Portrait of the week
The Prime Minister of Israel, Mr Begin, told a commission of inquiry in Jerusalem that he was not consulted about the sending of Phalangist militiamen into two Beirut refugee camps in September, and that he could not remember his chief of staff, General Eitan, warning the Israeli cabinet that a massacre was likely. Mr Begin also admitted that he had paid `no special interest or attention' to a similar warning from his deputy, Mr Levy. Earlier, the commission learnt that a member of Mossad, the Israeli security service, had been at the Phalangist headquarters 'as a liaison officer' during the three days when the massacres were taking place. President Gemayel asked Britain, Canada, Belgium, Austria and South Korea to send troops to help keep the peace in Beirut. Iran and Iraq claimed to have killed each other's forces in large numbers in renewed fighting north of Basra. More than 1,000 were reported dead in a road tunnel in Afghanistan. In Teheran 11 trade unionists were executed for organising a strike of car assembly workers.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer an- nounced various measures, to be im- plemented next spring, which will benefit private employers and disappoint pen- sioners. The Treasury forecast a continuing fall in the inflation rate, but a very modest growth rate for 1983, with unemployment rising to 3.5 million and no balance of payments surplus. The banks' base lending rate was cut to 9 per cent. Settlement of the seven-month Health Service dispute was ex- pected after an offer of another 'A per cent next year to nurses and ancillary workers. The Government indicated that it would support a Private Member's Bill to enable all shops to be open on Sundays; public houses in Wales remained closed on Sun- days in only two (out of 37) areas.
The Irish Parliament was dissolved, to make way for a general election on 24 November, after Mr Charles Haughey's Fianna Fail government had been defeated by two votes on a motion of no confidence. Opinion polls suggested that Dr Garret FitzGerald's Fine Gael Party would be returned to power. In Spain, General Victor Lago, commander of the Brunete division, was shot dead, probably by ETA terrorists. Four of their leaders were arrested in France, suspected of plotting to kill the Pope during his visit to Spain. Sr Santiago Carrillo resigned after the Communist Par- ty's poor showing in the general election, to be replaced by Sr Iglesias (no relation). A new constitution for Turkey, under the presidency of General Evren, was approved by 91 per cent of the electorate. At the Revolution Day parade in Moscow the absence of Andrei Kirilenko indicated his removal from the Politburo; the presence of the Chinese ambassador for the first time in several years was also noted. President Ahidjo of Cameroon resigned after holding office for 22 years, and Colonel Zerbos regime in Upper Volta was overthrown by an army doctor, Major Ouedraogo. America showed no signs of wishing t° improve relations with Britain. A United Nations resolution proposed by Argentina' which called for direct negotiations with Britain on the Falkland Islands, was sup' ported by the US and 89 other countries. Twelve countries voted against the resole" tion, 52 abstained. Mrs Thatcher called trfle, American vote 'incomprehensible' and sal' she had no intention of starting nePtia. tions. She was made happier by Frances decision to abstain; after talking to Mrs, Thatcher for two days in Paris, Presider Mitterrand said Britain and France were political harmony', though the dispute over contributions to the EEC budget unresolved. Five Americans, members °f Noraid, were acquitted in New York °. conspiring to supply arms to the Pr°v1- sional IRA. They had admitted the charge,' but convinced the jury — some members at" tended a party with the accused afterwards — that they were acting with CIA approval' British intelligence was 'enraged' at the ac; quittal (Sunday Express), 'not worried (Sunday Times), because the arms suPP1Y slienvkerbeedt.ween Noraid and the IRA had been Lrd Peart lost the Labour Party leaded ship in the House of Lords to Lore Cledwyn. Lord Kagan, speaking in t House for the first time since he was let °:„t r of prison, emphasised the need ioe prisoners to be rehabilitated. Thre prisoners escaped from Camp Hill Pris°n:ej Isle of Wight; two others were recaPalf` and returned to Winson Green, 13ir,,,/ire ingham. Mr Mark Thatcher, the pr"': Minister's son, was lost temporarily 0 another desert during a car rally, CaPt3i" Stephen Roskill, formerly Official Naystc, Historian and a contributor to the SPed tator during the Falklands war, died age 79; Jacques Tati died at 75. The Foreign Office tried to earicc, Princess Anne's visit to refugee camps the Somali-Ethiopian border, because °A guerrilla activity in the area, but she insist id on going, and the Foreign Office later salb° it had changed its mind. The JockeY C1110 agreed to buy Aintree racecourse forr million, subject to raising the money bei° b0 1 May 1983. Lester Piggott, once aga.', champion jockey, celebrated his 47th irtrier day. Mr Robert Sangster, racehorse owner and breeder, appeared to have forsaken ,, Australian wife for a delightful Te%aof model, Jerry Hall. The seventh marria5pC Elizabeth Taylor was formally ended.
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