Amal Spurned S. Lebanon Deal, Rabin Says
Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin said Wednesday that Israel offered the Shia Muslim Amal movement control of southern Lebanon in exchange for a pledge not to attack Israel, but Amal spurned the offer.
“They gave one answer: ‘We are not prepared to speak with you. First leave, and then we will decide whether to talk to you or not,’ ” Rabin told Israeli state television.
He said that in contacts with Amal over the last 18 months, Israel offered it control of all of southern Lebanon. Rabin was not asked whether the proposal entailed the disbanding of the largely Christian South Lebanon Army, which is trained and supplied by Israel.
“There was one condition: that they promise not to carry out attacks against our settlements.”
Asked if the offer is still open, Rabin replied, “It is conceivable there will be opportunities in the future, depending on various developments, that will enable this proposal to be raised again.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
