Hard-Liners Take Center Stage

Fears of war recede, but the revolt against Arafat spreads

The Middle East remained in a dangerous stalemate last week, and there were few signs as to how it could be broken. Syria's decision to end its four-day-long maneuvers in Lebanon defused some of the military tension, but a war of bellicose rhetoric continued. Arriving in Libya for a meeting with his hard-line colleague Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Syrian President Hafez Assad declared that the U.S.-sponsored agreement for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon was "in a state of collapse and death." Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin warned that if the Syrians attacked Israel, "we shall all have to defend our lives, our existence and our future."

In the meantime, the rebellion against Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat from the ranks of his Fatah organization spread unexpectedly. Mutineers seized six Fatah military supply depots in the Damascus area. The mutiny was given a further boost by news that the commander of Fatah's civilian militia forces in Lebanon, Mousa Awad, had joined the rebels. Awad charged that Arafat and his supporters had been "deluded by American schemes." Heavy fighting reportedly broke out at week's end near the ancient city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon between Awad's men and troops loyal to Arafat. The P.L.O. leader, meanwhile, had left for Rumania.

It was now obvious that Arafat faced a serious challenge to his leadership. The rebels were upset over Arafat's recent tendencies toward moderation, notably his series of discussions with Jordan's King Hussein on President Reagan's Sept. 1 peace initiative, which called for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip to be linked to Jordan. Left-wing elements within Fatah oppose any settlement that would give the Palestinians less than a wholly sovereign and independent state, however unrealistic that goal may be. They in effect vetoed Arafat's attempts to reach an agreement with Hussein that would have allowed the Jordanian King to pursue the Reagan initiative in alliance with the Palestinians. The dissidents were actively encouraged by Assad and Gaddafi, who are opposed to Arafat's efforts toward moderation. They believe the Arabs must not negotiate with the Jerusalem government until their military strength is as great as that of Israel.

The Syrian government formed a committee of three senior officials to mediate between Arafat and the dissidents. But the group's initial proposals reportedly were heavily weighted in favor of the rebels. In addition to giving the dissidents strong representation in Fatah's councils, the Syrians are said to have suggested that the original leader of the revolt, Colonel Said Mousa, be named Arafat's chief military deputy.

At one point, Arafat seemed ready to offer an amnesty to the leaders of the revolt. There was no such talk as the chairman led a two-day meeting of the Fatah central committee in the Bekaa Valley. Arafat is now paying the price of the P.L.O.'s defeat last year in Lebanon and of his subsequent efforts toward compromise. If he should lose the present power struggle, the P.L.O. could easily split into two or more groups, with Arafat leading the more moderate elements and the Syrians dominating the more radical wing.

Prime Minister Begin, too, faced a rising tide of impatience over the situation in Lebanon. He called on his countrymen to stand together until a withdrawal has been achieved, and he insisted that Israel has "absolutely no intention of attacking the Syrians." qed This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.