
Alma ash Shab
1,200
Christian
750
Mixed
Al Bayyadah
150
Mixed
Ash Shawmarah
300
Muslim
0
Total
41,750
25X1-
 0
Village Populations in Christian-Dominated
Area Along Israel's Northern Border
(in East-to-West Order)
Kafr Shuba
Halta
Al Majidiyah
Al Mari
As Sulayyib
Arab al Luwayzah
Al Amrah
Mazra at Sarda
Al Khiyam
Dibbin
Al Balat
Marj Uyun
Al Qulayah
Al Khirbah
Dayr Mimas
Kafr Killa
Al Udaysah
Rabb ath Thalathin
Bani Hayyan
Tallus
Markaba
Hula
Mays al Jabal
Muhaybib
Blida
Hayy Bir
Nasir
Aytarun
Estimated
Religious
Village
Estimated
Religious
Population
Composition
Population
Composition
400
Druze
Al Habis
0
Yarun
f
300
Mixed
50
Druze
Aynata
2,000
Muslim
150
Mixed
Bint Jubayl
1
Harat as Sidri
J
8,000
Muslim
200
Mixed
Kunin
150
Muslim
50
Mixed
At Tiri
300
Muslim
0
Ayn Ibil
4,000
Christian
0
Hanin
0
200
Muslim
Dibil
400
Muslim
500
Muslim
Rumaysh
4,000
Mixed
Ayta ash Shah
400
Mixed
8,000
Christian
Bayt Lif
Al Qawzah
500
Muslim
750
Mixed
Ramyah
50
Muslim
3,000
Muslim
Marwahin
0
2,000
Mixed
Shihin
200
Mixed
50
Muslim
Umm at Tut
50
Muslim
50
Muslim
Al Jibbayn
50
Muslim
100
Muslim
Yarin
400
Muslim
Ad Duhayrah
0
Muslim
1,000
Muslim
Tayr Harfa
Abu Shash
300
Muslim
900
Muslim
100
Muslim
At Matmurah
0
750
Muslim
Shama
150
Muslim
Alma ash Shab
1,200
Christian
750
Mixed
Al Bayyadah
150
Mixed
Ash Shawmarah
300
Muslim
0
Total
41,750
25X1-
 Secret
Secret
--- Approved rof-R?+e e-2%7i92'$