ABSTRACT
The indirect agreement between Syria and Israel, which broke down during the Zahle episode, had been gradually eroded previously by a slow process which began in 1978, the first year of the confrontation between Syria and the Christian militias. The American administration made a determined diplomatic effort to contain the dangers of the degenerating situation and to find some arrangement between Israel and Syria which would prevent an Israeli action against the missiles. On April 30, after the missiles had been moved into the Bekaa, the Israeli air force was ordered to attack the Syrian missile batteries, but the attack was canceled owing to unsuitable weather conditions. On June 5, 1982, the Israeli government met and decided to launch the Peace for Galilee operation. There are conflicting ideas about the nature and objectives of the operational plans presented to the Israeli government by the chief of staff and approved by the government.
