World: LEBANON: ALONG THE ARAFAT TRAIL

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Beirut residents, with customary insouciance, generally ignored the strict curfew that Helou had invoked to curb violence. In nightclubs like the Crazy Horse Saloon and the Caves Du Roy, crowds watched strippers or danced to an Italian rock group. Doctors, diplomats and journalists were allowed on the street under the curfew law. Joining them were countless cabbies, who claimed that every fare was a sick relative en route to a hospital, and dozens of small boys who took advantage of a holiday from school to fish along Beirut's seafront esplanade. Helou finally eased the virtually meaningless curfew.

After Arafat's press conference, fighting stepped up along the highway that runs from Syria to Israel through the Bekaa Valley. In the town of Rachaya, the 17-man garrison held off a fedayeen force of 50, killing five of the guerrillas and capturing five without suffering a loss. Everywhere, in fact, Lebanon's lightly regarded army was showing unusual discipline and spirit. The army, like the rest of the country, is roughly half Moslem and half Christian, but its loyalties were with the government rather than the fedayeen. "How can these people shoot at me?" complained a sergeant inside Rachaya Castle. "I am an Arab, and they treat me like a Jew."

The army ordered up tanks and artillery to support its meager force along the Bekaa Valley highway, but the guerrilla attacks continued. The fedayeen claimed—though the army denied it —the capture of the village of Mashta Hassan after a 14-hour fight. The guerrillas also renewed their attack on the border town of Masnaa, where fighting broke out two weeks ago. Without control of the highway, the fedayeen would have to mount their attacks on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from the cold, rugged Mount Hermon terrain. Western newsmen in Lebanon christened the highway "the Arafat Trail."

Strength and Provocations. The battles indicated the continuing strength of the fedayeen. Arabs estimate their total at 50,000 men, compared with 27,000 only a year ago. The figure may be inflated. Israeli intelligence experts insist that it includes regular army units that are used as guerrillas in some countries. There may also be double and triple counting as guerrillas move from one unit or area to another. Israel reckons the fighting force at 7,500 men along the borders of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Whatever the case, they are well armed and well financed. Most now tote Soviet Kalashnikov rifles, and they have replaced smaller mortars with the longer-range 120-mm. models and with Czech Katyusha rocket launchers. As for monetary support, Saudi Arabia alone contributes more than $3,000,000 a year, and Arafat on a recent visit to the new Arab nationalist regime in Libya came away with a $250,000 donation. Palestinians working in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are taxed as much as 7% of their salaries for the guerrilla cause, and in some Persian Gulf states, hotel guests find a 5% "Palestine tax" added to their bills.