קטע מתוך הפרק המדבר על שורשי המלחמה. + תמונה
The de facto PLO state extended from West Beirut in the north to the
Tyre bulge in the south, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to
the Syrian border in the east. Within this area the PLO operated as a
sovereign power, disregarding the Lebanese authorities and rejecting
Lebanese jurisdiction. Its independent control was demonstrated in
many ways.
The PLO maintained in Lebanon a well-organised force of 15,000
men, heavily armed with a variety of weapons - including tanks and
Girl members of the PLO receive instruction, on the beach at
Beirut, in the use of the RPD; this is the standard Soviet bloc
squad light machine gun, with an optimum effective range of
350—400 yards, and very popular among the PLO. For this
particular session, the students' families and friends were invited
to a demonstration of the progress they were making.
THE WAR OF DESPERATION
artillery - which it received mainly from the Soviet Union, Syria and
Libya. Its chief source of financial support was Saudi Arabia.
Within its area of occupation the PLO replaced the existing legal
system with its own network of courts. On 28 June 1980 Reuters
reported that a 'convicted' man had been publicly executed in southern
Lebanon 'as a warning and an example' for 'inflicting harm on the
masses'.
The PLO turned United Nations refugee operations in Lebanon into
bases for terrorist activity. It operated a radio station in West Beirut
which reported on its activities, and regularly broadcast coded messages
to its members in the field. The PLO also established in West Beirut -
which served as the 'capital' of the de facto state - numerous
headquarters where it produced its publications, held meetings and
issued official directives and statements.
The old Russian nickname 'Katyusha' is now used generically for
several different versions of these devastating high-explosive, longrange
salvo rockets. This particular batch, found at Nabatiye, are
North Korean-made 122 mm rockets of the type fired from the
'long Katyusha' launcher. (IDF