The Unpacified South

Israel's most secure border--the one facing Lebanon--has unexpectedly become its most volatile. While the rest of civil-war-torn Lebanon was quiet last week, intermittent mortar fire continued in the south between the Moslem town of Bint Jebail and the Christian settlement of Ain Ebel. Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat, meanwhile, insisted that his forces were free to regroup in that area (see following story). Israel so opposes this, as well as the idea of having Syrian soldiers on a second Israeli border--even as Arab peace keepers--that the Jerusalem government convened its "war cabinet," deployed armor on the boundary, and threatened to invade Syria by sending tank forces rolling off the Golan Heights to Damascus if the Syrians either moved troops into southern Lebanon or introduced surface-to-air missiles anywhere in Lebanon.

Such maneuvers and threats are partly genuine concern molded by experience, but they are also partly brinkmanship. The Syrians are now in no position to force a confrontation with Israel; they are too involved in Lebanon. Syrian units have moved no nearer the border than Zahrani, 30 miles to the north, near Sidon, to protect the oil refinery there, which has now resumed operation. Last week, Damascus quietly renewed the Golan Heights peace agreement with Israel for another six months.

The Palestinian posture is potentially more dangerous. Israel intends never to allow guerrillas in southern Lebanon again. From there the Palestinians mounted their raids across the border and fired rockets into Israeli settlements. To forestall threats of repeat attacks, the Israelis took advantage of the war in Lebanon to establish a strong anti-Palestinian force of Christians and Shiite Moslems in the border area, supported by Israeli patrols.

For the moment, any possibility of confrontation has been foreclosed by Lebanese President Elias Sarkis, who has reportedly proposed to keep peace in the south with non-Syrian contingents of the Arab peace-keeping force--Saudi Arabia, the Sudan and the United Arab Emirates--along with Lebanese Christian and Shiite volunteers. That solution seems to have mollified all concerned--except the Palestinians.

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