The defenseestablishment andArchivesof the Israel Defense Forces are publishing, Tuesday morning, the investigationof the battlewhich occured at the Beaufort to mark 30 yearson the Hebrew calendar since the beginning of Operation Shalom Hagalil (Peace for the Galilee). Six Israeli soldiers and 30 Palestine Liberation Organization terrorists were killed in the battle, which lasted more than 14 hours.
Interviewed by Kol Yisrael government radio on Monday, Reserves Major General DoronRubin,who commandedDivision500during the war and reached the ,Beirut-Damascus highway, first, said, "The occupation ofBeaufortwas not necessary, and no military action was dependent on it." Historians said the same thing, noting that the site was targeted for takeover before the campaign because it commanded a view of the Galilee. They added that a command to postpone the operation did not reach the commanders who carried it out.