TALKING POINTS: ISRAEL AND LEBANON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001403490006-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 26, 2007
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 28, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/04/26 - -
SECRET
28 October 1982
Talking Points: Israel and Lebanon
The goodwill and support Israel benefited from last summer among key
Lebanese constituencies is rapidly disappearing. Those Lebanese who welcomed
the Israelis as liberators from the PLO have soured on Tel Aviv. As so often
in their past, the Lebanese have rapidly lost their enthusiasm for a foreign
"liberating" army.
The Maronites -- who welcomed Syria in June 1976 and were fighting with
Damascus bye- were the most eager to welcome Israel. Increasingly,
however, influential Maronites realize that close ties with Israel mean
economic suicide for Beirut. Intimacy with Israel inherently means isolation
from the Arab money and markets that are the essence of Lebanese prosperity.
Syria is critical to the Beirut economy since it controls all land
communication with the Arab world. It is no accident, therefore, that Amin
Juma.vyil is planning a trip to Syria, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab countries
soon while he has ruled out any direct contact with Israeli leaders.
-- Israeli journalists are speculating openly that Amin has
turned his back permanently on Tel Aiv.
-- Only a portion of the Phalange militia retains unqualified
enthusiasm for the Israelis.
The Shia -- Lebanon's largest sect but traditionally the least
influential -- reportedly are increasingly disenchanted with the Israeli
occupation of their southern strongholds. They resent Israeli economic
penetration of the area and have clashed with several pro-Israeli local
leaders. As memories of the PLO presence fade, Embassy Beirut reports day-to-
day irritants turn the Shia against Begin.
The Druze are traditionally divided between two clans. The smaller
Arslani support Tel Aviv but probably are losing ground to the Junblattis in
the wake of several Maronite-Druze clashes.
These groups and the Sunni Muslims (never very pro-Israeli) now look to
the US as their protector. All Lebanese increasingly see the US as the
arbitor of their fate -- exaggerating our influence and commitment just as
they did Israel's and before that Syria's.
SECRET