NEW YORK -- Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin said Sunday President Reagan 'hurt me very deeply' when he described a massive Israeli airstrike on Beirut as a 'holocaust' during an angry phone call.
Begin, in an interview published Sunday, said he later told Reagan 'I know what is a holocaust.' He described the phone call as 'one great misunderstanding.'
In an interview with The New York Times, Begin also said the PLO is a 'beaten organization' and expected U.S. help in negotiating a withdrawal of Syrian and Israeli forces from Lebanon 'on a certain date.'
Fierce Israeli bombing Aug. 12 of West Beirut prompted a phone call hours into the raid from an angry American president to the Israeli prime minister.
Begin said he returned the call later to affirm that all the bombing and shelling had ended.
'The president said 'It's a holocaust' in the first conversation. He hurt me very deeply, and I answered him in my answer to his letter. I said to him, 'Mr. President, I know what is a holocaust.'' The letter Begin referred to was one in an exchange between the United States and Israel regarding the air strike.
Begin said despite the 'misunderstandings,' the United States and Israel 'worked together' in resolving the Lebanese conflict.
Begin said he regarded President Reagan as a 'wonderful friend' of Israel.
Referring to the Syrian forces in Lebanon, Begin said 'they will have to get out. (U.S. envoy) Philip Habib took it upon himself to get them out by political means.'
Begin also expressed deep regrets over the loss of life among civilians during the siege.
'I don't want to deny' that civilians were hurt, Begin said, 'but if the terrorists put their guns, their tanks among the civilian population, they are responsible for those victims, not us.'
On the future of Lebanon, he said Israel is prepared to aid Lebanon's President-elect Beshir Gemayel in building a 'well-armed' to provide internal security and keep guerrillas out of territory near Israel's border.
Begin said he hoped to visit Beirut and planned to invite Gemayel to visit Jerusalem with the aim of signing a Lebanese-Israeli peace treaty.
