THE INTERVENTION OF WORLD POWERS IN ISRAEL'S WARS - IV
Since their expulsion from Jordan in 1970, a force of close to 18,000 PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organisation) members were encamped in scores of locations in Lebanon. It was estimated that 5,500 were foreign mercenaries from Libya, Iraq, India, Sri Lanka, Chad and Mozambique. Israel later discovered enough light arms and other weapons to equip five brigades: Katyushka rockets, anti-aircraft network, hundreds of tanks. Syria brought surface-to-air missiles – creating yet another danger for Israel. Israeli strikes and commando raids were unable to stem the growth of this PLO army. The situation in northern Israel became a living hell. Thousands of residents either had to flee from their homes, or to spend large amounts of time in bomb shelters. Israel was not prepared to wait for more deadly attacks to be launched against its civilian population before acting against the terrorists. Following the attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador in London, Israel att...